Friday, March 6, 2009

Amateur restaurant review: I Like To Eat, I Like to Write, This Should Work

Holy guacamole. Tonight my mom and I ventured downtown to try out a new restaurant called Dorado, opened by a friend of mine from high school. I had followed the progression of said restaurant on Facebook, drooling over mobile upload pics of tortilla soup, stuffed poblanos and other delectables. Unfortunately MY phone did not work, so no food pics ala megeats for this meal. You'll just have to trust me when I say it was holy four-letter-word-dropping good. Little known and unvalidated fact, North Carolina has one Mexican restaurant for approximately every four citizens. So needless to say in my nine years of living here, I have become an expert at all things tequila and/or cilantro themed. This cuisine, however, takes the cake. Or rather, the torta.

Even my mom, who is a sworn anti-avocado eater, was spooning the guac as if I might snatch it across the table from her in any second. (In her defense, I did.) It was was smooth, light... almost like a guacamole mousse. And there was a hint of something unknown - was it amaretto? That doesn't make any sense but I couldn't place what was there besides cilantro and avocado. If the waitress knew, she wasn't telling.

And that was just the appetizer. Mom had a salmon taco and I had a mahi mahi taco. There wasn't a hint of fishy-ness, and the sour cream, avocado and fish blended together perfectly. I loved that the side dish was field greens with a light vinaigrette dressing on it - instead of the usual rice and beans side that leaves you feel worse than a post-thankgiving food coma. What's this? Mexican (or Central American, I should say) food that might actually be healthy? Love it.

The atmosphere was awesome as well - it would make a great late night spot to go with friends for a few glasses of wine (or some 'jitos? por favor) and munch on tapas plates. My only complaint: HURRY LIQUOR LICENSE. A guac without a rita just ain't right.

All apologies to those of you with no Rochester ties, but to sum up my impromptu restaurant review in 2 words: Go Eat. Before I beat you there and polish off all the homemade chips in the house.

No comments: