The menu wasted no space. Photos and dishes lined each page, front and back. Even the pickiest eater could find something they'd enjoy.If you go
› Where: Tacos El Cunao, 5813 Lee Highway, Suite 4.› Phone: 423-244-0281.› Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.› Price range: $6-12
Finding the right Mexican restaurant is no easy feat. Most non-Hispanics have an idea of what Mexican food should be, though not many have an idea of what it is. All too often, folks conflate Tex-Mex creations for the authentic thing.
However, some people just prefer Tex-Mex, which can't be discounted. What's a prospective diner to do?
Well, if you find yourself on Lee Highway, look no further than Tacos El Cunao to sate your south-of-the-border hunger. This unassuming little restaurant served up exactly what I was looking for.
THE SPACE
Tacos El Cunao is adjacent to a Mexican home-goods store. Supermarket windows across the street have no hint of English, and there are lots of bilingual signs. I was confidant that I was in the right place for good Mexican food.
Entering the restaurant, I was immediately greeted by a telenovela playing sans subtitles on a large television in the corner. The place was pretty quiet, though it soon filled as I ordered and ate.
THE FOOD
I was seated in short order and provided chips and salsa, though I had to ask. The salsa was hot enough to whet my appetite but not hot enough to spoil it. The menu was gargantuan, and the primary headings for each dish were in Spanish. Most had English translations to the side, and the smattering of Spanish I remember from the foreign-language classes in high school finally paid dividends as I was able to make out what the translation-less dishes were. Everything had pictures, though, so if you're intimidated by the prospect of a foreign menu, you should be all right.
I cannot overstate how many options there were. I could go back a dozen times, order different items each time and still walk away full and satisfied.
One thing that caught my eye was some of the unique offerings that you wouldn't find in a typical Tex-Mex restaurant. Street-style tacos were offered at $1.75 apiece, which seemed too good to be true. A braver reviewer might also have tried the beef tongue and tripe on the menu, but alas, I'm as big a chicken as the one that ended up filling my taco.
There were a number of simpler, more straight-forward options for less adventurous types, such as typical burritos, enchiladas and chile rellenos. I opted for an order of Camarones a la Diabla(that's spicy shrimp for our monolingual readers) and two street tacos, one beef, and one chicken.
While I munched on salsa and tried to discern what exactly was going on in the soap opera in the corner, more diners walked into the restaurant, though it didn't keep the waitress from serving me. There was one moment where I waited a little longer than I would have liked for a drink refill, but the service was adequate beyond that.
When my food came, it became apparent that their portions were as large as their menu. The curse of free chips and salsa plagued me like it does at every Mexican restaurant I visit, and so I knew I'd have a hard time finishing what I'd ordered.
The street tacos were exactly what I'd hoped they'd be, and more. The waitress brought over several sauces for the tacos, a salsa verde, a salsa roja and a hotter sauce that I probably should have asked the name of. Each taco came with a wedge of lime, plentiful mounds of shredded cilantro, onion and a few slices of radish. The radishes confused me initially, though a bit of research afterward informed me how well they pair with tacos and how the pairing is commonplace in many parts of Mexico. I have to admit, I was a little hesitant, though I'm definitely a believer of radishes in tacos after my meal.
The shrimp were pleasantly hot and tasty, albeit a bit overpriced in my opinion. It's seafood, though, and I could have ordered cheaper if I'd been inclined. They came with a fresh stack of warm tortillas, rice and refried beans. It's not often I want to focus on the beans, but I have to say, they were about the best beans I'd ever been served at a Mexican restaurant. I'm not normally a huge fan of refried beans, but Tacos El Cunao's were among the highlights of my meal.
I really wish I'd had the room to try other dishes; I'm a huge fan of chile relleno, and their wide variety of tortas looked fantastic on the menu. Alas, once again, I filled up on the salsa, and couldn't justify the gluttony it would have taken to order more.
THE VERDICT
Tacos El Cunao has such a wide array of dishes to try, I'm sure that visitors can find at least a few things that they'd want. The prices were agreeable, although a few of the seafood options stood out as a bit on the expensive side in my opinion. The sub-$2 tacos, though, more than made up for it. If you're looking for a new Mexican restaurant to try, it would be remiss of my not to recommend Tacos El Cunao.
Contact Shane Foley at sfoley@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6506.