SOUTHINGTON -- If you are looking to get into the spirit this Cinco de Mayo weekend, Puerto Vallarta in Southington just might be the perfect place.
It’s all about good authentic Mexican cuisine in a fun environment!
Each dish is thoughtfully prepared using only the freshest ingredients.
Esaul Rodriguez, who owns six restaurants including the one on Queen Street, brings his Mexican roots to the restaurant.
From the Arroz Vallarta, which has perfectly sautéed chicken, shrimp and steak over Mexican rice in a spicy cheese sauce to Esquites (a fabulous roasted corn dish), the flavors will tickle any tastebuds.
“There are so many different tastes in each bite and that’s what we want,” smiled Rodriguez. “It’s important that everything is made to order with flavors that pop.”
The menu is vast with plenty of spice and cilantro to feed any appetite. The lightly battered fish tacos with roasted red onion will satisfy your craving and the burritos will blow your mind.
“The food was amazing, real Mexican flavor,” wrote Kim W. in an online review. “The atmosphere was nice, live Mariachi band right at your table, and the service was outstanding.”
Make sure you try the guacamole that is made table-side with only fresh ingredients. And if you want to kick it up a notch, add extra jalapeños. C’mon!
So this weekend especially, stop in for some chips and salsa and a margarita and toast to Cinco de Mayo and tell them the Foodie Friday gang sent you.
Recipes to try at home:
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo
(Mexican Shrimp in Garlic Sauce)
Recipe/Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil.
1 cup of mushroom
1 cup of chop onions.
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 lb of large shrimp peeled deveined and split in half.
8 cloves of garlic
2 arbol chiles
1 tea spoon salt.
1 tea spoon granules garlic.
1 tea spoon granules onions
Combine 1/4 olive oil, garlic, salt, onion in blender; blend until marinade is smooth
Place shrimp into a bowl, pour in marinade, and stir until well coated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook chile until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add mushrooms, onion and shrimp; cook and stir until evenly browned, 6-8 minutes per side
Guacamole Tapatio
Recipe/Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp. fresh diced jalapeños
1 tbsp. diced white onion
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 1/2 hass avocados
1/2 tsp. salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp. diced tomatoes
1 roasted ear of corn
1 tbsp. queso fresco
1 tbsp. chopped applewood smoked bacon
Chips
Pork rinds
Directions:
In a bowl or molcajete, crush jalapeno, onions, and cilantro.
Add avocados, salt, lime juice, and diced tomatoes. Fold all together.
Top with roasted corn and chopped bacon.
Serve with chips and Mexican chicharron (fried pork skin)
Watermelon-Mint Margarita
1.5 oz Don Julio tequila
1/2 oz triple-sec
3 slices fresh watermelon
2-3 leaves of mint
1 oz lime juice
1/2 oz agave
Combine agave, triple-sec, watermelon, tequila, and lime juice in a blender; process until smooth. garnish with fresh mint leaves and 8 thin lime wedges.