Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant & Bar

There are two points that need to be made when speaking about Los Amigos, a fine Mexican restaurant in Berlin.

First of all, Mexican food does not consist entirely of tacos and burritos. Second, you can get tacos and burritos at Los Amigos, but why should you when the restaurant has such an extensive, varied selection?

My wife Patti and I stopped in for a Friday night meal and were nearly overwhelmed by the assortment and quality of the food. (We were also overwhelmed by the crowds. Be forewarned, Los Amigos does not take reservations, and the restaurant gets very busy-justifiably so.) Also note that the food need not be spicy. Patti, a coward when it comes to spicy foods, had no trouble finding a dish befitting her delicate (i.e., weenie) taste buds.

The 22-year-old restaurant is divided into four dining rooms with seating for 85 and a bar area (a good spot to wait for an available table). The motif is, surprise, decidedly Mexican, with whitewashed walls, light oak wainscoting, and some red brick half-walls hiding the serv- ice area. Twinkling white lights wrapped around vines adorn the upper walls and ceiling. Pastel designs abound. Tables are cov- ered with simple vinyl table cloths or have brightly painted laminate tops.

While perusing the menu, we were presented with complimentary fresh chips and salsa. They neither came out of a bag nor bottle. Patti enjoyed a frozen strawberry margarita ($3.75) while I sampled a Negro

Modela beer ($3.25). This Mexican dark beer is much lighter in texture than, say, Guinness Stout, and was accom- panied by a wedge of lime (unnecessary, as the beer can stand on its own). It was a nice complement to the meal. Patti started off with a simple salad of greens, carrots, mild shredded cheese, peppers and onions ($2.95). The homemade Dijon dressing was almost sweet and quite light and tasty. I opted for a cup of black bean soup ($2.95), a melange of beans, rice, ground beef and onions, almost chile-like in con- sistency, with a dollop of sour cream on top. It was not overly spicy, but with a few drops of hot pepper sauce (two types are placed on the table), I called for another Negro Modela.

Entrees proved to be both eye-and palate-pleasing. I chose Chicken Criollo ($11.95) and was presented with a platter resembling the Painted Desert. Two perfectly grilled chicken breasts, plump and juicy, sat against a mountain of whipped potatoes out of which peeked deep-fried waffle potatoes. The chicken had been marinated in cilantro and was lightly touched with pesto sauce. There was even a pesto sauce cactus "painted" on the plate. The potatoes and pesto made for an unusual, albeit delicious combination. And flavor took precedence over spiciness.

Patti indulged in shrimp fajitas ($16.95), six large shrimp sauteed with peppers and onions and accompanied by soft flour tortilla shells, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, and a cup of habanero pepper sauce that could have carried a warning from the Surgeon General. Chris, our waitress made special mention of the spicy concoction when she arrived with our entrees. I tried a bit with the chicken and called for another beer.

Strong coffee and desserts capped off the meal. Patti enjoyed bread pudding ($3.95), spiced with brandy and covered in a bourbon sauce. I thought I`d have to carry her home. I luxuriated in Mexican ice cream ($3.75), vanilla ice cream cov- ered in graham cracker crumbs, quickly deep-fried, and smoth- ered in chocolate sauce and whipped cream. I never met a chocolate-sauce-covered dessert I didn`t like.

Chef-owner Curt Taylor does amazing things with Mexican cuisine. Dishes like pork tender- loin with apple chutney and camote (yams), pan-seared shrimp with cilantro and garlic, and seared sea bass with chile risotto and vegetables definitely push the bounds of what many of us view as Mexican food. This is no taco chain.

Hours are 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, 3:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday and 3:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. Closed Monday.

State Highway N. 73 & Franklin Ave.West Berlin 767-5216

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: James Reuter