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Finally! Decent Mexican for a modest price

By Jessica Keltz
photos by KC Kratt
food
Everyone has one thing they think is lacking in the Buffalo restaurant scene. For my boyfriend Ken, a onetime Texan, and me, it’s quality Mexican food. My friends and I hit Salsaritas from time to time, but I always think the same thing: “This is tasty, but I could make it in the microwave if I was drunk.” Not exactly something you want to shell out $8 or more for. So when I asked Ken for a ride out to the suburbs to try out El Palenque Mexican Grill, he was ready to explore.

We arrived on a busy Friday evening, snagging the last spot in the parking lot and one of maybe three open tables. Warm chips and a mini carafe of delicious salsa came out almost immediately. The salsa had a near-pureed texture, and a nice kick. Whoever made it didn’t think Mexican food served to Americans had to taste like ketchup.

The menu at El Palenque features pages of combo plates, including a wealth of lunch specials available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to beer, wine, and margaritas ($4 to $6 with frozen fruit flavor options), Mexican sodas are available.

More quickly than we had a right to expect, our order was taken and drinks arrived. Our food came out before we could even think to lay off the chips so as not to spoil our appetites.

Ken ordered the pollo la parilla, chicken in special sauce served with rice, refried beans, and a foil-wrapped stack of flour tortillas. He praised the quality of the chicken, which had no fat on it and was covered in a tomato-based sauce.
food
El Palenque diners Elizabeth Kish,
Michelle Ratajczak, and Jack Ratajczak.
I tried one of the vegetarian combo platters, all of which cost $7. The most interesting item on my plate was a burrito doused in cheese and spicy red sauce. Inside were small potato cubes, mushrooms, and onions, which tasted like they’d been sautéed and seasoned together.

The next item, a bean chalupa, was pretty similar to every other one I’ve had: crunchy corn tortilla, refried beans, shredded cheese, shredded iceberg, a fresh red tomato slice, and a generous spoonful of guacamole. Like the salsa that began our meal, the guacamole was better than I would have expected for the price, with lots of lime flavor and a nice texture.

My plate also included a spinach quesadilla, by far the least appetizing part of the meal. A not particularly flavorful green goo oozed out of a folded-over and fried tortilla. It appeared to be cheese mixed with spinach that Ken suspected was “probably from a can.” But what do you want for $7, perfectly wilted baby spinach leaves? I was still happy, even after rejecting the quesadilla.

Oh, and how are the house margaritas? Delicious! If they used sour mix, I couldn’t taste it. The alcohol content was modest and the lime flavor strong. Highly recommended.

All told, with tax, tip and one alcoholic beverage, the bill came to just over $26. Not bad at all for a hearty, tasty meal that came out in minutes and satisfied two very hungry adults.

El Palenque Mexican Grill
951 Niagara Falls Blvd. at Eggert
446-9206


Jessica Keltz lives, works, plays, and eats south of North Street—most of the time.


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