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THE FREE LANCE-STAR
If you want to see a show of hard work, sit at the counter at Baja Fresh Mexican Grill during the lunch rush hour. From behind the glass, customers can watch as Baja's efficient staff make burritos, fajitas, enchiladas and quesadillas from ingredients cooked and chopped on the spot at the storefront in Central Park.
I watched recently as a cook grilled fresh chicken breasts; thin, marinated steaks; tomatoes; and scallions. Another stirred beans and salsa. And everyone worked at a fevered pace to the beat of high-volume salsa music, keeping up with non-stop orders from the steady stream of lunch customers.
Some in line that day had tried Baja Fresh in other towns and said they were happy to have one in Fredericksburg. The local restaurant, part of a chain owned by Wendy's International, has been open almost two weeks.
Baja Fresh Grill has a sleek black-and-white decor with some raised tables and a kitchen-side eating bar. There are also outside tables. A large menu board is posted over the open cooking area to help customers place their orders at the counter.
A designated place for pickup orders, a nice and thoughtful touch, means call-ahead customers won't have to wait in a long line.
Eat-in customers take a number and wait for their food.
On a recent visit, I was most impressed by the grilled shrimp that came on the Shrimp Ensalada ($7.50). They were small Gulf shrimp grilled to smoky perfection. A generous portion of them were sprinkled on a salad of crisp romaine lettuce with fresh pico de gallo salsa--minced tomato, onion, peppers and cilantro--and savory ranch dressing. Chips came on the side.
Those same shrimp are available in a taco ($2.50) with chopped onion, cilantro and either mild salsa verde or the hotter salsa roja.
Get more of the salsas at the fixings bar, which also has jalapeño peppers, limes, chopped cilantro and the black Salsa Baja made with char-grilled tomatoes. The menu touts it as special, but it tasted mostly of smoke and carbon. It was one of the few things I disliked at Baja Fresh.
Tacos were made with soft corn tortillas wrapped around shrimp, steak or chicken with minced onions and salsa. If you're a fan of fish, try the fish taco made with a small, deep-fried fillet, cabbage and a creamy dressing.
A popular item at Baja Fresh is the Baja Burrito ($5.50), a huge roll of grilled meat, Monterey Jack cheese, chunky guacamole and pico de gallo in a flour tortilla. It comes with chips, too. There's also a Dos Manos burrito that serves two people ($7.50).
Like most items at Baja Fresh, the burritos come with a choice of beef, chicken or beans with cheese.
The grilled steak in the burrito was flavorful and chopped small and tender. Baja Fresh doesn't use ground beef, so the restaurant's stream of Latin music is punctuated by the frequent drumming of a heavy cleaver.
Vegetarians may get burritos with peppers, onions and beans.
Diners may order burritos covered in melted cheese and served with sour cream, salsa and pico de gallo, but there is an extra charge.
The menu also lists enchiladas (just under $6 and yummy) and quesadillas ($4.50 to $6.50), a sort of Mexican grilled cheese sandwich. Here, Monterey Jack in a flour tortilla is grilled until the outside is crisp and the inside melted and delicious. It comes with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo.
Baja Fresh fajitas ($8) are made with pound of chicken or steak served with flour or corn tortillas, chips, rice, chunky guacamole and sour cream. Choose either black or pinto beans, both freshly simmered and al dente.
Fajitas are a bargain, as is most everything here. But if you eat in, remember you'll be dining on plastic with plastic cutlery. Both are sturdy, but it's a compromise.
Drinks are self-serve and are typical fountain offerings. The freshly brewed, unsweetened iced tea stands out.
The theme at Baja fresh--and what makes it a success--is using a few fresh, standard ingredients cooked into a myriad of simple offerings. If you are looking for something tasty and quick to eat in or take out, I recommend it.
BAJA FRESH MEXICAN GRILL
1500 Central Park Boulevard in Uptown Central Park
Phone: 540/785-3833
Hours:
Sunday-Thursday--11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday--11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Price ranges:
Burritos--$5 to $8
Tacos--$2 to $6 (combo)
Enchiladas--about $6
Salads--$2 to $7
Fajitas--$8
Quesadillas--$4.50 to $6.50
Atmosphere: Lively! Even when the restaurant is not crowded, it is bright and filled with fast-paced music. There are tables inside and out, and it is a child-friendly place. While there is no special children's menu, many items, like the mini-quesadilla meal ($3.45), are especially appealing for children and priced for families.
Credit cards: Major credit cards accepted.