Jason F.
Yelp
The smells emanating from Nuevo Sol were what brought me in as a customer, and I am so glad they did! Located on San Pablo Avenue near the corner of Gilman Street, Nuevo Sol is a small brunch and lunch restaurant with an emphasis in Mexican cuisine. Opened roughly a year ago in the space that previously was home to a number of Mexican restaurants including La Palmita and Pepe's Mexican Grill, Nuevo Sol mean "new beginning" in Spanish and represents not only a fresh start for the space, but a new business for owner and Chef Gilberto Monroy who came from a small town in Mexico, and worked his way up at Bette's Oceanview Diner. Now with a place to call his own where the community can gather for a hearty meal which helps to get the day started right, Chef Monroy and his family and staff have created a unique menu of different flavors sourced from traditional meals from both Mexico and the States. As I walked down San Pablo Avenue, as my car was being serviced, I could smell the fresh food being grilled from their open kitchen, even with the door closed. After checking my trusty Yelp app to look at their menu, I saw that they serve traditional breakfast dishes such as Chilaquiles and Huevos Rancheros. But what I really had a craving for was a traditional large Burrito, and when I checked with the front counter and they told me that their lunch menu was available even at 10 a.m., I was sold to stay here and eat a little meal and take the rest for later.
As I said earlier, the menu for both Breakfast and Lunch at Nueva Sol is rather expansive, which is truly impressive as they serve a combination of both traditional Mexican entrees, and traditional breakfast and brunch entrees. But I made myself a promise to get something quick and easy this time, and their Burrito, which came with my choice of refried beans, along with rice, cheese and pico de gallo, along with guacamole for an additional $1.25 charge. They had six options for what main ingredient that I wanted in my burrito and I opted for their Carne Asada. To drink, I saw from their many menus they had posted everywhere around their counter area that they had Agua Frescas in both Strawberry and Pineapple flavors, so I ordered their Strawberry Agua Frescas for $4.50. My total bill before gratuity was $23.26 as they do charge 40 cents for using your credit card for any purchase. As I sipped on my delicious Strawberry Agua Frescas, I opted to sit on their outdoor patio in the back, and my meal was delivered in no time at all. My server asked if I wanted their mild or medium sauce to pair with my burrito, and I asked for both to get a sample of which one I liked better. When combined with tortilla chips that were provided on my plate, I got a delectably warm large burrito that was so big that I knew that I was only going to eat a small section of the burrito, in order to save the rest for a future meal.
Dining on the patio at Nuevo Sol gave me new appreciation of what a huge accomplishment that Chef Monroy and his team managed to achieve here in the heart of Northwest Berkeley. I enjoyed a refreshing beverage and an extra meal for the road and I was out of there in a mere twenty minutes for the quickest and nicest meal that I have enjoyed in quite some time. I cannot wait to come back to try those amazingly descriptive Enchiladas and Sopas because at Nuevo Sol you are guaranteed to get a hearty meal that won't break the bank. I am so happy that they are here trying to forge a new path in a location that has had a number of attempts at making a true success story work. Here's to hoping that Nuevo Sol has a lengthy and successful run here on San Pablo Avenue and this new beginning turns out to be a long lasting venture where the community and those just passing by can enjoy for years to come!
