Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: pleased

Restaurant Review: Los Potrillos

On Monday, we discovered a marvelous Mexican restaurant in Charleston, Illinois: Los Potrillos. (The name means "yearling horses" in Spanish.) You can find it at 1305 Lincoln Ave. (217-345-6440) They advertise "real Mexican cuisine" and live up to it.

The menu is long and involved, and we intend to go back and explore it further. Everyone was delighted with their order. Mine was "Camarones al Mojo de Ajo" (shrimp in garlic sauce): the most delicate buttery sauce, with a warm garlic note that didn't overwhelm the shrimp. The rice and beans were good. The tortillas were excellent, warm and tender. We also split an order of flan for dessert. (The prices are reasonable, and for that, you get enough food to satisfy two ordinary people. For three entrees, we had lunch for three people plus supper for two! Hence the splitting of dessert.) Now we were all fans of flan, but this was extraordinary flan. It was perfectly creamy without that tough gritty layer that forms on the bottom if you overcook it. It also arrived with a generous cover of whipped cream, ever so lightly drizzled with bittersweet chocolate syrup. Every other flan I've had in America has been bumped down to "pretty good" in comparison.

However, there's one other reason to visit the restaurant besides the food: the art. The inside is decorated with splendid murals. The one on the back wall shows a Mexican street scene, very pretty, that we looked at while eating. As you come in, the left side of the little hallway has a barn scene painted on it. But opposite that -- on your right as you come in -- is a truly striking picture of several dancing horses. If you're an artist or a fan of murals, that one is worth the trip.

We're looking forward to our next visit.
Tags: food, review
Subscribe

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    switch
    default userpic

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.
    Help
  • 7 comments
...go 4 levels up... Expand
je_reviens

je_reviens

October 31 2007, 18:48:28 UTC 13 years ago

Maybe one day I'll move into the making bread realm. One of my idols, Laura Ingalls Wilder, said she absolutely hated making bread, though she did it every week for 80 years. She said she hated the dry feeling of the flour on her hands.
ysabetwordsmith

ysabetwordsmith

October 31 2007, 18:57:55 UTC 13 years ago

I recommend starting with cornbread. It's very easy to make, it doesn't require kneading, it goes with a lot of foods, and most people like it. Yeast breads are a little more challenging because they require kneading, and yeast can be finicky about whether or not it feels like working for you that day. Me, I love the silky feel of flour and the soft, springy texture of dough.
je_reviens

je_reviens

October 31 2007, 19:03:28 UTC 13 years ago

I've made cornbread fro a box but I will have to try from scratch at some point.

Today, I have pumpkin muffins to make! Happy Samhain!