Picante's "Taste" of Mexico Falls Flat

Picante, an unassuming, quiet little Mexican restaurant on Morris Avenue, is ironically in juxtaposition with its name which means “hot and spicy” in Spanish. A few take-out customers drift in and out, there is no mariachi band or background music, and the nine-table dining room is decorated with bits of Mexican pottery, Diego Rivera prints, and a painted cactus on the wall.

The menu features traditional Mexican fare and includes several different types of appetizers including ceviche de camarones (shrimp ceviche, $8), salads (fajita salad, $6.95), tortas/sandwiches, egg plates (huevos rancheros, $7.50), and entrees ranging from skirt steak quesadillas ($12.95) to Polla Asado (chicken breast in mole sauce, $9.50) to Cecina (thinly sliced cured salted steak, $10.25). Picante also offers several burrito ($7-$9.50), taco ($8.50-$10.50), fajita ($9.95-$12.50), and enchilada ($9.50-$10.50) choices.

I started my meal off with a plate of slightly over salted nachos ($7.50) filled to the brim with layers of ground beef, cheese, black olives, sour cream, an incredibly refreshing pico de gallo, and a wonderfully creamy, citrus-laced guacamole that finished with a slight bite. This dish was interestingly absent of salsa, and it didn’t need it since the other condiments were so well-balanced. Picante’s nachos require the use of a fork, which in my book means they’re loaded well past the point of chip doopage. There was narry a naked chip.

Unfortunately, our promising start quickly took a turn for the worse. The chicken burrito ($7) was bland, even with the mix of refried beans and onions. The chicken tasted as if it was grilled straight out of the packaging, and the use of white rice instead of saffron, yellow, or Mexican rice didn’t help matters. Likewise, I found the combination fajita platter ($13.95) to also be under-spiced and incomplete as a dish. If it wasn’t for the char of the cooking element, the flavors of the steak, chicken, and shrimp would not have stood out and would have been completely underwhelming. And contrary to the restaurant’s name, the dishes I sampled were nowhere near the vicinity of full-bodied flavor, never mind spicy.

I do give Picante points for incorporating authentic Mexican products, such as lengua (beef tongue), Oaxaca cheese, Cotija cheese, pumpkin flowers, and nopales (cactus) in a smattering of their dishes. One such bright spot was the Tacos de Alambre ($12.95). The plate featured three, double-wrapped soft corn tacos topped with skirt steak, chicken, marinated pork, Oaxaca cheese, green peppers, onions, and guacamole. The delicate white cheese paired with the meats well, and it was amazing how far a little marinade can go to elevate a dish.

Picante sells chips ($1) and additional condiments on the side ($1.25 for guacamole, $2.50 for salsa verde or salsa de arbol). The Mexican eatery is also light on the desserts, only offering flan and tres leches ($4.50). The BYO restaurant does prepare a few homemade drinks such as horchata ($2.50).

There is a hunger for really good, Mexican food in the Northeast—the kind that makes you envision quick, nimble fingers forming fresh tortillas over a hot stone and brushes a kaleidoscope of spices, cilantro, and fresh, homemade salsa across your taste buds. This is the kind of food only a few solid restaurants deliver, which is surprising considering the number of Mexicans who work in kitchens all over New Jersey and New York. I had hoped Picante would deliver more than just a “taste of Mexico,” but alas the search continues.

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Picante The Taste of Mexico

263 Morris Ave., Springfield

(973) 467-0004

Hours of Operation:

Monday through Saturday, 11 am-10 pm

Sunday, 3-9 pm

Kids meals and take-out available.

All major credit cards accepted.