Mexican Wedding Preview Pt. 1

I’m not sure how many Eating Brooklyn readers are aware, but Kristina (not Z) and I got engaged last Fall, and are to be married October 30, 2009 in Riviera Maya, Mexico…thank you…you’re too kind.

She’s not Mexican, nor am I.  We just really like Mexico (been there twice before), and of course we love Mexican cuisine.  And since we have a few months before we’re in that tropical paradise we figured our best bet would be to pretend we’re there by sampling as much local Mexican cuisine as possible.

Pacifico has been around for a few years.  Positioned behind a rickety fence on Pacific Street between Smith & Boerum Place, it is supposed to invoke the aura of a typical Mexican cantina.  They had been connected to Trout (formerly Gravy), and Pacific Pizza (formerly LaRosa & Son) both of which are now defunct.  Pacifico has taken over the Pacific Pizza space though, and is using it as more of a take-out space.  Once inside, if you go on any given warmer night of the year, you will subjected to the dirty looks of patrons waiting to get an outside table.  It’s as if they’re saying with their squinted eyes, “Don’t even think about taking my table!”

But despite all this, I thought last Friday would be a good night to go (Kristina agreed), and catch up with our friend, fellow blogger and local author Karyn Bosnak.

We started with an ice cold (and rather potent) pitcher of margarita.  For appetizers we ordered the fried calamari and their chips & salsa.  The drinks came first, followed shortly by the fried calamari. 
It was served with a couple slices of lime, and a chipotle tartar sauce.  They were tender and crispy, but not too heavily battered.  The portion size was smaller than what you may usually expect, but was actually just enough.  I wondered though how we’d nearly finished the plate and still hadn’t gotten our chips.  A quick reminder to the waitress, and they were on the table.  I like their salsa because it’s more liquid than chunks, but that night it tasted very garlicky.  Good thing I wasn’t on a first date.

For entrees, Karyn got a vegetarian burrito made with root vegetables, Kristina got the Baja tacos – 3 soft corn tortillas stuffed lightly battered fish and cabbage salad, and served with an ear of corn covered in Mexican mayo, and I had the Traditional Pork Carnitas Chile Relleno Showered with dried fruit served w/ chile salsas & black bean chilaquiles. 

I devoured my meal.  I thought the fruit shower made the cheese and pork taste a little too tangy, but it was still quite good.  The ladies both seemed to be enjoying their meals too.

We finished our dinner (and the margaritas).  When asked if we wanted anything else, I was tempted to order another pitcher of margarita, but the though of more tequila coupled with the desire to exercise the next morning, and topped off with the obnoxious glares we were receiving from the waiting area told me to pass…so I did. 

On the grand scale of Mexican restaurants in the area, Pacifico rates high on decor and ambiance, higher on the quality of the margarita, and middle of the road on service and food.

~Sam

Pacifico
269 Pacific St @ Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 935-9090