Restaurant Review: Cinco De Mayo

Named for one of my favorite holidays, Cinco De Mayo(1919 E 7th Ave, Tampa FL 33605, 813-374-2222) is a relatively new piece of Ybor City. Housed further down the street of 7th Avenue’s main drag, this little piece of Mexico brings great food and a welcoming atmosphere. Having only been in business for five months, a few kinks are still being worked out. While I was there, they were hanging signage and cleaning up. You can tell a lot of the upstairs is still “in progress”, but it’s showing signs of a hot place to be.

I went in for the lunch, as they run daily specials. Today, I tried the Enchilada Lunch (for $5!) and a traditional/Mexican taco. The waitress is sweet and personable, and chats with me between customers and cleaning. She was very quick with both my drink and the complimentary chips and salsa.

The chips were thicker than standard tortilla chips, and more oily. They were flavorful without being salty, which was a big plus. The salsa was a variety I hadn’t had in a long time. It was very fresh, watery and pungent with tomatoes and citrus. The acids from the salsa play tricks on your taste buds, giving you a bit of sweet, a bit of bitter and a bit of spicy. It’s a good salsa and I finished the entire bowl before half my chips were done.

The main course was out very quickly. The taco, as I had chosen the traditional/Mexican taco over the “Americanized version” was similar to the Taco Bus tacos. The sauteed pork was a bit spicy and dripping with flavor. The included green sauce wasn’t even necessary, as the taco stood on it’s own being both succulent and robust. At only $2, this is a value that I’d be hard to compare to anywhere else I’ve eaten. The pork inside the taco was on par with the Taco Bus’s Cochinita Pibil, which is now my absolute favorite filling meat.

The enchiladas were served on a large platter with everything you’d expect; rice, beans and a pile of lettuce and sour cream to fill out the course. The beans were as to be expected, hot and flavorful with chunks of queso melted into the top. I used the chips to make quick work of my pile of beans.

The rice was of a higher caliber than a lot of the Mexican rice I’ve had as it was made with cheese and kept very moist. The cheese helped stick the rice together but it didn’t overpower the dish. It was the string in the woven fabric of already delicious rice.

The enchiladas were plentiful and tender. The problem with enchiladas in a lot of restaurants is their reliance on the red sauce to give the dish it’s flavor. It’s more often than not disconcerting or at least annoying that they’d take great ingredients and drown them. Cinco does it just right. The sauce is minimal and a compliment, not a hostile takeover. The cheese is also used sparingly, as to not overpower the dish.

The real star of the enchiladas dish is the shredded chicken insides that spill out as you fork your way through them. Tender, delicious, piping hot and easy to eat, the chicken is something you can see a lot of time goes into. It’s a slight bit spicy, but the stringy texture and the other ingredients keep any mouth seering at bay.

Aside from the food, the atmosphere is incredibly comfortable. Outside seating is available with a simple but attractive table setting. A large stainless counter at the bar is sterile but inviting. Decorations fill the walls, reminding you that this is equal part bar and restaurant. The upstairs, while looking like it’s still got a bit of work to go, has a very inviting feel to it as well and the amenities you’d expect including a pool table, private seating, a second bar and plenty of space.

True to it’s name, Cinco De Mayo is planning a huge party on the fifth of May. Mariachi bands will play, women will dance and the booze will flow. I’ll be there to cover it and so should you.

Related posts:

1. Happy Cinco De Mayo
2. Restaurant Review: Caramba’s Mexican Restaurante
3. Restaurant Review: Estela’s Mexican Restaurant
4. Restaurant Review: Algusto Tortilla and Salsa
5. Restaurant Review: Los Mariachis #2
6. Restaurant Review: Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant
7. Restaurant Review: Los Tucanes Mexican Food
8. Restaurant Review: Red Mesa
9. Restaurant Review: Taqueria Mi Mexico
10. Restaurant Review: Taqueria Monterrey