We were on our way to visit some of the local wineries when we decided to stop and get something to…read moreeat. We've been to this area several times and usually just randomly pick somewhere to eat. It was early in the day and this restaurant seemed to be one of the few places open so we went in to give them a try. There is parking right out front but it was the middle of January so it might be harder to find parking during warmer times of the year, but even still, there is plenty of street parking.
The inside is small and quaint with comfortable seating. We were the only ones in the restaurant and they sat us right away and brought us drinks along with chips and salsa. The chips were amazing, but I was expecting them to be this far down across the border.
The menu has quite a few options but I chose the Chile Relleno and my friend had the Chicken Enchiladas. Again, the restaurant was basically empty so it was nice and quiet but I get the impression it's never too busy to be very noisy. It was nice and comfortable.
Initially I just thought it would be like restaurant back in the states; place your order and within minutes someone would bring it out. But we actually waited a considerable amount of time before our meals were brought out. Not too long, but again, just longer than I would have expected. The kitchen is open to the whole restaurant so you can see them cooking and after awhile, it was clear why the food was taking longer than you might expect. Unlike restaurants back in the states where most of this food is pre-prepared and just sitting in pans keeping warm, they made EVERYTHING fresh to order! Nothing was warmed up or ladled up from a pan of already made food. They made it all fresh!
When the food came out, it looked like food from a magazine or menu. The type of food you only see in pictures. The food you see that usually looks so perfect but never actually get it served. Well, this food looked that perfect! It was hot and fresh and you can't go wrong with that combination.
I'm a big believer in the quality of the refried beans being the standard for any Mexican restaurant. If the beans are good, generally speaking, the rest of the food is going to be good as well. These refried beans were AMAZING! Without a doubt, the next time I'm in the area, I am stopping here just to have a bowl of their refried beans with the chips! If I could sit there with the beans and chips and watch the Super Bowl, I'd be in Nirvana!
My plate came with two, very large, chiles; normally I would expect only one. And the batter they were covered in was just perfect. Nice and light but with great flavor. The chiles were fresh and tasty; but I have to admit, I don't know what was in them. I'm used to the chile stuffed with cheese, but I'm not sure what was in this. It wasn't bad tasting but sure didn't seem like cheese. Regardless, I highly recommend it. My friends chicken enchiladas were amazing!
So many restaurants down in Baja are fantastic but this was exceptional and I can't say enough good things about it. If you are planning a trip down to the wineries, stop here before or after your wine tasting. You won't be sorry! Great service and amazing food!