by The Great Foodini
The marketing slogan on the menu and signs going into Azteca’s read “A Taste of Mexico”. The simplistic message designed to give you a feeling of authenticity hits the nail on the head. Aztecas offers several dishes which recipes survived the cultural transition across the border and taste as they were derived directly from a Mexican grandmother’s kitchen.
When someone thinks of Mexican food, the image of tacos immediately come to mind. According to Orlando Goboy, the manager of Aztecas, the Tacos Al Pastor is a dish that harnesses the flavors and style of Mexico. This hearty taco dish will fill the belly and the soul and is served five at a time. The slow roasted pork topped with cilantro and onions is marinated in a mixture of taco seasoning created in-house is served with a side of frijoles charros, which is a traditional dish eaten by cowboys on the range in Old Mexico. The dish is stewed pinto beans mixed with onions, garlic and bacon.
A cheese-laden popular dish on the menu is the Alambres. These tender steak tips are grilled to perfection with bell peppers and onions and topped with mozzarella cheese drizzled with a savory tomatillo sauce.
“Alambres is one of our more popular dishes.”
Customers enjoy the flavor For steak lovers, Aztecas offers a perfectly seasoned 10 ounce marinated skirt steak with frijoles churros, guacamole and tortillas or a tender juicy 10 ounce prime marinated steak called the Arrachera served with three-cheese enchiladas topped with verde (green chili) sauce, queso fresco and red onions.
For a lighter-side of the menu that still packs a lot of flavor, diners can try fun dishes like the Pozole, a rich seasoned broth filled with hefty chunks of marinated pork, dried quajillo peppers, hominy grits and garnished with fresh cabbage.
For a light seafood fare would be the Red Snapper ceviche. This ceviche has a true citrusy flavor as it is cured in lime juice and mixed with pico de gallo, olive oil and oregano. It is flavorful, but a light and fresh flavor.
The entire restaurant is designed to instantly transport customers off to a courtyard of an old Hacienda styled Cantina. The open air North side of the restaurant leads to a trellised garden patio area for outdoor seating and the inside motif is tied together with a large stone fountain in the center. A large wrought-iron gate separates diners from the revelers at the Hacienda San Miguel House of Tequila bar. The upscale tequila bar hosts 50 different flavors of tequila with the flagship tequila being the Don Julia 1942. One shot of this elixir costs $35, but is so smooth, it can be sipped like lemonade.
Aztecas is located just over the railroad tracks on Highway 49 and is open from 11am-10pm Sunday thru Thursday. Friday and Saturday, the restaurant is open an extra hour as 11am to 11pm. The phone number is (228)265-7263.
Please let me know any comments or questions at (228)224-6781 or editor@thegazebogazette.com. Thanks for reading.
