Cilantro

Monday, December 24, 2012

The flavors of Old Mexico are given new life here, where no fewer than nine chilies are used to create the salsas. The owner, a former high-end food and beverage pro, spent three years visiting authentic eateries in 40 Mexican cities before opening this place. Tucked into an older and unfancy mall, the restaurant requires you to order at the counter and fill your own disposable beverage cup at the soda fountain. But as soon as you bite into a chipotle-citrus rotisserie chicken plate or, really, anything on the menu, you'll forget all about the plastic cutlery—and the fact that the only view is of a parking lot. The brilliantly colored, clever decor—a collection of worn-from-duty tortilla presses, now hand-painted—coupled with consistently excellent food makes up any deficiencies. www.cilantrogrill.com. Credit cards accepted.