Forget Taco Tuesday, Ron makes every day a Mexican food celebration!
Craving the sizzling flavors of Mexico? Read on for Ron’s Best Mexican food fix! Authentic dishes, vibrant atmosphere – it’s a fiesta for your tastebuds.
By Ron Kirkland
We started our day at Los Paisanos and knowing that I had a full day of food ahead of me, I ate a light dinner the night before and skipped breakfast. Fortunately, Los Paisanos is one of the few Mexican places that serve an authentic Mexican style breakfast. The beans, eggs and plantain were complemented by a thick homemade tortilla with homemade hot sauce and made for a unique way to start the day. Since I had my taco hat on, I decided that tacos six ways was in order. In particular, the Chorizo Taco had me wanting more. In all, this place is my sleeper pick and very underrated.
Mayor Doug Pons decided to join us at Taqueria Maria Bonita. To celebrate the occasion we opted for the Cantarito Jalisco, a remarkably interesting tequila-based cocktail served in a clay pot and garnished with a sweet and spicy tamarind straw that I simply kept reaching for, which is always a good sign. The stuffed pineapple and huaraches are favorites, and they did not disappoint. But for me the homemade hand-rolled tamales were truly special. When I was 9 years old, Francisco moved in next door. In the country that was about half a mile away, but somehow we became fast friends. At Christmas time his Abuela would visit from Mexico. During every visit, the Herrera women would gather in the kitchen and spend most of the day rolling tamales and making green chile sauce. We were tight as tics and “Pancho,” as he liked to be called back then, would always invite me over for tamales. Those tamales are still the best I have ever had. However, Maria’s pollo and carnitas tamales closely reminded me of those days long ago. If I could only have one Mexican dish in Williamsburg for the rest of my life, I would pick the tamales at Taqueria Maria Bonita.
Is there a more festive food experience than a Mexican fiesta? I think not. Williamsburg Tourism Chairperson Ruth Larson agreed and celebrated Cinco de Mayo with us a few months early at Plaza Azteca. They made the guacamole tableside just the way we like it and Ruth about fell out of her chair when the robot, quietly and unexpectedly, delivered our entrees. From Birria Tacos to Fajitas Chihuahua, and everything in between, I don’t think there is a better overall place to celebrate our love for Mexican food. The one that really stood out for me was the decadent Tres Leches cake. Perfectly prepared, the light and fluffy sponge cake was so very moist after being soaked with three milks, creating the just right combination of sweetness and richness topped with whipped cream. Unassuming in its presentation but a definite WOW after the first bite.
Do you ever say to yourself, I just want me a big ole burrito and some margaritas? Well, La Terraza has you covered. I don’t know about you, but when there are so many flavor combinations for margaritas, I have trouble deciding. The flight of margaritas made it much easier for me. “Why limit yourself to one when you can have four?” I always say. When the burrito came to the table, I thought I might have enjoyed the margaritas a little too much. “Surely, my vision is impaired,” I thought. There is no way the burrito is that big. You know how they usually put the rice and beans on the plate with the burrito. Nope, not here. The burrito basically covers the entire platter. So, the beans and rice must come out on a separate plate. At this point in the day, there was no way that monster was going down my gullet, so I had to apologize and ask for a to-go box. A fitting end for a wonderful day enjoying some of Williamsburg’s BEST Mexican dishes.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Ron Kirkland and Visitor Guide team members Account Executive Eileen Sperry and Editor Julie Matthews enjoyed a fun-filled Mexican food tour together in Williamsburg.
Want more of Ron’s Best?
Check out these other articles for Ron’s Best BBQ and Best Breakfasts in Williamsburg!
Ron’s Best Breakfasts in Williamsburg
Ron’s Top 5 Best BBQ Bites in Williamsburg
This article: Forget Taco Tuesday, Ron makes every day a Mexican food celebration! has been curated from our friends at Go Williamsburg and the original in it's entirety can be found here: https://gowilliamsburg.com/forget-taco-tuesday-ron-makes-every-day-a-mexican-food-celebration/