Tyler Ibarra

A well-decorated and colorful atmosphere made my visit to El Molcajete for the third edition of Tastes with Tyler a great one.
As soon as I sat down the waitress dropped off chips and salsa. The salsa had a little kick but the acidic flavors balanced it out for a tasty starter. The chips were crispy and had seemingly the perfect amount of salt to match with the salsa.
For my entrée I ordered a steak chimichanga with a side of beans.
The beans came with cheese melted on top. The bean flavor was on point but they needed a little salt. Overall though, they were pretty good.
The chimichanga did not disappoint. Everything inside mixed together well. The steak had a ton of seasoning and was cooked to perfection. The crispy fried tortilla was a perfect casing for the rest of the toppings. The chimichanga was packed with flavor, a bit of spice, and melty cheese and was the best thing I had and I would definitely eat it again.
I also had a pineapple Jarritos for my drink. Jarritos is a traditional Mexican brand and was a strong pairing with my dish. The pineapple flavor was present but did not overpower. The sweetness was wonderful and paired nicely with the chimichanga.
The major downside was the slightly below average friendliness. While they were quick to greet, the waitress, being the only one, seemed to be a bit overwhelmed with all the running around she had to do, so I will not hold it against the restaurant too heavily.
The service was efficient though as I got my food within 15 minutes.
There were ups and downs with my trip to El Molcajete. Other restaurants like Habanero in Plainfield are better in my opinion but El Molcajete is one of the cheaper options for Mexican food around. Overall, the ups outweighed the downs and I would recommend El Molcajete for anyone who wants some quick and delicious Mexican food. I will definitely try it again someday. I rate El Molcajete 4 out of 5 stars.