El Rancho a Pleasant Surprise

This week, I learned you should not judge a book by its cover. What do I mean? Let me explain.

I have lived in the area for almost ten years now and have been driving on Main Street, passing all the shops and restaurants. I have eaten at quite a few establishments but never had the desire to try El Rancho Grande. I am not sure exactly why — it could very possibly be the outside façade. It never really welcomed me in.

With an open mind, I drove to the restaurant and discovered a large parking lot behind the building. I walked around the front and entered a cave-like dark interior. There was a bar on the left and a large seating area to the right and the back. I was seated by a friendly waiter and given a thick menu. I noticed the interior was clean and the décor was much like any other Mexican restaurant.

I looked through everything and couldn't decide what to drink. The margaritas were mentioned a few times on their website, but somehow it just didn't seem like the right day for a margarita. I went with a red sangria ($7.50) instead — again with great speculation. After my trip to Barcelona, I am very picky about my sangria. A lot of bars/restaurants use extremely sub par wine to make the drink. This particular one was delicious and topped with fresh fruit. I thought the price was a bit high, but I did get a large glass.

As I looked through the menu, chips and salsa came my way. The salsa had a serious kick to it (I was happy), but I was a bit suspicious that it was not fresh and came from a bottle instead. I also got a plate with a small cheese-filled tortilla. I had a small bite not wanting to spoil my appetite.

After taking a few minutes I decided on chicken filled tamales ($11.95), accompanied with refried beans and Mexican rice. The tamales were soft on the outside and a bit doughy. I like mine soft and airy. The chicken filling was yummy and very flavorful and I would have liked more of it. There was a tangy tomato sauce in the background that cut through the rich tamales. The refried beans were topped with a bit of cheese, which is perfect since I don't like mine covered with fatty cheese. The creamy beans were delicious and so was the rice, which included peas and carrots.

Next, came a shrimp dish ($19.95) cooked in a green salsa served with rice and beans. I ate perfectly cooked shrimp accompanied with the green sauce made with tomatillos. Yellow onions and fresh green peppers textured the sauce and created a feast in my mouth — this clearly was my favorite.

I was very tempted to order the flan on the menu, as it is my all-time favorite dessert to eat. I usually can't resist it but I decided to wait and come back with my family.

Rating: OOC (two-and-a-half oranges)