Meson Olé Offers Tasty Mexican Classics

is an unassuming little Mexican restaurant with big flavor and great dishes.  

It resides in a brightly colored house covered in green, red, yellow, and purple paint. At first glance, it might appear to be a dive; but don’t let its looks deceive you.

Once you enter the restaurant, you are immediately welcomed into a cozy, superbly decorated wonderland. There are hanging beads in the form of parrots on the wall, assorted statues everywhere, and sparkly trinkets with a decidedly exotic flair.

You are also immediately greeted by: friendly waiters, a basket of crispy corn chips, and a bowl of fresh salsa that they readily replenish as you get low.

Meson Olé has quite a large menu selection and offers a nice combination of both Mexican and Spanish cuisine. To start, I would recommend either a cold imported beer (like a Dos Equis) or a delicious fruity margarita to get the evening started.

For an appetizer, the Spanish Fisherman’s Soup happens to be one of my personal favorites – it has a delicious not-too-thick creamy broth with big chunks of real fish floating around - though I have also heard rave reviews for their Black Bean Soup as well.

For entrees, Meson Ole offers everything from fajitas, chicken with rice and Spanish sausage, fish filets in a variety of savory and spicy sauces, steak smothered in avocado, to chimichangas.

If you’re in the mood for a single entree, I usually get one of their many Mexican Combination Platters. They include several different variations of tostadas, enchiladas, tamales, tacos, burritos, and even chili rellenos. All average around $12 a plate and come with a ton of food plus freshly made rice, beans, and veggies on the side.

For you Commackians out there with a less-than-adequate Mexican food vocabulary, who have no clue what the foods above are, Meson Olé has a section in their menu specifically “For Gringos.” Included are definitions of everything from guacamole (a dipping sauce of avocado, onion, spices, and tomato), to tamales (cornmeal dough stuffed with meat and baked in a corn husk), and chili rellenos (a spicy fried roasted green chili stuffed with cream cheese.) 

So the next time you’re in the mood for something a little different, or you’re just craving some cheesy saucy salsa-y goodness, check out the Meson Olé on Crooked Hill Road – you can’t go wrong.