Ted’s ongoing attempt to get us to visit every Mexican restaurant in the area takes us this week to El Papa’s, which is a new(ish) place that opened a few months back in the building they used to house Dominic’s.

We had briefly hoped to be visiting a patio tonight, but since it was about three billion degrees outside we decided against it. That’s a big no to a side of heat stoke with our meals, thank you very much.

Although after about a half hour inside El Papa’s it seemed like Mother Nature was trying to play a huge joke on us by following us indoors. I’m not sure if the AC was turned down to conserve energy inside the building or what but it was almost unbearably warm in the space. Add some tequila and piping hot plates and that’s just a barrel of fun for a Wednesday night, no?

Ted had gotten there before me and Shane and therefore already had a margarita in front of him when we arrived. He said it was banana, which I kinda snubbed my nose at because that seemed a flavor more suited to a rum drink than tequila. Shane and I proceeded to order a pitch of mango flavored margaritas instead.

Well the joke was on us because while ours was basically a pitcher full of mango syrup with a splash of tequila, Ted’s banana margarita was sampled and determined to be delicious and definitely the better option of the two.

Ted later ordered a peach margarita for himself . And the banana was still deemed better. So take that as you will.

Our server waited approximately 2.5 seconds after we sat down to come over and ask us what we wanted after we arrived. According to Ted he had been chomping at the bit waiting for us to arrive. I mean points for good service, but we definitely regretted that rush mango choice for the entirety of our meal.

Shane ordered his old standby at all Mexican restaurants, the fajita quesadilla. It’s like his Bud Light of meals.

But he said he didn’t care for his meal here. Usually at other places this particular dish comes with a cheese sauce or melted cheese overtop of the quesadilla. But this one didn’t, which made it super dry because there also was no cheese inside of it. So basically this would be an excellent option for Ted, but for Shane it was a big no thanks.

Needless to say when my Burrito Papa arrived Shane was a little jealous.

Look at all that cheese sauce. It had pretty much everything Shane was looking for in his meal, except that it just wasn’t on his plate. Oops.

And it was very good. The chicken was flavorful and – sorry Shane – but the cheese sauce made it very tasty. It was also the perfect amount to be filling but also not like I needed to unbutton my pants upon departure.

Ted ordered the Down South Fajitas.

He said it was OK. His biggest comment wasn’t that it had the perfect onion to meat ratio – which apparently doesn’t happen everywhere, so while it may not seem like it that’s actually high praise.

Overall our visit was a little disappointing. Between the temperature inside (like seriously I think it may not have been as hot in the completely non-air conditioned restaurant Shane and and I ate at in Mexico last year, so while we appreciate the attempt to remind us of our vacation we could’ve maybe done so with some extra umbrella drinks and some ocean sounds, no?), the quality of the margaritas and then Shane’s feelings about his meal we weren’t overly impressed. We did have great service, though, so that was a plus. But I think we might have figured out why the place seemed to be packed when it first opened and then was pretty quiet by our visit a few months later. Let’s hope they can work out the kinks sooner than later.

Picked by: Ted