The original Mesa in Dallas is one of DFW's most famous restaurants. Noted for hosting Beyoncé/Jay-Z and Conan O'Brien while traveling through Dallas, Mesa has been honored with many local awards for "best Mexican food", "best Dallas restaurants", etc. So it's only natural that a restaurant of this caliber would expand to a second location.
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| Jamaica Paloma |
Located just 5 minutes from DFW airport, the new Grapevine location of Mesa opened earlier this year. One of the area's true Mexican concepts, the coastal influences Chef Olga and Raul Reyes use on the menu are very similar to the ones we fell in love with when visiting the coast of Mexico. Plentiful seafood dishes, Mole (the best I've had), Cochinita Pibil, and Flan are the types of dishes you can expect to find on the menu, which has recently been updated.
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| important new menu item alert: Queso "mix" dip with beef tenderloin, guacamole, and pico de gallo |
I was already a fan of their Queso Fundido dish, but now that they've introduced the new Queso Mix Dip option, I've got double the queso options. (Why choose? That's not fair...)
They also let us sample some of the new Poblano Chicken Enchiladas. The Poblano sauce was slightly spicy and perfectly creamy; in a word: divine.
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| Poblano Chicken Enchiladas |
Another of my favorite dishes at Mesa is the Seafood Enchiladas: Handmade corn tortillas stuffed with fresh Pacific lobster, blue crab, shrimp, and julienned veggies, topped with their stunning Bell Pepper Cream Sauce and avocado over smoked bacon and bell pepper rice. You'll think you're oceanside at a 5-star resort after your first bite.
Continuing on the seafood trend, the Guiso del Chef is a feast of sea favorites. Mussels, clams, octopus, scallops, and shrimp all collide in a white wine and beer sauce, surrounded by cherry tomatoes, sliced jalapeno, sliced garlic, over Jasmine rice. So fresh and light!
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| Guiso del Chef |
On the traditional side, the Mole Mama Cata, Carne Asada, or Ropa Vieja are sure to hit the spot. Don't miss Mesa's staple Cochinita Pibil, which takes literally days to prepare. The pork is marinated in citrus juices and spices and then cooked to perfection.
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| Cochinita Pibil |
Dining at Mesa will make you feel like you're on vacation, so you have to splurge on dessert. What better way than with a tray of all three of their delicious sweet offerings? (Vacation calories don't count, and we're practically in Mexico, so there.)
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| Orange Flan, Chocolate Mousse, Tres Leches. Get all three. |
To be honest, the week before we visited Mesa this time, we were sad. We had just returned from another trip to beautiful Playa Mujeres (more on that another time) and we just wanted to sell all our stuff, grab the kitties, and move to a beach condo somewhere on the Yucatan Peninsula (ocean front, of course). But alas, we're back to reality and the whole jobs bit.
Luckily, the food and people at Mesa transported us back to our preferred state of mind: a laid-back, beachside Mexican fiesta. From the stunningly plated, photogenic food to the festive drinks and delicious sauces, Mesa is truly a destination. So swing by Grapevine and treat yourself to their large patio and fresh Mexican coastal cuisine.
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| Tequila Old Fashioned |
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Tequila Old Fashioned and Jamaica Paloma
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I wish there were more places like this, because it was simply too amazing for words. I came here with my boyfriend the other night, and it was absolutely fabulous. The use of wood throughout the venues in Chicago adds a very warm and inviting feel to venue.
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