Recently, my older brother and I traveled deep into the heart of rural Wallingford to indulge in some legitimately authentic Mexican food at Los Mariachis. As a result of their utterly unique ability to meld culinary delight with a fiery style and personal flair to create a wonderful experience, Los Mariachis is one of the top restaurants in Wallingford CT. Los Mariachis has won two Reader’s Choice Awards in 2012 and 2013 for their authentic Mexican Cuisine, and has been praised by many of the locals in the area for having some of the best Margaritas in Connecticut (don’t worry, I didn’t have any).
Los Mariachis has a vast selection of various Mexican classics, along with an assortment of original creations thrown together by the glorious chefs. Although the ambiance lacks a touch of style, the restaurant is pristinely clean, which allows the customer to concentrate solely on the most important aspect of any restaurant — its food. After being seated in a booth near the restaurant’s accordion player, we took a second to observe the menu.
To start off our Mexican Feast, my brother and I ordered queso dip and pork tamales. The queso dip was served in a small white bowl and was slightly disappointing. The dip was silky and velvety, but the lack of a true cheesy flavor and the slightly thin and watery presentation proved to ruin the dish. Presented with a scattering of chips with thick slices of spicy jalapenos on top, it lacked creativity.
We thought we were in for a rough night of eating — but, boy, were we wrong. The creamy, rich, maroon red corn base of the pork tamales was melded together with a smattering of juicy, salty, tender pork and then formed into the perfect shape. They were served with a cooling, pure white dollop of sour cream to balance out their slight heat.
For our entrees we ordered a spicy pork chimichanga and three steak enchiladas. The chimichanga was marvelous — the golden deep fried flour tortilla was filled to its absolute brim with a wide assortment of spicy, saucy Mexican delicacies, including succulent, juice-filled pork, hot, steamy pepper slices, and was served with a pile of brown, smooth refried beans; melted, oozing cheese; perfectly cooked rice; and a deep, vivid green guacamole. Wonderful!
The steak enchiladas were incredible — Juicy, tender, moist bundles of perfectly seasoned steak tucked gently beneath warm, steaming blankets of soft, fluffy, pillow-like flour tortillas. They were doused in a hefty, thick layer of delicate, airy, palate-cleansing green sauce and were served with the classic rice, beans, and guacamole sides. My brother and I devoured both of our dishes in the blink of an eye and were left hankering for more.
Overall, Los Mariachis was a wonderful addition to my lineup of restaurants in Wallingford, and will surely be atop my list of places to take my younger brother. I would give it 4 Z’s. Delish!
