|
|
|
| Sat, Nov. 07 - - Mobile - RSS | |
|
|
Don't miss family-owned Aztlan• WEEKender restaurant review archive
Aztlan, a new family-owned Mexican restaurant in front of Spotsylvania Mall, is one of many "south of the border" eateries in Fredericksburg where diners can get a tasty, filling meal.Date published: 11/29/2001 Crabmeat quesadillas might not be authentic Mexican cuisine, but you can bet that the next time I go to Aztlan Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, I'll order one. On a recent visit to the new "south of the border" joint near Spotsylvania Mall, that seafood dish was the hit of the table. For just $7.25, our waitress brought us a "sandwich" of two crisp grilled flour tortillas filled with hot melted cheese, guacamole, tomatoes and lots of crab. I wasn't taken by the menu's description of the dish, but I was sorry when the last bite of the real thing disappeared from the plate. Aztlan is where Chi Chi's used to be, and the interior still has the feel of a chain with its bunches of ceramic peppers and gold-trimmed sombreros hanging from the walls. Don't let that deter you--the clean, comfortable Aztlan is family-owned and one of a kind. The Sotos, who before this had a Mexican restaurant in Virginia Beach, provide good service and tasty fare. Hot chips arrive at the table with some very spicy tomato salsa. Skip the creamy ranch dressing--highly spiced for the occasion--that arrives as well. It's not worth the calories, and there are too many other good items to choose from. An Aztlan tamale ($2.25) is creamy steamed corn mush and bits of meat. The tamales are served with enchilada sauce and can be ordered alone or in one of the many combination platters that give a sampling of many items. The restaurant's "super combination" ($9.95) is a good choice--along with the tempting tamale you get a taco, a chalupa, a mild chile relleño, a cheese enchilada and the Mexican restaurant staples: rice, refried beans and melted cheese. One of the best things on this platter is the chicken taco. It's a small flour tortilla filled with pieces of tender, poached chicken breast, lettuce and tomatoes. Aztlan's fajitas are delicious. The fajitas Veracruz ($12.50) is a sizzling platter of delicate white shrimp, spicy chicken and tender browned onions, peppers and tomatoes. Pile these on flour tortillas with guacamole, sour cream and cheese-covered refried beans that come with the platter. Be careful with Aztlan's pico de gallo. It is mostly jalapeño peppers, and it is searingly hot.
Date published: 11/29/2001
|
 |
|||
|
|||
