Hold the Guacamole!

Tamarindo’s (I just love saying the name) is a Mexican restaurant housed in a double-wide storefront midway along a small shopping strip on Skippack Pike just north of Butler Pike. It has been pleasing lovers of Mexican cuisine for more than seven years now. 

Tamarindo’s food is that of the historically isolated Yucatan peninsula, which combines the native Mayan/Mexican with Euro/French cuisine influences. The Euro/French had reached this region early on by sea. In quite a few of the restaurant's “fusion” dishes, these outside influences are unmistakable, while in others you will certainly recognize the familiar, purely Mexican ingredients and flavors. 

In such upscale entrées as the Carne Uruapan (grilled skirt steak with sautéed mushrooms, onion, garlic, and peppers, $23), Filete Yurateco (filet mignon over plantains, black beans, and onions, $23), and Huachinango Poblano (pan fried red snapper filet served with roast poblano peppers, melted chihuahua cheese and grilled vegetables, $21), the fusion is present. But here too are salsa, tortilla chips, mole sauce, tacos, tortas, quesadillas, and refried beans. 

The prices, you will note, are a quantum leap above the usual, more casual Mexican and Tex-Mex (no burritos or chimichangas here). But there is a truly delectable refinement and quality to Tamarindo’s dishes that makes the cost a good value. 

Helping to soften the overall cost, the restaurant is a BYOB, and furthermore optionally serves a large, tasteful complimentary margarita on request. On the other hand, everything is a la carte, including even the guacamole, and salsa and chips.

Two complimentary, good-sized margaritas were well made, with enough tequila, and boasted a dusting of coarse salt around half the rim. We had to have some tortilla chips and guacamole to go with the drinks, didn’t we!? So we overcame our reluctance to spend $7 for chips which are typically included, and ordered them a la carte. I will say the quality, freshness, and portion size of the chunky guacamole and the crispy tortilla chips made the additional expenditure worthwhile.

Mexican appetizers can be a real treat, and the soft tortilla filled with chipotle chicken and shrimp we had next, fried to a mild crispness, and painted with a tangy avocado based sauce, certainly was.

For the main course, we shared the grilled chicken and steak fajitas (called “fajas” on the menu, $18), with poblano, guacamole, refried beans, and rice - a tasty and fun entrée. The four soft taco shells were just right for sharing, and we could make our own “wraps” to our individual liking. The dish could have had more guacamole to suit me, but fortunately there was some left over from the a la carte side for me to slather inside my shells.  The grilled beef and chicken were not overflowing the plate, but were enough for filling the four taco shells.

The classic Mexican and South American dessert is “flan,” a sweet caramel custard with the light, velvet consistency of a mousse. Here it was served as a generous wedge, to our taste too dense and sweet, and not delicately flavored.

Our server was very knowledgeable. The dishes arrived from the kitchen with admirable rapidity, even given the relatively small turnout that wintry night.  Ordinarily, this popular Mexican is much busier, especially on weekends.

Recently, I had lunch at Tamarindo's. On scanning both the lunch and dinner menus, it was good to see that, to its credit, Tamarindo's has kept prices down by, in part, going a  bit less upscale, e.g. offering beef entrees of skirt steak instead of filet mignon and porterhouse, and otherwise by just holding prices steady, and even slightly lowering the cost of some appetizers, and salads. 

A complimentary (refillable) margarita was a welcome treat, as good as ever, served in one of the large, thick examples of classic blue-rimmed Mexican glassware.

A bowl of cream of asparagus soup ($6), a thick puree of asparagus and cream, topped with sweet lump crabmeat, still being served in a large wide bowl, delivered a full asparagus flavor, and stayed moderately hot.

I savored my choice of Carne Arrachera ($9.60), a good-sized portion of grilled and marinated skirt steak tenders in a delicious red brown sauce and fried onion, served with chunky good avocado spiked with cilantro and chile, Spanish rice, and refried beans.

Parking in the lot out front is adequate, most of the time.

Location: 36 W. Skippack Pike (Rt. 73), Broad Axe           

Phone: 215-659-2390

Web site: www.tamarindosrestaurant.com        

Cuisine: Upscale authentic Mexican

Hours: Lunch Tuesday – Friday;  Dinner  Tuesday – Sunday,  closed Monday.

Dinner Prices: Appetizers, Soups, Salads: $4 to $9; Entrées: $16 to $24 (not including specials)

Ambiance: Single spacious 80-seat dining room with large, brightly colored paintings, lantern-style light sconces

Reservations: Party of 6 or more only.                       

Credit Cards: All major accepted (minimum $20)

Alcoholic Beverages: BYOB, but refillable complimentary margaritas are served

Wheelchair Access: Yes                 

Special Features: Vegetarian menu on request. 

Overall Rating:  mmm 1/2  (out of 5 m’s) upscale, quality food, a bit more $$ for Mexican, but a good value.           

To contact Mitch Davis, you can e-mail him.