The (huh?) Jacalito Mexican Grill of Eustace (review)

Today, we will be exploring the delicious offerings of the incongruently named "The Jacalito" restaurant of Eustace.

Before we talk about the food, though, I simply must ask... what's with the name? The Jacalito? Why not "El Jacalito," or "La Jacalito?" Was there some confusion over whether the gender of the word "jacalito" is feminine, masculine, or neuter? Was a Spanish translation of the word "the" considered treacherous in this time of national uncertainty at the hands of illegal immigration? Or were the owners just afraid of getting their butts sued by the founders of "El Jacalito" of Austin? To my great lament, the world may never know.

Names, however, are not too important. The Jacalito is a quality establishment, and therefore, I feel as though a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. (Unless, or course, you called your restaurant "The Scarf 'n' Barf." Then... you know. Actually, since I don't know what "Jacalito" translates to, this may very well be the actual name of the place. So maybe I'm better off not knowing the truth, after all.)

The Jacalito stands in the space that was formerly occupied by another Tex-Mex restaurant, the name of which escapes me. All I remember is that it started with an "M." (Mercados? No, that's in Tyler...) The previous restaurant offered about the same quality food, but with a very dingy-looking, depressing atmosphere. (Oh, "Menendez?" No, wait, that's DEFINITELY not it...) The floor was of bare, unpainted concrete, and the walls were constructed with cinder blocks painted a worn-looking white. The place was very bland and colorless, and not at all conducive to relaxing with your friends and enjoying a pleasant meal. The Jacalito has solved this problem with the use of some very warm, soothing colors, including textured terra-cotta walls. The floors are now a deep maroon shade, making them look more wooden than stone-like. And, thankfully, the very large windows are now tinted, so that you don't get the awkward feeling that someone on the street is watching while you eat. This huge difference leads me to believe that, if the "M" restaurant had taken atmosphere into consideration, they may not have gone under.

The ambiance is pleasant, and so is the food. It's very classic Tex-Mex (with a little more Tex than Mex), like my grandmother used to make (and this is a HUGE compliment, believe me). The dishes are simple, well-cooked, and pleasantly spiced. The vegetables are always crisp and fresh, and the fried tortilla products (chips, taco shells, tostadas, etc.) are fresh-out-of-the-oil warm. The cooks obviously have respect for the quality of the food, and can afford to keep the dishes simple by merit of the quality of the ingredients.

The service is fast, the prices are fair, and the menu is extensive. There are literally about four pages worth of menu options, and all that I've tried thus far are delicious. The Jacalito offers enough variety for patrons to make frequent visits without ever feeling bored.

One criticism I do have is that these people do not know how to build nachos. When I ordered the nachos, they put the meat on first, followed by the cheese and other toppings. This caused the chips to get soggy, as they absorbed all of the grease from the meat. Nachos should always be assembled so that the cheese goes on the chip first, so that that soft, mildly fatty layer can be a barrier between the crisp chip and the moist toppings. If you want the nachos (and you DO want the nachos, of the chicken variety; the meat is well-seasoned and succulent), ask your server to specify to the cooks that you would like the cheese to go on first.

Overall, The Jacalito is a nice establishment that offers nourishing, uncomplicated food, in a pretty and suitably rich-looking environment.

B+

(Recommended: Sour cream chicken enchiladas, chicken supreme nachos)


Mangia!
--Seguin