February 2008 - The Parklander Magazine

RESTAURANT REVIEWM E X I C A N G R I L LReviewed by Charles Marcanettirequently people find me seeking out little holes in the walls thatturn out to be gold mines (I’m already mixing my metaphors). WellI found a gold mine, but it is no hole in the wall. It is a great Mexican Grillthat shares its courtyard with the Regal Movie Theatre at the MagnoliaPlaza (9651 Westview Drive, Coral Springs. 954-345-6091). This wonderful,not so little place has a full Mexican menu and a relatively fullCuban menu. It is owned by husband and wife team, Otto and VeronicaGonzales. They are Coral Springs residents, long time restaurateurs, andfabulous hosts.They have employed two of the finest Latin chefs Ihave encountered anywhere, Byron Carpio and JuanCarlos Mazariegos. These guys are so meticulous thateven their giant rice pots leave no pegado encendido(pegau — colloquialism for the burned rice stuck tothe bottom of the rice pot — sometimes a muchfought-for part of a real Spanish meal). Their creationsare remarkably light and full flavored yet spanningthe spice range from mild to “you’re gonna burn your mouth to death ifyou eat their home-made hot sauce, so you better know what you’re doing.”As you may know, my wife Maria is Puerto Rican and she absolutely lovedthe sauce. As for me, I put one tiny little speck of sauce on my gringo tongueand immediately began sweating like a hen in a cage full of roosters.Our server for the evening was the beautiful Stoneman-Douglas HighSchool honor student/cheerleader/singer, Sarah. Sarah knows the menu,the ingredients, the preparation methods, etc. She speaks Spanish perfectly(as in Colombian) and enchanted us all with her enthusiasmand energy. What a joy for this old man to see ayoung person being responsible, mature, andprofessional.Of all the sexy drinks we had — the Margaritas($4.95),Virgin Daiquiri ($4.95), Sangria ($4.95), andMojitos ($6.95) — the Mojito was by far the best.Now let’s talk about Byron’s and Juan Carlos’ creations:We started with Taquitos ($5.95), which are a combination of Beef orChicken (we had both) and shredded cheese rolled in a corn tortilla andfried crispy. It comes with either sour cream (wonderfully fresh) or quesodip (wonderfully smooth). We also couldn’t resist sampling the CrabbyNachos ($10.95) which adds blue crab to nachos…but, oh, what a difference!And, of course, being the daring sort, I tried the El TostonMarineros ($9.95), which are stuffed green plantaincups, made golden crispy with shrimp and mixedwith a secret salsa. Whatever the secret is it’s worththe “risk”; it’s scrumptious! Another appetizer weloved was the Tamale Con Lechon ($5.95), which isa steamed prepared corn meal wrap (in its own husk)and accompanied by perfectly cooked shredded roastpork and grilled onions.For our main courses we had a wonderful Chimichanga($10.95), which consisted of a deep-fried burrito filled with seasonedbeef or chicken (we both had the chicken), topped with quesosauce and garnished with guacamole and sour cream…spicy, but fabulous.For those of you with less taste for spice, but still seeking exquisiteflavors, try the Carne Asada a la Tampiquena ($14.95), which is a grilledskirt steak served with a cheese enchilada and sour cream. Listen to me;these folks know how to cook steak in the traditional Spanish style,where the meat and juices blend into the char-grilled flavor to producean entirely new and mouth-watering sensation. We couldn’t get enough.I couldn’t resist a feast of Camarones Veracruz ($13.95), a dish consistingof precisely sautéed shrimp in a green tomatillo and white winesauce. It is supposed to be somewhat spicy and it does live up to itsname, but it is tantalizing and extremely enjoyable. Our final two disheswere from Spanish (as opposed to Mexican) recipes. Ropa Vieja, aCuban dish ($11.95), is beef seasoned with delicious spices then shreddedand cooked in garlic, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes, andPargo Rojo (market price), which is a fresh fried whole red snapper76 FEBRUARY 2008