PRINTThe Guide: Mexican restaurants
Vox checks out CoMo's Mexcian dishes, drinks and atmosphere
LINDSAY MOSER
La Terraza Grill, located on East Nifong Boulevard, makes customers feel as if they are in Mexico with its hand-painted artwork and mariachi music.
November 4, 2010 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Put away that Hamburger Helper, grab your sombrero, and spice up your dinner routine with a meal from one of Columbia’s Mexican restaurants. From the appetizers to the drinks, Vox offers a guide to everything Mexican.
Best breakfast burrito
Taqueria El Rodeo
Address: 805 E. Nifong Blvd., Suite G
Contact: 573-875-8048
Hours: Every day, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Prices: $5 and under
Do you like burritos for breakfast? That’s not a problem at Taqueria El Rodeo, but don’t expect to find meat, rice and beans. Instead, the restaurant tops its tortillas with eggs, potatoes and a choice of chorizo, ham, sausage or bacon. If burritos just won’t cut it, El Rodeo also has seven other breakfast options.
Best atmosphere
La Terraza Grill
Address: 128 E. Nifong Blvd. Suite B
Contact: 573-815-1195
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Prices: $5.25-15.99
Mexico might be more than 1,000 miles away, but dining at La Terraza can quickly bring that spring break vacation back. The restaurant has warm orange walls with hand-painted artwork, and mariachi music pulses through the ceiling speakers. Green, white and red paper trinkets hang from the ceiling, but the mosaic fountain with multi-colored tiles near the entrance outshines it all.
Best fajitas
El Maguey
Address: 21 Conley Road
Contact: 573-443-7977
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Prices: $11.50-12.99
Snap, crackle, pop isn’t just for cereal — it’s also the sound El Maguey’s sizzling fajitas make as they leave the kitchen and arrive at your table. Thickly sliced red and green bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, onions and your meat of choice are served on a steaming platter with warm tortillas. The ingredients can then be topped with fresh guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo and lettuce to give the fajitas extra texture and flavor. And with fajitas that include beef, chicken, vegetables or seafood, El Maguey caters to everyone. If you’re an indecisive eater (we all know one), try the Fajitas El Maguey, which has a little bit of everything.
Most daring ingredients
Taqueria Guadalajara
Address: 1802 Paris Road
Contact: 573-441-0883
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Prices: $4.75-20
Would you like to eat a plate of intestines? No, it’s not for a challenge on Fear Factor. It’s a dish served at Taqueria Guadalajara. Tripe is just one of the many ingredients this restaurant offers in its tacos. If customers feel daring but not that daring, they can test the marinated cactus tacos topped with sautéed red onions, fresh cilantro and a slice of lime. The tacos really do include cactus.
Best for midnight Mexican munchies
El Rancho
Address: 1014 E. Broadway
Hours: Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Prices: $3.85-11
A tradition among night owls and bar hoppers, this restaurant on Broadway stays open until the wee hours of the morning to fulfill the cravings of the troops of college students. Its speedy service and cheap prices draw in crowds from the downtown streets, but it’s worth waiting for a plate of gooey chicken-and-cheese nachos and beastly burritos.
Greatest guacamole
La Terraza Grill
Address: 128 E. Nifong Blvd., Suite B
Contact: 573-815-1195
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Prices: $5.25
Sometimes salsa just isn’t enough to satisfy the salty crunch of bottomless tortilla chips. That’s where the guacamole comes in. La Terraza’s guac has a secret weapon to edge out the competition — chunks of tomato. These juicy red pieces of tomato add a little kick and texture to the smooth green avocado mixture.
Best margaritas
Tequila Mexican Restaurant and Bar
Address: 3605 S. Providence Road, Suite 1
Contact: 573-256-1115
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Prices: $2.99-6.99 without specials
Staying true to its name, this eatery dishes up tequila-infused drinks so popular they are served by the pitcher. This restaurant blends Sauza tequila with sweet-and-sour margarita mix to make this drink a hit. For less than $16, thirsty customers can get 60 ounces of their favorite flavor of frozen margarita including strawberry, peach, lime and mango.
