Cuisine: Mexican
Restaurant Features: Bar,
Location: Minneapolis, MN (Downtown)
Address: 609 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Hours: Mon – Thurs: 11am – 11pm Fri 11am-12am Sat 12pm-3pm & 4pm-12am Sun 12pm-3pm & 4pm-11pm
Links: Rosa Mexicano Website * Rosa Mexicano on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: Located Downtown at the heart of the Theater District on the corner of 6th St and Hennepin Ave, the Rosa Mexicano chain out of New York has finally made its way to Minneapolis. The interior of the restaurant is posh and trendy, with unique decor including a water table with strings of diving figurines suspended above. From a distance they looked like doves or some type of origami; I had to get closer to see what they really were.
Along one wall of the dining room are lit shelves of multi-colored liquids in clear vases, a cheap but fun way to brighten and color up the room.
There is another dining area attached to the lounge area, used for over-flow dining or private parties.
The Bar and Lounge area is just to the right of the dining room, accessible from the main entrance on Hennepin Ave. There are a number of tables where patrons can either enjoy a cocktail or stay for dinner.
Menu: Appetizers include Guacamole en Molcajete, Tortilla Soup, Market Salad, Chicken Flautas, Yellowtail Tartare, Roasted Bone Marrow, Crab Empanadas, Veggie Quesadillas, Queso Fundido, and Pork Belly and Sea Scallop Tacos.
Entrees at Rosa Americano include Mexico City Street Salad and Barbequed Tuna Loin, Shrimp Brochette, Butterflied Red Snapper, Salmon with Tropical Fruit Mole, Grilled Steak with Chipotle Shrimp, Short Ribs, Mixed Grill Brochette, Filet Mignon with Wild Mushrooms, Budin de Pollo, Chile Ancho Relleno, Pork Steak, Beef Mole Enchiladas, Chicken Suiza Enchiladas, Veggie Enchiladas, Jumbo Lump Crab Enchiladas, Chicken Tacos, Steak Tacos, and Roasted Veggie Tacos.
Mexican Dessert offerings include Churros, Cheesecake, Anejo-Chipotle Chocolate Flautas, Blackberry Tres Leches Cake, Espresso Flan, and a selection of Mexican Sorbets and Ice Creams.
Price guide: Appetizers $8-14 Entrees $16-28
What we ordered: I had heard the table-side guacamole was well-worth its $14 price tag, and since I rarely pass up the chance to eat fresh guacamole, that is what my companion and I started with. You can order it mild, medium or salsa and it will be made fresh, right in front of you.
We ordered the guacamole with medium spice. It was fresh and delicious and very flavorful. It had nice big chunks of avocado and was creamy everywhere else.
The guacamole came with Chips & Salsa. The chips were freshly homemade; hot and crispy. One salsa was Pasilla de Oaxaca and one was Tomatillo & Habanero. They were very different but both very good. The Oaxaca salsa was smokey and had some zip to it. A basket of fresh, homemade corn tortillas are also served on the side.
I ordered the Traditional Margarita. This drink was good but was mostly ice. At $10, it was about $2 per sip and didn’t quite pack a punch at that price.
I had asked for a recommendation for either the Salmon en Fruit Mole or the Chile Relleno with Pork. I usually love chile relleno and the shredded pork sounded very good so I went along with this. I was actually quite disappointed with this dish. The chile had been roasted or smoked so that it was very hard and chewy. Once I peeled the pepper away, there was a mound of dry, seasoned roasted pork inside. There was no cheese as most chile rellenos have, which would have helped it int he moisture department. The manager stopped by to ask how everything was and I was honest that I hadn’t really enjoyed the chile relleno so he insisted that they make something else for me. I told him this was not necessary but he felt obligated to make things right and he wanted to make sure that if I didn’t want a new dish for dinner, they could at least ensure that I had something for my lunch the following day.
The meal that they replaced the Chile Relleno with was the Budin de Pollo. This picture was taken the following day after it had been reheated in the container it was packaged in. Despite being a day old, I enjoyed this dish more than the Chile Relleno. There were several large chunks of white meat chicken sandwiched between two layers of soft corn tortillas that had been baked with Chihuahua cheese and strips of roasted Mexican peppers. It also had a creamy poblano pepper sauce that was mild yet gave the dish most of its flavor. The portion size was big enough for two meals, especially with the sides of refried black beans and rice that they also sent along.
My companion ordered the Enchiladas de Jaiba, which is jumbo lump crab with pumpkin seeds rolled into corn tortillas and then topped with a tomatillo sauce and chihuahua cheese then baked. This was very good, but my companion did not care for the extra crunchy texture of the pumpkin seeds in this dish.
Our entrees came with family-style Rice. This was not traditional Mexican rice but it was flavorful and tasted pretty good. The kernels of rice were short and plumb, I am not sure which variety it was. I especially liked all of the fresh cilantro that it was topped with.
We also got family-style Refried Black Beans. These were smooth, creamy and delicious.
Service: We arrived late for our reservation at the prime dinner hour and unfortunately the table had been given away. The host was friendly and we only had to wait about five minutes before another table became available and we were seated. We started with table-side guacamole and were able to get this service immediately. It took awhile longer for our drinks. The entrees took nearly 45 minutes after ordering, which seemed like quite a long time. The server apologized for the delay but not really sure why it took so long. Our server had several recommendations for me when I asked her, but I really wasn’t impressed with her selection. My companion ordered a soda but it was left unfilled until we asked if there were free refills or not (there are!) when our meals arrived. When I mentioned that my dish was just “alright”, the server walked away without asking me to elaborate. Fortunately the manager also stopped by to ask about our meals. He went out of his way to make sure we were satisfied when we left and felt very bad that the chile relleno was not up to standard.
Overall Impression: This was my first visit to a Rosa Mexicano restaurant and while I enjoyed the atmosphere, the food was below my expectations for the amount of money we paid. The table-side guacamole was delicious but overpriced. The food can be good, depending on what you order, but didn’t meet my idea of authentic Mexican food. I have found far better food on my travels to Mexico, where I have visited on twenty separate occasions.
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Cuisine: Mexican
Restaurant Features: Bar, Lunch Buffet, On-Site Parking,
Location: St Paul, MN (west side)
Address: 199 Plato Bvd. • St. Paul, MN 55107 (651) 222-2353
Hours: Sun – Thur 11am – 10 pm Fri- Sat 11am – 11pm
Links: El Toro Website * El Toro on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: El Toro is located on the ‘west side’ of St Paul, at the corner of Plato Ave & Robert St, in a stand-alone building. There are a couple of different seating areas inside the restaurant, including this room where the lunch buffet is set up. There are many tables as well as a few booths along the wall.
The bar area is slightly more festive than the dining room, with banners advertising Mexican beers hanging from the ceiling. This area has several booths along two of the walls as well as seating around the bar.
Menu: Appetizers include a selection of Nachos, Shrimp Cocktail, Queso Fundido, Jalapeno Poppers, Mushroom Quesadilla,and Guacamole.
Soups include Tortilla and Fideo. Salad options include Taco Salad (ground beef), Fajita Salad, Chicken Salad, Taco Loco, Chef and Guacamole Salad.
Enchilada choices include Enchiladas Rojo, Enchiladas Verde, Enchiladas Poblanas, Enchiladas Rancheras, Yolandas, Enchiladas Supremas and Seafood Enchiladas. All come with guacamole salad and rice.
Quesadilla options include Shrimp, Ranchera, Veracruzanas, and Rellenas.
Burrito options include Mexicanas, Rancheras, Deluxe, Ruleta, Burritos Tipicos, Fiesta Burrito and Grande Burro.
Fajita options include Shrimp, Beef, Chicken, Texas Fajitas, Fajitas Vallarta, and Seafood Fajitas.
Special dinner entrees include Carne Asada, Steak Ranchero, Carnitas, Steak a la Tampiquena, T-Bone, Pollo Asado, Pollo al Lorito, Pollo Veracruzano, Chori Pollo, Chilaquiles Mexicanos, Taquitos Mexicanos, Chile Colorado, Chile Verde, Tacos de Chorizo, Chimichanga, Camarones de Diabla, Mojarra Frita, Tilapia, Shrimp.
You can also make-your-own plate with a large selection of A La Carte items including Tacos, Tostadas, Burritos, Enchiladas, Tamales, Rellenos and Quesadillas.
El Toro also serves Mexican Desserts including Tres Leches Cake, Flan, Fried Ice Cream and Sopapillas.
Price guide: Appetizers $6-10 Salad $4-8 Enchiladas $9-12 Entrees $9-14 Desserts $2-4
What we ordered: This was my first time to El Toro and we came for the Lunch Buffet which is suprisingly only $5.99 for all-you-can-eat. They brought us complimentary chips, salsa and a creamy seasoned dip. I have to admit I didn’t try any of these, my mind was set on the buffet.
My first plate at the buffet included beans, rice, a ground beef taco and a taquito. I had just a taste of the beans and rice, both were decent. The taco was good, with gringo-style seasoned ground beef which I topped with fresh tomato, shredded cheese and a heaping pile of fresh guacamole. Very satisfying! The taquito was also decent, a flour tortilla wrapped around shredded chicken then fried.
My intent with the Second Plate was to get a little bit of everything to try. Unfortunately at least three of the items on the buffet were completely out and had not yet been replenished (various types of enchiladas, etc). What I did have were the Chicken Quesadilla, Chicken Enchilada, and Huevos a la Mexicana (scrambled eggs with tomato, onion and chiles). The eggs were the best thing on this plate, and would make great breakfast tacos as well. The grilled Quesadilla had big pieces of white-meat chicken along with some type of creamy Mexican cheese sauce (sort of like Mexican Velveeta). The chicken was good but I wasn’t crazy about the cheese. The enchilada was far from being fresh and was slightly dry.
Service: We had pretty good service and our server checked on us consistently which was nice, considering it was a buffet.
Overall Impression: El Toro has decent Mexican food and you really can’t beat $5.99 for all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. It is not nearly as good at Boca Chica’s lunch buffet, but $3 less and they have just as much to choose from.
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Cuisine: Authentic Mexican
Restaurant Features: Catering, Counter-Service
Location: Minneapolis & St Paul, MN
Addresses & Maps:
Minneapolis- 417 East Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 612-823-5398
Minneapolis- 809 East lake Street Minneapolis, MN 612-825-4978
St Paul- 895 Arcade Street St Paul, MN 55106 651-384-9959
Hours: Open Daily
Links: Los Ocampo Website * Los Ocampo Facebook Page
Atmosphere: Los Ocampo offers counter-service; a large counter with a colorful menu greets you as you enter the St Paul location.
The dining room has a sprinkling of tables, with Mexican decor gracing the walls and shelves.
Menu: Appetizers include Chips and Guacamole, Nachos, Pozole, Menudo, Sope de Mariscos,
Taqueria Los Ocampo has a variety of Tacos, Gorditas, Huarache, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tortas, Torta al Gusto, Torta Cubano, Enchiladas, Platillo Costilla, Sope, Huarachazo, Sincronizada, Churrasco, Tiacoyo, and Alambre. Meat options are plenty and include Chicken Tinga, Carnitas, Carne Asada, Carne Lengua, Chorizo, Chorizo con Papas, and many more.
Desserts include Flan, Chocoflan, Tiramisu, and Platanos con Lechera.
Price guide: $2-$10
What we ordered: There were many items that looked good on the menu but I wanted to try something a little different, so I ordered the Stuffed Poblano Pepper (aka Chile Relleno). The pepper was battered then fried, the inside contained a small amount of a particular Mexican cheese that was light and almost spongy in consistency and didn’t have a ton of flavor. I LOVED the rice and veggies that came with the Chile Relleno, the rice was very flavorful and was topped with sauteed peppers and onions. Mmmm! I also ordered a carnitas taco ala carte, which I loved. Los Ocampo has this really awesome creamy avocado sauce that is a dream atop your tacos.
One of my companions ordered the Chicken Quesadilla, a large corn tortilla fried and stuffed with stewed chicken, lettuce cheese, sour cream and slices of radish.
Another companion ordered the Carne Asada Tacos platter, which came with three tacos, beans and rice. Delicioso!
Asada Tacos at Los Ocampo ~ St paul, MN
Another companion ordered a Quesdilla with Papas y Chorizo, filled with potatoes that had been cooked with chorizo, making it extra flavorful. Stuffed with lettuce, sour cream and mexican cheese.
Papas con Choriz Quesadilla at Los Ocampo ~ St Paul, MN
Service: We ordered at the counter and despite it being quite busy at lunchtime, our food was prepared and brought out to our table in less than ten minutes.
Overall Impression: Quick and cheap Authentic Mexican
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Cuisine: Mexican, Seafood
Restaurant Features: Bar, On-Site Parking
Location: St Paul, MN (West-side)
Address: 567 Stryker Ave St Paul, MN 55107 651-291-9632
Hours: Daily 9:30-10pm
Links: Google Map
Atmosphere: Mazatlan is located on the corner of George St and Stryker Ave, on St Paul’s West Side. The restaurant has been in this location for three years, a space that is divided into a restaurant on one side and a bar on the other. The decor is nothing fancy but is comfortable and has cheerful Mexican-beach inspired murals on many of the walls.
Menu: I have to apologize and admit that I did not even look at the menu and I cannot find the menu online anywhere either. When I make a return trip I will make sure to do a more thorough job of documenting what else they serve at Mazatlan Restaurant.
I know they have an extensive selection of Tacos, Burritos, Fajitas, and other Seafoods.
Price guide: $2/taco $7-16 Entrees
What we ordered: We started with the complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were very good, the salsa was also pretty good, may have had a hint of tamarind? I really wanted to try a margarita but I was technically only at lunch and on the clock so I had to pass. Next time!
While I should have looked at the extensive menu, I simply asked our server what she recommended. She told me that the fajitas were really good, and recommended the Combination Fajitas which came with Chicken, Steak and Shrimp. Sounded great to me, so that is what I ordered. I was very happy with my choice! The order came with a heaping pile of sizzling white-meat chicken strips, steak, shrimp, with sauteed bell peppers and onions. It came with both beans and rice and a basket of freshly made corn tortillas. Delicious, especially with the salsa verde! I only made two tacos before I was full and had a lot to take home.
Along with our meals we were brought this cool table-top salsa bar that had fresh lime, pico de gallo, red salsa, green salsa, and another green sauce that was avocado-based and very mild.
One of my companions ordered the Chicken Burrito, a large burrito stuffed with juicy and tender shredded white meat chicken, rice and other veggies, then grilled on the outside. Very yummy and a large portion size.
Another companion ordered the carne asada and carne lengua tacos, served on freshly made corn tortillas. Decent amount of meat on each tortilla, then topped with the customary cilantro and onions. Tacos can be sold ala carte, so you can mix and match.
Service: We were warmly greeted as soon as we arrived, and had our pick of tables so we chose to sit near the windows. Our server was very nice and we were very pleased with our overall service.
Overall Impression: Glad we found this place, the food is authentic and they have many items to choose from on the menu, including many seafoods all of which is very reasonably priced for the large portions. The service was great.
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Did you know that El Burrito Mercado in St Paul is open at 7am?? And that they serve the best Mexican breakfast around? I was in the area the other morning and stopped for a mid-morning brunch and I am so glad I did!
The omelet came stuffed with my choice of meat and fillings, and two sides. I chose the birria (shredded beef in a red sauce), cheese and cilantro and had it topped with red chili and spicy salsa. Muy delicioso, especially with hot tortillas to make mini breakfast tacos. The two sides I chose were a papas con chorizo and zucchini with corn, tomato, onion and chiles. This is one of my most favorite meals!! The portion was huge, enough for two big meals
I enjoyed every bite and will be back for breakfast again soon!
Article and photos by Kristi SauerCopyright Twin Cities Restaurant Blog
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Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Mexican
Restaurant Features: Catering, Free Wi-Fi
Location: St Paul (West Side)
Address: 637 South Smith Ave St Paul, MN 651-290-0218
Hours: Mon-Sat 7:00am-2:30pm Sunday 8:00am-2:oopm
Links: *Capital View Cafe Website * Google Map
Atmosphere: Capital View Cafe is located on Smith Ave, on the “West Side” of St Paul, just a hop-skip-and-jump away from the High Bridge that crosses the Mississippi into downtown St Paul. The interior of Capital View is the perfect picture of a retro cafe, with a mix of both booths and tables and an orange checkered floor in the back room.
Menu: The many breakfast items at Capital View Cafe include Eggs Any Style, Biscuits and Gravy, Grilled Fried Egg Sandwich with Cheese, Country Fried Steak, Huevos Ranchers, Eggs Benedict, Farmer’s Breakfast, Tex-Mex, Chporizo con Huevos, Breakfast Burritos, Machaca, Cajun Breakfast, and Cajun Benedict. Many of the Breakfast Specialties can be made into a 1/2 order, the server can tell you which.
Capital View Omelets include Chorizo with Cheddar, Vegetarian, Farmer’s, Fajita and Build-Your-Own.
Breakfast Favorites include Breakfast Quesadillas, Smoked Country Sausage, Chipotle Pork Chili and Eggs, Pork Chop and Eggs, Corned Beef Hash, Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Buttermilk Pancakes, Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Blueberry Pancakes, Banana Pecan Pancakes, Cinnamon Swirl French Toast, Buttermilk Waffle, Pocket French Toast, French Toast Fritters, and Belgian Waffle.
Appetizers include Chips and Salsa, French Fries, Battered Onion Rings, and Cheese Nachos with Jalapenos.
Salad options at Capital View Cafe include Garden, Chef, Caesar, Taco, Chinese Chicken and Steak or Chicken Fajita Salad.
Sandwiches and Burgers are served with kettle chips or upgrade to fruit or fries for $1. Options include Patty Melt, B.L.T., Grilled Cheese, Grilled Ham and Cheese, Grilled Reuben, MOnte Cristo, Philly Steak Sadwich, Sirloin Steak Sandwich, Capital Hill Burger, Chicken Club, Grilled Chicken Breast, Cajun Style Chicken Breast, Chicken Strip Basket, Grilled Tuna Melt, Cold Sandwich, Mushroom and Swiss Burger, Cajun Burger and Plain Burger.
Mexican Specialties include Cheese and Onion Enchiladas, Chorizo with Cheese Enchiladas, Beef or Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken or Beef Tacos, Tostadas, Steak or Chicken Fajitas, Chipotle Red Pork Chili, Burrito Especial, and Chimichangas.
Price guide: Breakfast Specialties $6-10 Sandwiches $7-9 Mexican Lunch Specialties $ 7-10
Early Bird Specials: Mon-Fri 7am-9am
- $3.99 2 Eggs and Toast
- $4.99 2 Eggs, Potatoes and Toast or 2 Eggs, Meat and Toast
- $5.99 2 Eggs, 2 Cakes or French Toast, and Meat
- $6.99 2 Eggs, Meat, Potato, and Toast
What I ordered: I had never been to Capital View Cafe before but had heard great things about their breakfast, so I stopped one morning before work. The server had many recommendations off the Cafe’s Breakfast Specialties section of the menu, including the Chorizo con Huevos, Cajun Breakfast and Tex-Mex. They all sounded great but I settled on the Tex-Mex Breakfast (1/2 order) and a 1/2 order of the Pocket French Toast.The Tex Mex breakfast was a giant portion of shredded hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, and sausage, topped with a flour tortilla, enchilada sauce and melted cheddar cheese. This was very good! I couldn’t believe how big this 1/2 portion was, I was only able to eat a fraction of it! I could choose from breakfast sausage, chorizo or andouille and went with the server’s suggestion of andouille, which is well seasoned and slightly spicy. Great choice! The enchilada sauce was on the mild side and went great with all the layers of ingredients underneath it. A very hearty breakfast (for sure!) and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
The second breakfast item I got was a 1/2 order of the Pocket French Toast, which came highly recommended by my server. Oh my, was this delightful! The arrangement itself was very appealing, with fresh strawberries and blueberries topping the french toast, and little kisses of whipped cream here and there. It was also served with the cutest little dish of warm syrup. There were two pieces of the French Toast, each with a “pocket” inside filled with melted sweet cream cheese. The sweetness of the toast and berries and the satisfaction that came with every bite convinced me I was eating dessert for breakfast! I loved every bite I was able to eat.
Service: My server was excellent, very sweet and had the best suggestions for what to order. It was great that she let me know I could get a half-order of just about all breakfast items so that I was able to try two different things. The food came out in about 5 minutes which was much faster than I expected. One thing to note is that credit cards are only accepted for over $50, otherwise it is cash only.
Overall Impression: Breakfast served all day? That’s my type of place!! Capital View Cafe has a large selection of breakfast items and the portion sizes are enormous. I will be back soon to work my way through the breakfast menu!
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Cuisine: Street Foods from around the Equator: Asian, Caribbean, Mexican, South American, and Polynesian
Restaurant Features: Banquet Room, Bar
Location: Minneapolis (Uptown)
Address: 2916 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN 55408 ( 612) 824-7878
Hours: Sun-Thurs 4:30pm-1am Fri-Sat 4:30p-2am
Links: Chino Latino Website * Chino Latino on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: Chino Latino is located in Uptown on Hennepin Ave at Lake St (across from Calhoun Square). It is a cool and chic restaurant that runs two stories, with most tables set closely together. Most of the tables are big enough for larger parties, but there is also a extra-long community table on the lower level that allows for much bigger parties. One side of the restaurant hosts a sushi bar, the other side has a giant bar that illuminates the entire restaurant with its orange glow. The kitchen is on the lower level, as are the bathrooms.
Menu: The Menu at Chino Latino is printed on a daily basis, so items may vary depending on season and availability.
Tacos include Barbacoa (shredded beef), Tinga (stewed chicken), Crunchy Carne, and Mijangos (stewed chicken).
Sushi Options include Chipotle Salmon Roll, Salmon Roll, White Tiger Roll, Tuna Tataki, Weed Eater, Kalifornia Krab Roll, Spicy Mango Shrimp Caterpillar Roll, Ring of Fire Roll, and Sushi Sampler.
Little Dishes on my visit included Habanero Poppers, Queso Fundido, Chinese BBQ ribs, Black Laab (Thai lettuce wraps), Jerk Chicken Skewers, Shrimp Feast, Tostada de Tinga, Firecracker Wings, Popocatepe (nacho-style fries), Potstickers, Shrimp Wraps, Shrimp Lollopops, Plum Blossom Salad, Bulgogi Beef Lettuce Cup, Empanada de Janeiro, Pescado Ahumado, Satay, Nachos del Sol, Chicken Enchiladas, Calamari, Mushi-Buro Beef, Crispy Saigon Rolls, Spicy Edamame, and Polynesian Pupu Platter.
Bigger Dishes to Share include Carne Asada Ala Moreliana (taco platter), Coconut Shrimp Curry, Mahi Mahi, Lo Mein, Philippine Paella, Fish Taco Platter, Banana Boat Chicken, Cuban Pork Roast, Mandarin Beef Stir Fry, Jerked Chicken, Big Chipotle Burrito, Spicy Shrimp Fried Rice, Miso Noodles, Kung Pao Chicken, Argentine Rodizio Roast, Cuban Pig Roast, and Cuy (roasted Guinea Pig).
Dessert Options include Deep Fried Snickers, Molten Chocolate Cake, Fried Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream, S’Mores Platter, Chocolate Flandango (flan layered with chocolate cake), Brownie Tres Leches, Fried Ice Cream, Mango Spiced Cake, Ice Cream, and Banana Split.
There are countless “Hot Zone Cocktails” at Chino Latino including a variety of Mojitos, Martinis, Margaritas, and many other fruity drinks. Several Beers and Wines also available.
Price guide: Tacos $3-4 Sushi $12-25 Little Plates $7-17 Big Plates $19-35 Desserts $6-14
What we ordered: **Must warn you that these photos are not very good, I was forced to use flash because of the eerie orange glow**
I started with the House Margarita, made with Sauza, fresh lime juice and Triple Sec. Maybe I have gotten spoiled with all the sweet margaritas I have had lately, but I thought this margarita was terrible! It was bitter and strong, no matter how many limes I squeezed into it, it did not get much better. A few of my friends had the same one and enjoyed it. Must be a matter of preference, but I would not get it again.
I ordered the Pescado Ahumado, a delicious dish of bite-size pieces of smoked swordfish tossed in a light, creamy citrusy dressing, served with fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, and thick corn tortilla chips. I loved it! The smokiness of the fish was subtle but gave it such a nice flavor, there was no hint of fishiness at all. The texture of the swordfish was very dense, almost more like poultry than fish. Excellent choice!
Pescado Ahumado ~ Chino Latino
One of my companions ordered the Chicken Enchiladas. There were 3-4 corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken and black beans, then covered with a spicy chile salsa and topped with shredded lettuce, sour cream and tomatoes. I tried some of these enchiladas and thought they were good, but not a highlight on the Chino Latino menu. So many other fun and yummy things to try!
Chicken Enchiladas ~ Chino Latino
Another companion ordered Fried Rice with Chicken. This was a giant order of fried rice, with tons of peppers, green onion, egg and chicken. Absolutely delicious!
Chicken Fried Rice ~ Chino Latino
Another companion ordered the Potstickers, an order of six large pan-fried dumplings stuffed with chicken and vegetables. Served with a ginger-soy dipping sauce. Very yummy!
Another companion ordered the Ochos Rios Jerk Chicken Skewers, one of the best things that I tried! The chicken was very spicy and served with a delicious, refreshing mango pico de gallo. The sweetness of the mango was the perfect compliment to the spicy chicken.
Jerk Chicken with Mango Salsa ~ Chino Latino
Another companion ordered the Nachos del Sol. These nachos were unlike most you might be familiar with, because they were served with fried plantain chips instead of tortilla chips. The bowl contained black beans, chorizo, pico de gallo, queso fresco, sour cream and jalapenos for dipping the chips.
And last but not least, is the Sushi Sampler that two of my companions shared. Just one look at this tray and I was envious of their choice! For $25, this is the best sushi deal you can get at Chino Latino because you get to try the Tiger Shrimp Roll, Mango Shrimp Caterpillar Roll, Wasabi Tuna Balls, and Chipotle Salmon Roll. Outstanding sushi!
Service: We had very good service while at Chino Latino. We had a party of eight without a reservation but they were able to seat us without too long of a wait. The drinks took some time and the food was brought out as it was made, so we were all eating at different times. One thing that is very nice is that Chino Latino has some round tables and booths made for up to 10 people so we were all able to conversate more intimately and there is a lazy-susan in the middle of the table to easily share dishes.
Overall Impression: I love the food at Chino Latino and think the concept of ”street foods from the hot zones” is absolutely genius. I wish the prices were a little more affordable so I could eat there often and try everything on the menu!
Cuisine: Mexican
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, Nightclub,
Locations: St Paul and Minneapolis, MN
Addresses & Maps:
St Paul- 235 E 6th Street St Paul, MN 55101 651-222-3250
Minneapolis- 925 Nicollett Mall Mpls, MN 55403 612-333-9953
Hours: Mon-Thur 11am-1am Fri 11am-2am Sat & Sun 4pm-2am
Links: Barrio Website * Barrio Facebook Page
Atmosphere: The St Paul location is in lowertown, on E 6th St and Wacouta, next door to The Bulldog and across the street from Mears Park. The space is big and open, with wooden floors and festively decorated walls and bistro tables throughout. On the eastern wall there are also a couple of large, semi-circle booths that can seat up to six people. The western wall has a very long bar running the length, holding at least 125 varieties of tequila in addition to the popular liquor brands they carry.
Menu: Tacos and Enchiladas include Pork Carnitas with Serrano Chile Salsa, Red Chile Enchilada with Chorizo and Fried Egg, Fried Mahi Mahi Taco with Citrus Cucumber Pico de Gallo, Grilled Skirt Steak with Roasted Poblanos, Potato-Chorizo Taco, Chicken Enchilada with Salsa Verde and Crema, and Spiced Shrimp Taco with Tomato-Mint Salsa.
Small Plates include Barbeque Pork Sopes, Diver Scallop Ceviche, Black Bean & Chicken Tostada, Fresh Corn Chowder, Jicama & Citrus Salad, Crab Empanadas with Salsa Verde and Avocado, Potato Sopes with Goat Cheese and Red Chile, Tequila-Cured Salmon with papaya and Avocado, Mushroom Quesadilla, Sugarcane Skewered Tequila Shrimp, Queso Fundito with Tortillas, Spicy Crab Soup, and Guacamole.
Price guide: Tacos $3.50-4 Small Plates $7.50
Happy Hour: 2-6pm Mon-Sat 10-Midnight Sun-Thurs
- Small Plates $5: Black Bean & Chicken Tostada, Fresh Corn Chowder, Queso Fundito, Chips & Dips
- Tacos $5: 2 Pork Carnitas, 2 Grilled Skirt Steak, 2 Potato Chorizo
- Specialty Drinks $5: Barrio Margarita, Sangria, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
- Pitcher of beer $12: Dos Equis, Summit Extra Pale Ale, Miller Lite
- Carafe of Barrio Margarita $18
- $1 off Rails
What we ordered: We started with a couple of the Happy Hour appetizers, including the Queso Fundito. The hot, melted Mexican cheese was baked with green chiles and then served in the hot cast iron skillet with a side of warm flour tortillas. Delicious but cools quickly and the cheese starts to harden again so eat it while its hot! Especially yummy with salsa or even guacamole.
We also ordered the Chips and Dips, which came with a large bowl of hot, thick crunchy corn tortilla chips, three different salsas and fresh guacamole. Each salsa had a unique flavor and ranged in spiciness from mild to hot. I loved the habanero one especially but the salsa verde was especially yummy too.
I also had a Barrio Margarita. Tart and strong, just the way I like my margs. Have I mentioned how much I like margaritas? They are my all-time favorite drink.
When I saw that they had fish tacos, I knew I had to try them even though they were deep-fried. Oh so glad I did, they were wonderful! The crunchy batter actually made it easier to eat the fish because it didn’t flake apart like fillets often do. There were two mahi-mahi fillets in the order for $3.50 and I was able to make two tacos with the extra tortilla. What a deal! I loved the fresh pico and jalapenos that topped the tacos, and also the crunch from the cabbage.
I also ordered the Carnitas (to-go for lunch the next day). The pork was moist and flavorful, shredded yet tender. They were served on white corn tortillas and topped with the traditional cilantro and onions, and salsa verde. Try ‘em, you’ll like ‘em!
One of my companions ordered the Jicama Salad, which was a basic salad with thin strips of Jicama. Have you had Jicama? It is kind of like a potato, starchy and very mildly flavored. This salad was not a big hit. At least not the jicama!
Another companion ordered the Tequila Shrimp Skewers. There were 3-4 large shrimp impaled by the sugarcane skewer, topped with asparagus. I did not try these but it looked great!
Another companion ordered the Chicken Enchilada, topped with salsa verde, fresh Mexican queso, and raw onion.
Service: I met with a group of friends during Happy Hour, arriving before the crowd when I could still find an open meter on the street. After 4:30 meters are free. There were still many tables to choose from and we picked one near the door. Our server gave us Happy Hour menus and told us that dinner doesn’t start until 5. Our drinks arrived pretty quickly and we ordered a couple of appetizers. We had to ask for dinner menus so that we could order once dinner officially started. Later as our meals were coming out, they brought each item out separately, spaced apart in time. We thought that was strange, not sure why they couldn’t wait and bring them all out at once? Our group was there for several hours and we didn’t see our server very frequently. We were not ordering many drinks so the server stepped back and let us have our social time (I will assume that is what she was doing, rather than just ignoring us).
Overall Impression: The atmosphere was great and so was the food. The food menu is somewhat limited but they have over 125 different tequilas!! The service could be better but like I said, I think our server was just letting my companions and I enjoy our social time. I’ll definitely be back.
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