There’s good news—even better than the fact that the bitter winds of winter are behind us: It’s Cinco de Mayo time! Margaritas and Corona, tacos and chimichangas are on everyone’s mind.
Formally celebrated on May 5th, America’s favorite new party-holiday marks a long-ago victory of brave Mexican soldiers defending their homeland against a French invasion. It’s become hugely popular, especially in Berks County, where Mexican-Americans have made important contributions to local culture. Even if you speak no Spanish at all, don’t stay home. Head to Plaza Azteca in Wyomissing, near the Berkshire Mall and the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where every day is a toast to Mexico’s spirit.
Ahh...Avacados
With comfortable large-booth seating and a joyful, festive atmosphere, Plaza Azteca and its general manager Pablo Gonzalez will welcome you and your friends, first exhorting you to enjoy a super-fresh, homemade, lime-juice-dripping-good guacamole. As an appetizer, this is no ordinary guacamole experience: A long cart will roll up to your table and the guacamole man will smile as he asks you, “How hot? Mild? Spicy? More spicy?” Your response tells him exactly how many jalapeno peppers to chop, which he expertly slides into a large, black mortar bowl. (It’s molded to look like volcanic rock, actually.) From a set of bowls filled with cilantro, tomatoes, onions, and limes, and a large bin loaded with gleaming, large avocados, the guacamole man picks and chops with his expert knife, slicing two avocados faster than you can say “abracadabra”—and then, all of a sudden, he’s using this fat pestle to mash and meld all the elements together with a bit of salt and large, sweeping bursts of lime squeezed in for good measure.
Waiting at the table are bowls of homemade corn tortilla chips, just jonesing for some serious scooping. The chunky-smooth guacamole dip is tangy with lime, piquant with frequent cilantro bursts. It’s a mouth-satisfying, delicious start which goes perfectly with Plaza Azteca’s own frozen margaritas or any number of other drinks. The restaurant’s Bulldog Margarita is crazy: larger than life, it arrives with a bottle of Corona beer upside down inside the enormous cocktail glass. (You have to see it to believe it.) Now, that’s a party right there!
But wait. Things are just heating up. The Chile Rellenos—one of numerous vegetarian options—are a must to try. These cooked peppers come stuffed with cheese and blanketed with sour cream, along with rice and beans on the side. They’re not fire-engine hot, by any means, but that’s because the ample, lush cheese calms down the pepper itself. Order just one a la carte if you have an entrée coming; otherwise, it’s a meal in itself (and only $8.99 for two on the platter).
The Love Boat
Then along comes the Burrito Chipotle. Don’t ask how big it is; the waitress answers merely, with a smile, “Everything is big in here!” But her words stretch the word “big” beyond normal comprehension. This is a veritable cruise ship of foodliness: it’s one enormous flour tortilla stuffed with char-grilled chicken, green peppers, cheese and rice, riding in a thickly smooth, creamy, orange-tan chipotle sauce. It’s served with rice and jazzy, rich black beans; a layer of sour cream tops it, while chopped mango, pico de gallo and tomatoes provide separate dances of taste combinations with each burrito bite. As authentic music plays gently in the background, the effect is truly transporting. Again: in presentation, this dish looks exactly like an ocean liner stuffed with happy tourists, festively dotted in red, green, white and yellow confetti. It is simply delicious to eat and admire.
Another entrée with similarly spectacular presentation is the Steak a la Tampiquena. An 11-ounce New York strip, its flavor enhanced by perfectly pan-fried onions, comes with saffron-suffused jasmine rice that ensures a slightly sweet, supple balance to the meat. (Warning: The rice ought to come with a label that says, “Remember: Once you try me, you cannot stop!”) Of course, it also comes with beans and an aggressively biting pico de gallo, all of which meld happily together in a warm flour tortilla which you create on the plate. All in all, a hearty dish for big eaters.
Shrimp Tacos, Plaza Azteca’s signature Sizzling Fajitas, and many other seafood, chicken and steak entrees are all options to choose from.
Sweet Endings Seal the Celebration
How about ice cream—fried? Or a smooth flan? These south-of-the-border dessert treats are legendary—and Plaza Azteca has those—and more. Climb to new heights with the Churros, which are four little stick-pies all appley-cinnamon-y and hot, served with heavenly vanilla ice cream. (Deceptively rich, these are definitely desserts to be shared at table.) The interplay of hot and cold temperatures in your mouth, the slightly crunchy texture between the teeth, the flavorful combination of apples and fried dough, cinnamon, and vanilla, make it a super-satisfying end to an outing.
For cake-eaters, go for the soft and uber-pretty Three-Milk Sponge Cake. It’s a layered white, berry-creamy delight—one for the memory books.
PLAZA AZTECA 955 Woodland Rd., Wyomissing 610.898.1512 | www.plazaazteca.com
BY MARIAN FRANCES WOLBERS | PHOTOS BY HEIDI REUTER
