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Ate: November 28, 2005 Published: December 4, 2005 $$ We decided to head up to the part of town known as restaurant row. For the uninitiated, restaurant row is on the north end of Myrtle Beach, where highway 17 business and bypass merge. We didn't have a specific destination in mind, we just thought we'd make a decision based on what appealed to us on a moment's notice. Among all of the restaurants, a new place named Margarita's Mexican Restaurant has been established. It looked attractive, so we thought we would give it a try. The exterior of the building gives the appearance of a classic American diner, which is what I think the motif had been of the original restaurant that had been there. Once we got inside, we both had a good feeling. The immediate impression was of a clean, well-lit, spacious place. It had a good vibe, and a really good smell to go with it. We had arrived fairly early, so there weren't too many people yet. We took a seat in the bar section and were quickly seen to by and attentive staff. In recent years, there has been an increase in Mexican restaurants here at the beach, and we have made it our mission to try them all. The competition is pretty stiff, but Margarita's looked like it could hold its own. The obligatory chips and salsa were a good start to the meal. The chips were light and crisp, not greasy at all. Just as importantly, the restaurant scored extra points by bringing out two bowls and salsa bottles. Most of the time, you have to ask for the hot stuff. It's nice when they bring it to you in the beginning. Their hot salsa lived up to its name, too. It wasn't a rock you back on your heels, bring tears to your eyes kind of heat, but the salsa definitely had some serious zing to it. My lovely bride is less masochistic than I am, so she preferred to mix the mild and hot together. Either way, the chips and salsa made a good start to the evening, perfectly complemented by some of the best iced tea that we've had in a restaurant in a while. We didn't order any additional appetizers, so our meals came to us fairly quickly. My wife had gone for the steak burritos, and the plate looked pretty appealing as the waiter placed it in front of her. It came with the standard rice and what their menu calls the "sour cream salad," i.e. lettuce and tomato with a dollop of sour cream. The steak in the burritos was thinly sliced and very juicy. According to her, it had a really good flavor, but it was also a little salty for her taste. I tried a couple of bites, and I have to agree with her on both counts. It wasn't too salty, but it was salty enough that you'll definitely need plenty of iced tea, beer or whatever. When we were looking at the menu, another pleasant surprise we found was that Margarita's offers more than just the standard fare at the average Mexican restaurant, including all varieties of seafood, beef, pork, chicken and even ten different vegetarian entrees. My eyes were drawn to one dish in particular. With a name like "pollo borracho," how could I not at least consider it? The menu simply refers to a "special sauce." The whole time, I was wondering what it was that made the chicken drunk (which is what borracho means). One bite told me that it was a beer-based sauce. It had a nice texture, and even still had a bit of the beer's carbonation that tingled my tongue. The chicken breasts were well grilled. The rich sauce was not being used as a crutch to cover up dry, overcooked meat. Both of the breasts were large and juicy, making for a big meal. As seems to be a common occurrence, half of my dinner came home with us. I'm pleased to say that even after having time to sleep it off overnight, the drunken chicken was still plenty borracho as leftovers the next day. The leisurely, enjoyable evening was not spoiled by the check at the end of the meal. The food was more rich and flavorful than most of the other Mexican restaurants in the area, and the prices are very competitive. Combined with the clean, bright décor, Margarita's Mexican Restaurant is a step ahead of the others. One word of caution, however, on trying to get out of the parking lot. If you're heading back south into Myrtle Beach, you'll have to turn left on a busy, undivided seven-lane highway. At best, it can be a challenge. After having a couple of Margarita's margaritas, you should be especially careful. |
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