Jason F.
Yelp
Authentic Mexican cuisine is alive and well in wine country! Located on the busy intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Cedar Streets in the heart of downtown Calistoga, Pacifico Restaurante Mexicano is a traditional taqueria and cantina that specializes in entrees that are worthy enough to be featured at your favorite resort along the Pacific coast of Mexico, let alone along a small street in the heart of wine country. What brought us here on a recent weekend afternoon was a visit to a nearby winery that a friend happened to be a member of, and after an early afternoon of wine tasting and charcuterie and cheese pairings, we were both kind of famished for something local and affordable. After driving down Lincoln Avenue from the Silverado Trail side and evaluating our options, Pacifico Restaurante Mexicano was like a beacon of light that shined down on us, almost beaconing us to join them for some chips and salsa. It also helped that there was a parking spot along Lincoln Avenue for us to take right nearby. There are actually two entrances to Pacifico Restaurante Mexicano, as one leads visitors to their bar area, and the other leads visitors to their dining room and host station. We took the former and graciously sat in their dining room, which even though it was the lunch hour on a weekend afternoon it wasn't too busy, but by the time we left they would be bustling with customers.
The menu at Pacifico Restaurante Mexicano is separated into categories including Appetizers, Salads, Mariscos, Grilled, Tradicionales, and their Beverages which include Margaritas, Cocktails, Vinos, Cervezas and Soft Drinks. Although many of their menu items sounded delicious, there was something about feasting on Enchiladas, especially when I was a smidge enlightened from the wine tasting that we had just enjoyed that sounded rather tempting. And when I found out that diners receive two enchiladas on their plate with the options of shredded beef, chicken, or cheese topped with a rich red sauce, I was sold. The fact that you could mix and match your enchilada filling at no extra cost, and the entrée comes served with sour cream, guacamole, rice, sweet corn, choice of beans, of which I chose refried, I was even more on board, as these days all of these add-ons would come at a cost at other restaurants but thankfully not here. My dining mate ordered their Burrito Supremo, which gives diners a choice of steak, carnitas, shredded chicken or beef for their filling, and too is served with choice of beans, black or refried, rice, guacamole, sour cream, and is topped with red sauce, and melted cheese.
To drink with our meal my friend ordered a libation of their choice and I, needing a bit of waking up, ordered a Harvey Winehard's bottled root beer which was served chilled along with an ice filled glass. It wouldn't take too long for our meal to be prepared and presented to our table, what would help was that we were served a complimentary basket full of freshly fried tortilla chips and salsa to enjoy. Once our meal did come, my enchiladas were two perfectly warmed tortillas topped with an abundance of sauce and filled with a ton of shredded meat. It was so much food thanks to the sides of guacamole, sour cream, rice and beans that after a mere few bites, I was already full and ready to take the rest of my meal home with me, which would make for the perfect meal over the course of a few days. Our total bill would come out to be $64.65 before gratuity was added in, which was actually quite reasonable with two entrées and two beverages, and both of us had meals to take home from our trip to wine country. With solid Mexican fare and even occasional live music for diners to partake in, some of which is offered during weekdays from 4-6:30 p.m. at Happy Hour prices, Pacifico Restaurante Mexicano is a solid hearty alternative to the many other restaurants that offer more traditional fare in wine country. Here's to their longevity and success for decades to come!
