|
|
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.
The spacious restaurant is family-friendly, with a reasonably priced children's menu ($3.95-$4.95). But it is also a nice place to meet friends for drinks and snacks after work.
Get a pitcher of draft beer ($6.75), bottles of imports ($3.50) or domestics ($2.50), or choose from an extensive menu of frozen concoctions ($4-$10). Aztlan makes a decent margarita with a healthy splash of Cuervo Gold tequila--definitely enough to taste. Beware of the portions, though: A 12-ounce "small" ($4) seemed plenty large to me, but the sizes range on up to the 48-ounce "monster" ($10). Unimaginable.
The bar also serves nonalcoholic frozen drinks. Try them for dessert, or the dessert menu's fried ice cream ($3.95), flan ($3), or sopapillas ($1.95).
Aztlan's flan is smooth and rich. The sopapillas (small pillows of deep fried dough topped with honey and cinnamon) are a nice dessert with dark brewed coffee ($1.25), but the kitchen was a little stingy with the honey on my visit.
It's not just carnivores and kids who'll find plenty to like at Aztlan--there are interesting vegetarian entrees, too, including potato burritos and enchiladas ($7.25).
Though there's a glut of Mexican places to choose from in our city these days, don't overlook Aztlan for a good, fresh meal.