No offense to Wauseon, but I can't think of many reasons I would travel to a desolate town In…read moremidwestern Ohio that questionably doesn't even exist on a map, unless secretly offered the promise of political asylum. But I think I just found one.
Los Mariachis Restaurant located in Wauseon gives restaurant-goers all that a Mexican restaurant can offer with only the exception of hot, south-of-the-border weather. I'm not certain how someone decided it was a good idea to open an authentic Mexican restaurant in the middle of an almost entirely white, rural community of farmers, but I'm not sure it matters. Los Mariachis is the place where northwestern Ohioans seek refuge from the deluge of the boring, tepid flavor of life found in rural America.
Los Mariachis delivers a gorgeous smorgasbord of ethnic dishes which, as is found in most of middle America, are either so culturally-confusing or simply too challenging to pronounce, that the menu items have to be lined with corresponding numbers to allow locals to utter "I'll take the Number 27" or simply point on the menu hoping for some degree of inter-cultural understanding.
But I say none of this in jest. Much like their counterparts in bigger cities like Toledo or Detroit, Los Mariachis employ an incredibly professional waitstaff who champion qualities often found in employees who actually immigrate from Mexico: eagerly respectful, wantingly helpful, ridiculously quick, and all without any of the brash entitlement found in the waitstaff typified in their snobby suburban high school counterparts.
How else can I tell you how much I love this restaurant?
This was my second 45-minute trip to Wauseon and BOTH trips were solely to visit Los Mariachis (the first was on a recommendation of a client of mine). I found a delightful place that delivered BOTH Mayan wall art AND bottomless warm tortilla chips & bottles of salsa, it was like the perfect attempt to satiate both the "first date" couple looking for a restaurant with an honest ethnic feel but also promises the silly but expected amenities found in American chains like Applebee's.
My wife ordered the Molcajete, a dish of Shrimp, steak, and chicken with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, avocado, and melted cheese, all piping hot and served in a hand-carved Incan style bowl that sat a half-foot off of the table.
I ordered La Piña, a similar dish that was presented in a half-sliced pineapple bowl. I cannot write enough to exclaim how much both dishes were outstanding. My children's choices were much more typical fare that you would find in any Mexican style restaurant with varying arrangements of enchiladas, flautas, or deep fried chimis. And of all thrills that my eleven year old could boast of, he finally found his holy grail of eating establishments- one which would promise endless refills on chocolate milk. And found in Wauseon, Ohio, no less!
The entire experience made me do something I usually never do: order dessert. (That's how my children can tell I'm in a good mood.). A sopapilla, a couple slices of xango (deep fried cheesecake) and some fried ice cream later, all four of us seriously couldn't move from our wooden bench seat canopy booth, but the the extremely nice wait staff appeared willing to roll us to our cars. Okay, they didn't offer, but I bet you they would have done it, if I had asked.
You might not have another reason to go to Wauseon, but I assure you this place is reason enough alone.
