'Best Mexican Restaurant' Prepares for Cinco de Mayo Celebration

El Parque, the Mexican-themed restaurant nestled in neatly next to Tremblay's bar on the main drag in Island Park is now preparing for one of its busiest days of the year—Cinco de Mayo.

This festively-decorated Mexican themed restaurant, recently nominated as "Best Mexican Restaurant" by the Providence Phoenix, is not large, but will be bustling with margarita and sangria drinking, burrito and taco-eating crowd this Thursday for the holiday.

John Canario, assistant manager, has been at the restaurant since its opening five years ago and expects the restaurant "to be very, very crowded" on Cinco de Mayo.

"No other day is this busy for us," he said. "I believe it is a combination of good food and fun, and people want a reason to celebrate."

John Wells, chef and owner, has created this year's menu. Customers come from as far away as South County and Cumberland, says Canario.

Appetizers on the fairly extensive menu include traditional Mexican offerings such as chili relleno, tamale and taquitos, fish tacos and shrimp tostados, as well as some American favorites for snaking which include buffalo and barbecue wings and buffalo tenders.

Quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos and fajitas with your choice of fillings top the entrees' list.

House favorites include Paella a la Mexicana and Carne Asada Burrito, as well as the chili, which has twice placed in the top three at the Newport Winter Festival Chili Cook-Off.

There are many vegetarian options for the non-carne crowd and a stand out is the very popular pumpkin and green chili soup. Price points for the entire menu range from $2.99 to $18.99.

According to Canario, all sauces, salsa and the like are house made, but the margaritas and sangria are executed next door at Tremblay's, where you can also enjoy the entire El Parque menu.

Upon arrival, tri-colored chips and salsa are served while you peruse the menu. The red, blue and orange colored chips add to the festive decor of the room.

On this beautiful sunny spring afternoon, light filtered through the windows perfectly brightening the space and highlighting the sombreros that decorate the walls and soft Spanish guitar music played in the background making it an inviting atmosphere to have a quick snack and a refreshing sangria.

El Parque also like to give back to the community. The last Monday in April and the first Monday in May, El Parque will donate 10% of the total of your bill  to the Portsmouth High School Post Prom Party.

Although Cinco de Mayo is not a national holiday in Mexico and does not represent Mexican Independence Day, many Mexican Americans and Americans alike will bust out the sombreros and fire up the margarita machine. 

All items on menu are available for take out. Check here for hours and directions for .