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Mariachi Restaurant~ Latin American Cuisine |
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Those who believe that chalupas, gorditas and enchiritos are Latin American dishes need not read any further. I take that back- THEY need this review more than anyone else!
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Mariachi has a charming, welcoming atmosphere with cultural art accents throughout. It’s not a huge place, but the tables aren’t jammed together so that you are involved in the conversation next to you whether you want to be or not. The sounds of salsa, cumbia and merengue nicely accent the experience- not too loud for conversation. Service was delightful- our knowledgeable waitress made excellent recommendations. I also appreciate a waitress who speaks directly to The Boy like he’s a young man rather than asking us what he wants.
The portions- generous, the flavors- distinctive. The menu at Mariachi is full of delightful dishes from several countries- I recognized Cuban, Peruvian, Mexican and Spanish cuisines. Every decision was a tough one- Sangria or Margarita? Lomo Solteado or Enchiladas? Judging from the sizzling, fragrant dishes pouring out of the kitchen, I knew I couldn’t go wrong no matter what I chose.
We started with Queso Fundido con Chorizo, which was really tasty. Served with warm flour tortillas, it was a mouth-watering start to our evening! I finally chose the fruit-laden Sangria and the Garden Quesadilla; both were simply delicious. My quesadilla was full of grilled mushrooms, onions, poblano peppers, tomatoes and of course- cheese. Well balanced and wonderful- I didn’t even miss the meat.
The Man ordered the Poc Chuc Yucateco- charbroiled pork marinated in Mayan spices- wow. Such original flavors burst from this dish- juicy chucks of pork tangy with lime, cilantro, cumin, and zesty tastes that I didn’t recognize but definitely appreciated. The Boy had soft shell beef tacos, rice and beans. The Boy said the meat was “yummy and tender.” He wiped his plate clean, and I was pleased that the kid’s portion was enough to satisfy an athletic 10 year old boy- we can’t order from too many kid’s menus anymore!
I wish I could tell you how dessert was- we saw platter of flaky puffed sopapillas float past, and what appeared to be a moist and decadent flan over my other shoulder, but we had absolutely no space for any more food. If the main dishes were any indication, I think I’ll start with dessert on my next visit and hope there’s room for an appetizer, because~
Mariachi Restaurant Passes with Flying Colors! 
19405 Promenade Drive Suite L106
Leesburg, Virginia
571-333-4280
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Comment by kobechrome on 2010-03-07 15:18:23
Went for 1st time tonight with some friends. This was a great 1st time experience. We had a pitcher of sangria which was tasted perfect. The chips were nice and thin and the salsa bursting with flavor.
I thought Rio Grande's fajitas were untouchable. However, Mariachi comes very very close. It's actually too close to call IMO which is a huge accomplishment. I have had sooo many subpar fajitas at other places and was a little tentative to even order - I'm glad I did. My wife had paella - superb and worth the long wait to make it. Our friends had carne asada and enchiladas - both delicious. The portions were generous, the quality was great. I was pleasantly surprised since I had not heard too much about Mariachi. Please go out and support this place!! |
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