Mexican Restaurants in Metro Detroit
The first time we tried El Charro’s Mexican cuisine we sat in the bar because I am a smoker, but I am also short, so already I am uncomfortable sitting at a high-rise table. Our waiter comes over with chips and salsa and seems to be running the entire room (waiting, bussing, tending bar). I am somewhat impressed and ask him just how long he has been working in this supposedly authentic restaurant. “Nine years”, is his answer. This must be the longest employed Tex-Mex waiter in Metro Detroit. Does it also make him the best?
With every meal, El Charro offers you a choice of salad or nachos. I ask Mr. Waiter (henceforth referred to as MW) his opinion about the black bean soup, for it ‘s a special and not on the menu. His reply; “I don’t know. I am afraid of black beans.” Uh-huh. I order it anyway and my dining companions order the salad and nachos respectively. The soup is excellent. I tell HW this and suggest he try it so that he can recommend this Mexican treat. He nods and still looks afraid. The salad is average and the Tex-Mex nachos only fair-looking. They consist of a small plate, a few scattered chips, and overly melted cheese.
We each order basic Mexican entrees which vary in price from about $8.40-$10.10. What does this mean? Being a former server, I am assuming this is a price point so that when the bill comes, you have tip money. The food is good, but is more Tex-Mex than authentic Mexican and a little bland for my taste. Even the hot salsa is lacking in spiciness.
The next time we dine at El Charro, there is a waiting list and when seated we are once again blessed by the graces of MW. He doesn’t remember me and I ask him if the black bean soup is authentic (which is not offered this time). See above for his answer. I opt for the salad.
One of us orders their Mexican specialty, the soft-shell taco. It’s deep fried, so I go for the fajitas because I notice that it comes with guacamole and sour cream which is often ala carte in most Metro Detroit Mexican restaurants. Diner #3 orders a combo plate and MW asks him if he would like sour cream. My friend inquires if that costs extra. MW smirks a bit and says yes. I am assuming that this is an attempt at professionally authentic server humor and for the rest of the evening we ask if there is a charge for the extra authentic napkins, authentic salsa, etc.
Fraser’s El Charro Mexican Restaurant offers take-out (586) 294-3520 and accepts most major credit cards. What it doesn’t offer is really great Mexican cuisine and if they have a website, I have yet to find it.
Pancho Villa’s, 4127 15 Mile Road in Metro Detroit’s Sterling Heights, also claims the distinction of being voted “Best Mexican restaurant”. In its advertising it also mentions “Home of the Flaming Fajitas”, “Mariachi band every Friday night”, and “Eat all our super burrito and it’s free”. That’s a lot to go on. So we head down there to see what the fuss is about.
Where’s that Mariachi band? It appears that they play every other Friday and we have missed them. We start out with a supposedly authentic appetizer of Mexican fondue for $6.95, sans the chorizo, which comes with chips and burritos, but it’s a bit lumpy. Perhaps they just didn’t nuke it long enough. We ask them to cook it a bit more and they do so, but it is still more on the Tex-Mex side. Sorry, Goldilocks. We concede and glop it on with spoons. It’s quite tasty though, with muenster cheese, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and jalapenos.
When dining in Mexican restaurants around Metro Detroit, I always like to try their specialty, so it’s time to attempt that super burrito. We are given the option of ground beef, shredded beef, or chicken; we choose the ground beef and await the results. Obviously the deal here is that you order this Tex-Mex dish for $14.95 and if you can eat it all in one sitting, you don’t pay. So while those around you wonder why you are pigging out, you can smile innocently back at them so that they will know that greed and carbs are everything.
There are three of us dining at Pancho Villa’s tonight. One of my companions tells us he has attempted this feat, and while he can certainly put down a lot of food, after he had finished he still had two take-out boxfuls of burrito left. We ask if the three of us can share the burrito. There is no problem, aside from the fact that there will be an extra charge and we don’t qualify for the freebie. So it goes.
Pancho Villa’s Tex-Mex burrito is certainly enormous. I would hazard a guess it is somewhere between 2 and 3 pounds. Covered in melted cheese and adorned with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, I let my male buddies go for it so I can see exactly why it is so huge. There is lots of beef in there, but there are also beans and an amazing amount of rice as filler. This is a Tex-Mex heart attack just waiting to happen.
I try to just go for a bit more of the beef and lettuce. I always order the hottest salsa in Mexican restaurants; this is homemade but only moderate in its spiciness. The plate empties, but I am thinking I should have opted for a more authentic dish, such as fajitas. At least then I would know ahead of time just how much rice I had coming.
Pancho Villa’s also has carry out and catering (586.939.2531), are open 7 days a week, and always seem to have coupons readily available in local publications or on their website (www.panchovillas.net). I admire restaurants that give few restrictions on their coupons and they allow you to use them even on weekends. There is also a children’s menu (both Mexican and American fare and each selection comes with a drink) and they accept all major credit cards. So if you are in the mood to pig out and damn the cholesterol, Pancho Villa’s is the Metro Detroit Mexican restaurant for you.
El Sombrero Mexican Restaurant is not on any main road in the Metro Detroit area, so you actually have to seek it out at 8601 Old 13 Mile Road in Warren in Macomb County across from the GM tech center. It’s worth the jaunt. Juan Zavala and his family have been operating this cozy spot since 1991 and their fare is quite authentic.
Open 7 days a week, El Sombrero’s has standard Mexican cuisine as well as some great authentic dishes that include steak or seafood. Their daily specials include 3 enchiladas on Tuesday for only $5.95 and a yummy “Wet Burrito Wednesday” at the tasty price of $6.95. Beans and rice are always included and you can choose from 3 salsas to go with your complimentary chips.
I opt, however, for the spicy beef fajitas. The plate is huge! Filled with the usual beef, green pepper, and onion, it is engulfed in an amazingly authentic chipotle sauce and drenched in melted cheese. You also get tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and it is worth the extra for a dab of guacamole. The tenderness of the marinated beef and unique spiciness of the fajita sauce garner it 5 stars (or should that be 5 sombreros?).
It turned out that our server was daughter Zulema. She was quite attentive and charming and even answered all the taste questions I had, including the secret to those fantastic fajitas.
Some other plusses at El Sombrero Mexican Restaurant are a lunch buffet M-F for only $4.95, a full banquet room complete with mariachi band, and catering. Give them a call 586-274-0590 or visit them online at: http://www.geocities.com/sombrero8601/index.html. And if you order take-out on Thursday, you can indulge yourself in one of their authentic lime margarita specials while you wait. Ole’!
