My friends, it has been too long. I apologize for the time away, but I have
been working on launching my website for the last couple of months, and it has
taken up a large amount of my time and creative energy. The silver lining is I never stopped
reviewing, so I have a journal full of critiques that I shall proceed to
publish. Be prepared for a flood of
culinary opinions!
I am not the biggest fan of Mexican
food. I appreciate it for what it is;
tasty food in plentiful portions for cheap, but for some reason I have never
jived with this particular cuisine. I
think in large part it’s because I have trouble eating large portions in one
sitting, so I always leave feeling STUFFED and slightly uncomfortable. This being said, Bravo’s Mexican Grill in
Cary, NC almost makes me feel guilty for ever uttering a negative statement
about Mexican food.
When you walk in, you’re always greeted with
a warm and friendly staff. My family
loves this spot so much, they have become regular faces at the restaurant, with
the waiters bringing out my parents’ drinks before they even order them. If there is one thing I can say about this
place, it’s that you will be hard pressed to find better, more consistent service
anywhere else. The wait staff are energetic,
they are quick, and they never appear to be the least bit stressed.
The real star of Bravo’s are the
drinks. I have made Bravo’s my special
cocktail spot anytime I am visiting the area.
With the limited options Cary has for young adults as far as laid back
bars for decent yet well-priced drinks, I’d say Bravo’s is a hidden gem. After talking to our waiter as if we had
known him for years, I ordered a frozen margarita. They offer several different flavored
margaritas, but I went the traditional route.
While we waited for our drinks, we were served with the usual chips and
salsa starter, but Bravo’s brings a little twist to this classic by serving a
second dip. I wasn’t able to get the
name of it, but it’s basically a chipotle aioli and it has that Mexican heat we
all know and love. A couple minutes
later, the drinks arrived, and I excitedly took a sip of beloved concoction and
I was very pleased.
Margaritas
are usually made with tequila, triple sec, and lime/lemon juice, and Bravo’s
seemed to go heavy on the lemon/lime blend, creating a strong tangy flavor that
completely delights my palette. The
bartender is also quite generous with the alcohol portions, so you can take my
word on the fact that you’re not getting gipped. While I was enjoying my sour Mexican potion
thinking I had made a great decision, I look up and my mom is holding a GIANT
glass filled with an even BETTER margarita.
Unbeknownst
to me, she had ordered the daily special (which, by the way, is offered
everyday, so there’s never a day where you will miss this libation delicacy),
and it comes in a glass that may be as big as the plates of food they
serve. The margarita itself was just as
tasty as mine, except for the fact that the brand of tequila they use for the
larger margaritas is better. If you’re
really looking to have a good time and unwind, I suggest you order the
margarita in the pineapple. Yes, when I
say “in a pineapple”, I mean the margarita is served inside a pineapple with a
straw in it. I have yet to order this
delicacy, but to my understanding it is the same components of their regular
margaritas, just bigger, better, and in a pineapple. I must admit, I really ate that gimmick up!
For dinner, I ordered the Taquitos with a side
of rice. The dish came with guacamole,
sour cream, and pico de gallo. My meal
was actually an appetizer, but as you can see, it’s sizeable enough to be a meal.
The taquitos were filled with shredded beef,
and while my biggest complaint with Mexican restaurants a lot of times is that
the beef is over salted, Bravo’s beef was just right. There was a great balance of zest and heat
between the garlic and chili powders, but the cumin brought a smoky, woodiness
that completely balanced out the flavors so neither seasoning was
overbearing. The shell was crunchy and
blended nicely with a dab of sour cream on top.
The rice was the same thing you would get at any similar
restaurant. I’m not complaining
though. I love the Spanish rice and
refried beans, so I enjoyed my side items, but I can’t say anything was unique
or special about them.
If you remember from my Tavern on the Tracks
review, I absolutely love queso. Usually
the only reason I go to Mexican restaurants is for the queso, which is rather
unhealthy because I end up eating mounds of queso as my dinner. I hope my mother isn’t reading this… So naturally I ordered the queso alongside my
meal, and if you haven’t poured queso over your taquitos or flautas or whatever
it is you usually order at Mexican restaurants, then you’re really missing the
experience. Bravo’s queso is
delicious. It’s smooth, it’s creamy, and
it’s got some spice thanks to a very special appearance by the one and only
jalapeno! I must apologize for not
having a picture of the queso for you all.
It was accidentally deleted by yours truly. As an apology, I guess I will go back to
Bravo’s and order queso again so I can take a picture…it’s a sacrifice. Really.
My dad ordered the fish tacos, and while I
can’t comment on the dish because I was too full to try anything else, I have
provided a picture of it for your viewing pleasure.
He really
liked them :-)
So, if Mexican food is your cuisine of
choice, Bravo’s is a must-try. It brings
that local, neighborhood feel with excellent service and friendly, familiar
faces of other patrons who frequent the restaurant. My dad went their several times during the
World Cup to watch the games, and one of the days when Mexico won, everyone at
the bar got a free shot. If that’s not
pleasant then what is?! The restaurant
itself is clean and colorful, the staff is efficient, the food is cheap, and
the drinks are even better. If you’re
not all that into Mexican food but you live in the Cary area and want a good
spot to watch a soccer game, relax on a Saturday evening, or just have a
mid-week beer with a coworker, Bravo’s is the place to go. The drink options are endless and you won’t
break your budget enjoying them.
