Pleasing a tough crowd

Monday night found me meeting a friend of twenty years (yes, twenty!) downtown for an early dinner at a Mexican joint I had never heard of. According to Lauren, she chose Tropisueno based on several walk-by observations. Good enough reason for me. Lauren and I grew up together eating delicious, hearty Mexican food; neither of us easily fooled by mediocre south-of-the-border fare, so Tropisueno had its work cut out.

When I walked in, my first observation was how delightful the place was. You walk into a decent-sized bar area, which appeared quite lively for a Monday night. To its left is a large, charming dining room. Immediately, I felt like I had walked into one of the restaurants I visited in Mexico earlier this year.

Lauren, a full bowl of chips, and two salsas awaited me in the dining room. The chips were good and addicting, as all good Mexican restaurant chips are and should be. The menu is comprehensive but not overwhelming. I was tempted by several options (a seafood soup, chile verde, and the stand-by combo option) but ultimately decided on something a little different: Camarones Tropisueno. This dish consists of a generous serving of jumbo shrimp swimming in an arbol sauce (best described orange and slightly spicy – almost curry-like) accompanied by Mexican rice, corn tortillas, refried beans, and salsa. The arbol sauce was quite memorable and not something you see every day. I was very pleased.

Onto two critical factors when evaluating Mexican food: portions and prices. Naturally, I managed to find the most expensive item on the menu ($16) but most options are in the very reasonable $10 range. When you consider all the accompaniments that are included with the entrees – rice beans, tortillas – it makes for a very filling meal (sadly, this is not always a given nowadays...ahem, Mamacita). Nothing makes me happier than finding a new Mexican spot that meets my unreasonably high taste, portion, and price standards. I will definitely go back and would highly recommend it to others (especially since Chevy’s is around the corner). Gracias, Lauren!