Walpole's Mexican and Tex-Mex Creations

Jalapeño’s Grill opened in Walpole in 2006 in a small space with only five tables. A year and a half later, the establishment moved down the street and expanded — from 18 seats to 150.

“I want to bring authentic food,” says owner Ricardo Dorronsoro, who hails from Cancun and says that many of the restaurant’s recipes are his mother’s. These authentic eats include enchiladas, chiles rellenos and mole. “Ask any Mexican, and they’ll know what you’re talking about,” he said.

The enchiladas con salsa roja , served with a side of black beans and rice, were covered with onions, tomato, cilantro, cheese and a dollop of sour cream. They could have used more salsa and cheese, but the flavors were there. The enchiladas were stuffed with a generous portion of shredded chicken, which we found a little watery; it again benefitted from a shot of habanero sauce to bring the whole dish together.

The pescado achiote tacos - described on the menu as “one of the most popular dishes in the Yucatán peninsula” - featured a nice-sized filet of grilled tilapia on each taco wrapped in a double layer of corn tortillas. The Spanish rice went well, although the vegetables of the day, spinach and mushrooms, needed more seasoning.  The Mexican slaw and tomatoes atop the tilapia gave the tacos a very pleasant sweetness.