The Long and Foodie Road, Part I

Hello Gang! Wow, where have I been? Sorry if you feel I’ve neglected you, but life has a tendency to run away with your time and energy. Both of which I have exhausted over the past few weeks. Anyho.. in our time apart, I have been to several different restaurants so that only means good food news for you, the reader. I’m trying to figure out how to best detail these recent adventures and I think we will break it down again into parts. Hooray! Also, why is it so cold out? Just throwing that out there, in case you have an answer as to why is is necessary for it to be -15 out on any given evening. (The answer is of course that it isn't necessary, so who can we fire about this?)

Additionally, I’ve decided to change up our format a bit and put the rating and name of the restaurant in a small space at the top of each review. That way, you get the quick and dirty review on the go, but one can read about the fuller experience below it. Let see how it goes! (I'm always open to suggestions.)

Today we are highlighting…

Hacienda Del Patron

838 Lisbon Street

Lewiston, ME 04240

207-689-3196

http://www.haciendadelpatronme.com/,

The Novice Fork gives this place

4 Forks for swift service,

Authentic Mexican food, and cheep prices

So, to begin this installment, we must travel to Lewiston, Maine and some damn good Mexican food! (Shocker, but I’m telling you this place is authentic!) To set the stage for Hacienda Del Patron, one must imagine a warm breeze, jalapeno peppers, and telenovelas and then some of the best Mexican cuisine this side of, well Mexico. I know those first three things are clichéd, but that’s exactly what you get when you come here. (For better, not for worse, especially when the weather in Maine dips below 0 degrees) It feels like you’ve gone on a weekend trip to Mexico.

Their Sign, so colorful!

The service is very fast here, and granted my friend and I showed up on a Thursday at 3 pm, the place was completely dead. This was fine, because we were very hungry and needed food fast and it was nice to have a personal dining experience. They were playing great music, all in Spanish, and watching Spanish television, all adding to the “vacation vibe.” The atmosphere here isn’t awful, but it’s the type of big box restaurant that was once the Mexican chain Margaritas, so don’t expect an amazing dinning room, nor amazingly fresh ideas of what a Mexican restaurant should look like. (But again, there is comfort in the familiar right?)

Now, the menu is large and traditional, as when you think of Mexican food, at least American Mexican, the menu lines right up. But the true test of the menu is its freshness and flavor profiles. The salsa tastes like it was just made (and it was), the beans hot and savory, and the ranchero sauce so good you want to drink it. I got the Burrito Deluxe, big surprise (anyone who knows me can say I’m a sucker for a good burrito) and gorged myself on the freshly fried chips and salsa.  My friend got a few hard shell beef tacos, topped with amazing Queso Fresco, my mouth is watering again just thinking about it. (I need a moment). All this, and two Spanish sodas, for 16 dollars? Yes sir, it happened and I’m happy about it.

So to sum up, the food here is authentic, delicious, and inexpensive. So these three things are good. And should you find yourself in Lewiston, ME, go to this little Mexican restaurant, you won’t be disappointed. I will give you 4 Forks, Hacienda Del Patron, because you impressed me. (Not entirely easy to do).

So… Words for the day? Surely…

As the temperature plummets and you need an escape from a marathon of Top Chef All-Stars, (or Tabitha’s Salon Takeover), don your long johns, bean boots, and scarves and go out to eat. A few Coronas and some good food will surely keep you warm, at least temporarily, and you won’t develop that sallow faced, red eyed look so prevalent with Bravo TV marathons and too many games of Parcheesi. Go be social, and eat good Mexican food! Over and out.