Fajitas, Tapas & Bar, the place it’s worthwhile to get the tacos

The restaurant that opened June 27 the place a Roman Candle Pizza place was has considerably of an ungainly format, and from the skin it’s not instantly apparent the place the entrance door is.

My good friend and I bought a desk by the bar, the place “Wheel of Fortune” was on a large TV. My good friend stated its glare was like a large headlight coming at him.

Miguel Dominguez, who owns the restaurant along with his spouse, Jennifer Dominguez, was an excellent host and wound up doubling as our server when the Middleton Excessive Faculty senior who took our order bought busy elsewhere.

At a spot named for fajitas, the fajitas higher be good — and ours had been, if expensive. However one order can feed two fairly hungry individuals. There are 12 sorts, and we went with the fajitas poblanos ($22.99) as a result of I can by no means get sufficient poblano peppers. Right here they had been lower into small strips after I would have most well-liked bigger ones, nevertheless it was a superb dish, nonetheless.

Every part labored properly collectively: tender rooster, bacon, corn, grilled onions, tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers and particularly the grilled queso fresco. Bacon was an uncommon a part of a fajita plate, and I want it had been crispy, as a substitute of soggy.

The platter got here out scorching sizzling. Even the accompanying dinner plate with rice and beans was tremendous sizzling. I appreciated the lettuce, pico de gallo, bitter cream and guacamole, however the latter two had been extra of a garnish and didn’t go far. The white corn tortillas on the facet had been unbelievable.

Those self same tortillas additionally made for excellent tacos. Once more, they had been costly, most of them $5, but additionally $5.50 and $6 relying on the filling.

All of the tacos, from the asada ($5) to the grilled rooster ($5) to the crunchy chorizo ($5) to the grilled shrimp ($5.50) to the grilled tilapia ($6) had been distinctive, and that’s as a result of the meat or seafood in every was completely seasoned and grilled. The asada, or steak, was lean and significantly flavorful.

Dominguez requested if we wished the tacos made historically with simply onion and cilantro. We did, and so they had been scrumptious that means. He informed me later that the opposite choice is “American fashion” with a flour tortilla, lettuce and cheese.

Our tacos weren’t doubled up, as they usually are at Mexican eating places, and served with lime.

The largest letdown was a quesadilla with chorizo ($10). It was mild on cheese and relatively sad-looking. Chopping it into quarters and presumably including just a little garnish to the plate might’ve helped.

The opposite disappointment was the home margarita ($8), which was touted as having lemon, lime and orange juice “fermented” with gold tequila. It had a foamy prime and many salt across the rim, however a style that was barely off.

After I talked to Dominguez after my meal, I requested if most of his prospects order fajitas. He stated heaps do, however the enchiladas are additionally an enormous vendor. Enchiladas present up within the menu underneath tapas and underneath specials, relying on how large a portion you’re on the lookout for and the way a lot you need to spend. There’s additionally a tapas model of the fajitas for $13.99.

Dominguez stated he tries to innovate with varied meats and greens in his fajitas and is all the time developing with new ones.

He got here to Madison from Puebla, Mexico, in 2001 and moved to Verona three years later. He has household within the space, together with cousin Vicente Sacramento, who co-owns Monona Bakery and Eatery.

For years, Dominguez commuted to downtown Beloit, the place he had a profitable restaurant known as Fresco Fajita Home from 2016 till this previous Might. He closed it to focus on the Middleton restaurant. The Beloit restaurant might solely seat 49, whereas the brand new restaurant has a capability of 140, in case you embrace the decrease degree, which may be rented for personal events, he stated.

The restaurant’s chef, Fermin Mejia, nonetheless lives in Beloit. Dominguez stated he buys the tortillas I really like from a small retailer there and doesn’t need to swap, so he has Mejia carry them.

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Dominguez stated on weekdays, Jennifer works with special-education college students at Savanna Oaks Center Faculty. And when she’s on the restaurant she does a little bit of every part. “She’s the boss.”

I used to be there two days after Halloween and so they nonetheless had plenty of Halloween decorations up. “Most likely tomorrow is Christmastime,” Dominguez stated, including that he has a tree by the door able to go.

Anybody who likes good tacos and fajitas must strive Fajitas, Tapas & Bar. Consider it as an early Christmas reward for your self.