Mexicano Auténtico

May 1, 2007

By DON STACOM, ctnow.com

How big is the difference between genuine Mexican fare and what you'll get at the Mexican-themed chain restaurants?

Well, the gap's not as wide as, say, Hunan lamb in Chinatown vs. supermarket egg rolls. But it's plenty big, and the atmosphere - the feel of the place - varies a lot, too. You're just not likely to find much that's authentically Mexican when the restaurant's stock is traded on Wall Street.

That's not to say chain Mexican restaurants have no place: They're always popular with the "Let's grab some drinks and nachos after work" crowd, and they're a good compromise for large groups where a few folks don't want anything out of the ordinary. But their menus are predictable, and their atmosphere is as conservatively mainstream as a Denny's in Des Moines.

Want someplace a little more adventurous and unconventional? Here are five spots for authentic Mexican meals.

Rio Bravo
162 Park St., Bristol
860-585-1931
Two chicken tacos, rice and beans, $6.95

Work your way through a couple dozen little restaurants hidden away on unfashionable streets, and if you're lucky you discover that one hidden jewel. Almost invariably it's an unassuming storefront that you'd hardly notice while driving by, and always you think "Wow, I wish I'd found this a few years ago."

Rio Bravo is exactly that sort of place.

Off in a remote section of Bristol's West End, this is as close to a Mexican cantina as you're likely to find in central Connecticut. It's tiny, reasonably inexpensive, informal yet immaculate. Most importantly, Rio Bravo has that wonderful "just relax and enjoy" ambience that can't be faked.

Manager Luis Agustin Lopez and his wife, Susana Hernandez, prepare and serve more of the food themselves. He has decorated with pictures and a couple of pottery items from southwest Oaxaca, where he grew up. Univision or soccer is on the TV. You can get a Coke, but the cooler is stocked mostly with Sidral Mundet apple soft drink or Jarritos fruit sodas: tamarindo, pineapple or grapefruit.

Their menu isn't exotic, but they execute with flair. Shredded chicken is flavorful, the Spanish rice is cooked in homemade tomato sauce, the cilantro is vibrant and fresh. The guacamole and salsa, too, are casero - homemade - and the hot sauce served in a side dish is blazing. The refried beans are boiled fresh.

"Some restaurants in Connecticut pour them out of cans. We make it here," Agustin Lopez says.

Dos Amigos
910 E. Main St., Torrington
860-482-7557
Chorizos flameados, $5.95

A few tricks to get the most out of a visit to Dos Amigos: Focus on the appetizers, perhaps branch into the specials menu for dinner and - if you're a beer lover - enjoy the outstanding variety of authentic Mexican brews.

Warm corn chips are served with a smoky salsa that's heavy on cilantro. First up, an order of chorizos flameados is simply essential. The menu describes it as grilled Mexican sausage covered with cheese and pico de gallo, and it's a fantastically tasty start to any meal. Onion and crushed red pepper give it pep, and the slight charring at the edges brings out extra flavor. This is something you generally can't get at ordinary Mexican restaurants in the U.S., and it's a bargain at $5.95. A shrimp and tequila chowder is also available.

Dos Amigos offers 22 different tequilas, sangria by the half-pitcher or pitcher, and nearly a dozen Mexican beers including the standards like Dos Equis and Corona along with harder-to-find brands such as Tecate, Pacifico, Sol and Bohemia. So if you've got a designated driver and want an evening of appetizers and drinks with folks after work, here's a spot that should exceed expectations.

Entrees on the regular menu, though, skate way too close to what you'd expect from a typical chain aiming only to be inoffensive.

Tacos rancheros and the chicken quesadilla are uninspired, and the bland rice is served with out-of-place carrots and peas. The specials menu looks far more intriguing. The sopapilla is a run-of-the-mill version of the fine New Mexican dessert, essentially a flattened churro topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.

La Casona
681 Wethersfield Ave., Hartford
860-296-9929
Carne a la Mexicana, $8

A visit to La Casona means going far beyond solely Mexican cuisine, but that's all part of the attraction here. The theme is upscale dining with an unmistakably Latin atmosphere; the menu features a range of Peruvian, Argentinian and Colombian dishes along with a few purely Mexican offerings.

La Casona promotes itself as a Latin nightlife spot, with Salsa dance parties and full bar. But at lunchtime, the glass-canopied dining room has a positively sunny feel: Tan wicker chairs, saffron walls and tablecloths, beige tile floors and gently whirling ceiling fans make this a charmingly warm getaway on a chilly afternoon.

Begin lunch with empanadas or perhaps the ceviche, then move on to the Carne a la Mexicana. Think of a flavorful Mexican version of diced pot roast: Cubes of beef with shredded green and red peppers, carrots and white rice served in a sauce that LaCasona describes as spicy and Creole. (It is, in fact, quite mild, even if this dish is ordered "extra hot.") All of this is bordered on the plate by sweet fried plantains - a staple here. Alternately, try the chicken arroz chaufa - a bountiful serving of shredded chicken and rice fried with ginger and onion, all sprinkled with cilantro.

At dinnertime, the choices run from Valencian-style paella to the downright exotic, such as tilapia in apricot and mango sauce. Look for steeper prices, too, after dark: Entrees range from $12 to $25. The much shorter lunch menu tops out at $11, but most main courses run about $8.

Acapulcos
2419 Main St., Stratford
203-378-7900
Sopa de albondigas, $6.999

OK, let's say you're not in the mood for an independent restaurant. You still don't have to settle for McMexico.

Acapulcos has a dozen locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, but the menu and the experience go far past the usual chains.

At a recent visit to the Stratford restaurant, the staff was largely Mexican-American and uniformly welcoming. Arched walkways, tile-topped tables and walls plastered to resemble rough tan stone are surprisingly convincing.

Crisp tortilla chips are served hot - not warm - with a slightly watery but refreshingly picante salsa. An appetizer of sopa de albondigas, a beef and pork soup with cilantro, carrots, potato and onion, is a must. It arrives as essentially meatballs in a thin broth, yet the flavors are distinctive, and the effect is hearty and warming.

Beyond the standard chimichangas and burritos and such, Acapulcos offers Mexican favorites such as pollo en mole, huevors rancheros, chorizo con huevas and the always popular arroz con pollo. Halibut is available cooked in the Veracruz style with lime juice and onions.

Want something more middle-of-the-road? The "old reliables" are done well here: A grilled quesadilla was served with just enough cheese to enrich the flavor, but without the common error of smothering the chicken. And if your party includes folks who resist anything new, the kitchen will prepare simple steak or chicken dishes, along with cheeseburgers and such for children.

El Sarape
931 Broad St., Hartford
860-547-1884
Enchiladas al chipotle pollo, $9.99

Now here's a kitchen that knows picante!

Ask for "spicy" and that's what you'll get, along with a dish of hot sauce if you want to crank the temperature up a few more notches. But spicy is only part of the attraction here; the fire doesn't overpower the primary flavors.

El Sarape is perfectly authentic: The specials board is written in Spanish, as are many of the hand-written signs posted along the wall. Colorful, genuine Mexican tablecoths are used throughout the small dining room, carefully covered with thick sheets of plastic for protection.

There's nothing formal here: This is a very basic storefront restaurant without frills, but with a surprisingly broad menu. Look for tacos de lengua (beef tongue) or tacos de barbacoa (beef lips) along with the more customary grilled steak, ground beef or chicken versions. House specialties are pork chops in Mexican pumpkin seed sauce and chicken in mole sauce, each for $11.99. Time your visit if you want some other specialties: Huevos rancheros are available only during breakfast hours, chiles rellenos can be ordered only on weekends.

The enchiladas are served with fresh, moist shredded chicken, with a smattering - not a smothering - of cheese. Often, an overly Americanized version of enchiladas will be greasy, and the flavorless tortillas will tear apart and even stick to the plate. No such danger here: Flavorful corn tortillas hold up well to the vibrantly picante chipotle sauce. (This can also be ordered "mild" for those who don't enjoy the heat).

Much like any other cheerful, down-to-earth neighborhood spot, service here is informal but fast, efficiently and genuinely warm.

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