Tamarindo’s Brings A Taste of the Yucatan to Blue Bell

Tamarindo’s (I just love saying the name.) is a Mexican restaurant housed in a storefront in a small shopping strip on Skippack Pike just north of Butler Pike. It has been pleasing lovers of Mexican cuisine for over seven years now. 

Tamarindo’s food is that of the historically isolated Yucatan peninsula, which combines the native Mayan and Mexican with European cuisine influences. These outside influences are unmistakable in quite a few of Tamarindo’s “fusion” dishes; in others, you will certainly recognize the familiar, purely Mexican ingredients and flavors.

In such upscale entrées as the Carne Uruapan (grilled skirt steak with sautéed mushrooms, onion, garlic and peppers, $23), Filete Yurateco (filet mignon over plantains, black beans and onions, $23), and Huachinango Poblano (pan fried red snapper filet served with roast poblano peppers, melted chihuahua cheese and grilled vegetables, $21), the fusion is present. But salsa, tortilla chips, mole sauce, tacos, tortas, quesadillas and refried beans are also offered. 

The prices, you will note, are a quantum leap above the usual, more casual, Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants (no burritos or chimichangas here), but there is a truly delectable refinement and quality to Tamarindo’s dishes that makes the cost a good value. 

Helping to soften the overall cost is the fact that the restaurant is a B.Y.O.B., and furthermore optionally serves a large, tasteful complimentary margarita on request. On the other hand, everything is a la carte, even including the guacamole, and salsa and chips.

We recently visited on a cold and snowy midweek night—the restaurant was rather empty, save for two other couples and two large parties. What could have been better than starting the meal with a steaming hot bowl of hearty black bean soup? (The soup is not on the current menu.) Black bean soup is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it was served in a large diameter, low profile bowl, which spells “cools rapidly.” Indeed, it was not steaming or hot. But after a quick return to the kitchen, it came back very hot and delicious, rich, perfectly spiced and wonderfully enhanced with bits of smoky bacon (inspired!)—it was perhaps one of the best black bean soups I have had.  (Tamarindo's must put this excellent soup back on its menu!)

Two complimentary, good-sized margaritas were well made, with enough tequila, and boasted a dusting of coarse salt around half the rim. We had to have some tortilla chips and guacamole to go with the drinks, so we overcame our reluctance to spend $7 for chips, which are typically included, and ordered them a la carte.  I will say the quality, freshness and portion size of the chunky guacamole and the crispy tortilla chips made the additional expenditure worthwhile.

Mexican appetizers can be a real treat, and the soft tortilla filled with chipotle chicken and shrimp we had next, fried to a mild crispness, and painted with a tangy avocado based sauce, certainly was.

For the main course, we shared the grilled chicken and steak fajitas (called “fajas” on the menu, $18), with poblano, guacamole, refried beans and rice—a tasty and fun entrée. The four soft taco shells were just right for sharing, and we could make our own “wraps” to our individual liking. The dish could have had more guacamole to suit me, but fortunately there was some left over from the a la carte side for me to slather inside my shells. The grilled beef and chicken were not overflowing the plate, but were enough for filling the four taco shells.

The classic Mexican and South American dessert is “flan,” a sweet caramel custard with the light, velvet consistency of a mousse. Here, it was served as a generous wedge, to our taste too dense and sweet, and not delicately flavored.

Our server was very knowledgeable. The dishes arrived from the kitchen quickly, even given the relatively small turnout that wintry night. Ordinarily, this popular Mexican restaurant is much busier, especially on weekends.

Recently, I had lunch at Tamarindo's. On scanning both the lunch and dinner menus, it was good to see that, to its credit, Tamarindo's has kept prices down by going a bit less upscale—offering beef entrees of skirt steak instead of filet mignon and porterhouse, and even slightly lowering the cost of some appetizers and salads. 

A complimentary (refillable) margarita was a welcome treat, as good as ever, served in one of the large, thick examples of classic blue-rimmed Mexican glassware.

A bowl of cream of asparagus soup ($6), a thick puree of asparagus and cream topped with sweet lump crabmeat, again served in a large wide bowl, delivered a full asparagus flavor and stayed moderately hot.

I savored my choice of Carne Arrachera ($10), a good-sized portion of grilled and marinated skirt steak tenders in a delicious red-brown sauce and fried onion, and served with good, chunky avocado spiked with cilantro and chile, Spanish rice and refried beans.

Parking in the lot out front is adequate, most of the time.

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Overall rating:  mmm 1/2  (out of 5 m’s) Upscale, quality food, a bit more costly for Mexican, but a good value. 

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Location:  36 W. Skippack Pike (Route 73)
Phone: 215-659-2390
Website: www.tamarindosrestaurant.com
Cuisine:  Upscale authentic Mexican
Hours: Lunch, Tuesday through Friday; Dinner, Tuesday through Sunday.  Closed Monday.
Dinner prices:  Appetizers, soups, and salads, $4 to $9; entrées, $16 to $24
Ambiance: Single spacious 80-seat dining room with large, brightly colored paintings, lantern-style light sconces
Reservations: Party of six or more only
Credit cards: All major accepted (minimum of $20)
Alcoholic beverages: B.Y.O.B., but serves refillable complimentary margaritas
Special features: Vegetarian menu on request