If there was a definition to the term 'Mexican-Italian home cooking', Tonino's would most…read moredefinitely be used as an example. The coziness of the restaurant and its laid back feel are replicated in the food, making this an ideal place to eat with the family.
Nostalgia always sets in whenever I visit this diminutive, 8-table restaurant in Plaza del Parque. I remember visiting this place nearly every Sunday after church; my parents waiting in line for a table among all the hungry eaters, while us kids played the time away at Showtime, playing Crazy Taxi and Marvel vs Capcom. When the time came to sit at our table, our menu had been decided since the first time we went there: A jar of Naranjada to drink, an Empanada de Elote to split between mom and dad, a pizza for my brother and me, and a Milanesa Napolitana for everyone at the table. It was a weekly feast worthy of a holiday, but fit for our Sunday afternoons.
The food evokes and draws from Italian and Mexican flavors. The menu features consomés, sopa de tortilla, and caldo tlalpeño; empanadas, calzones, and pizza as the cultural counterpart. Their most popular dish is the Milanesa, which you could think of as a play on Chicken Parmesan, using breaded thin beef steak, as is the traditional Mexican Milanesa, topped with tomato sauce, melted cheese, and Parmesan. Pasta is most often used as a side, although you may also get baked potatoes served with a delicious aioli, salad, or steamed veggies. The pizzas, empanadas, and calzones are also good and satisfying, with a homemade taste that keeps the meal going along in the same delicious tune.
The downside, apart from the place being very small, is the time they take to serve your main dishes, even when you happen to go weekdays during their down times. It seems that there always is a 10-20 minute waiting time for food, regardless of how busy the kitchen is. For how casual the food is, it may feel at times that the wait is not worth it, but where else are you going to get a huge dish of spaghetti and Milanesa topped with Parmesan and gooey Manchego? You may also go to their newer location in Juriquilla if you'd care to drive.
If you walk by Tonino's and you see an open table, make sure you take it. It will be a comforting meal in a comforting place.