Mix it up at Mixteca

Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.

Our friends Ken and Karen are Mexican food aficionados. For some time now, they have been telling us about a small unassuming storefront restaurant on Route 47 near Woodstock. Our schedules finally aligned and we made a date for lunch at Mixteca Tequila Bar in Woodstock.

When you enter, you immediately see their Tequila bar, and to the right is their dining area with four booths and four tables. We were told to pick a table and our waitress will be with us shortly. When she arrived to take our drink order, she brought over the obligatory basket of tortilla chips and a plate with three bowls of different sauces. Jim and I had a disagreement on the tortilla chips. He liked them, and I thought they were a bit “corny.” The sauces were tasty, but the hottest one only registered a one on Jim’s “sweat head meter.” However, that didn’t stop us from polishing off the entire basket of chips. Because we are old and it was only 12:30 in the afternoon, we decided to forgo any tequila and ordered an exciting round of ice teas and water. Nancy’s body rejects tequila ever since her 40th birthday celebration when she finished off ¾ of a bottle of José Cuervo Gold. This resulted in a severe case of the “whirlies” and a case of the flu in the morning. She must be allergic to salt and limes. That’s the story that she told our kids and she’s sticking to it.

Nancy only orders two things at a Mexican restaurant, namely, the Chile Rellenos or the Chimichanga. As we all know, in Nancy’s little world, change is evil. This afternoon she decided on the Steak Chimichanga ($10.25). This was a deep-fried tortilla covered with homemade red sauce and melted cheese. Here’s where the “mix it up” enters into play. Most entrees are served ala carte and you can add Spanish rice or refried beans (small is $4, medium is $4.50, or large is $5.50). She chose the small order of Spanish rice ($4). She liked her meal before she even tasted it because she could have it her way. When she started to dig in, she noticed it contained some refried beans. This normally would be a deal breaker, but she had to admit they were really creamy. In spite of this, the Chimichanga was now the best she’s ever had. Why you ask??? Because the steak was tender, shredded, and tasty. The tortilla stayed crispy, and there wasn’t a river of red sauce on the plate to make her Chimichanga soggy. She later found out all she had to do was ask and they could have left out the refried beans. She thought the red rice was awesome.

Jim went crazy and had the Chicken Enchilada’s ($18). This was three corn tortillas covered with homemade molé sauce, served with lettuce, cheese, onions, and sour cream. It came with Spanish rice and refried beans. He said everything was delicious and the enchiladas were packed with shredded chicken and the molé sauce was awesome.

To sum it up, this restaurant is truly a hidden gem. Along with the food, another outstanding point is their efficient and friendly service. The huge margarita’s we saw coming from the bar looked very inviting, just not to Nancy. Check out their blackboard wall with margarita flavors and daily specials.

The price for “Mixing It Up at Mixteca”: $40.50. Lunch with friends, priceless…

FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible.

Jim’s take: They offer great Mexican food in a friendly atmosphere, but I wish their salsa was hotter.

Nancy’s take: oved, loved, loved the Chimichanga!!! The rice was awesome and the hot sauce that came with my entrée had the kick that was missing with my chips.

Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at: thediningduo@gmail.com

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