El Potro
We can never find enough great Mexican restaurants, and now we have another one to add to our list: El Potro Mexican Bar and Grill.
El Potro is a mini chain of local, family-run Mexican and Central American restaurants. They opened their first store in Somerville in 2006, and they now have additional locations in Malden, Lowell, and this new, 300 seat spot in Chelsea. And according to owner Jason Triano, everything from the recipes to the atmosphere is authentic. “When you walk in you're basically walking into a piece of Mexico.. and everything is handcrafted. We specifically have it handmade straight from this little town South of Guadalajara called Tonala. We use the freshest ingredients. It's literally Mom, Mom and Pop recipes from almost 20 years ago and more Everything is artisanal. Everything is just a kiss of Mexico, as I like to call it.”
So let’s slide into one of their signature Margaritas, whether you like it frozen, with rocks and salt, or a little spicy. And now, we can eat. To start, you can get a sample of just about everything if you order the Picado Mixta. It’s basically a Mexican PuPu Platter, boasting sliced steak, grilled chicken, Quesadillas, flautas, grilled shrimp, fried pork, queso fresco, and for some reason French Fries (but I’m certainly not complaining about that). This could easily feed a table of four, if not six or even eight! It’s huge.
There are also traditional Tamales that are steamed and served with the corn husk. They’re stuffed with shredded pork and topped with their signature Guajillo pepper red sauce. Really tasty. And then there are the nachos, which are served the authentic way. “The super nachos consist of individual bite sized nachos. It's a very traditional Jalisco recipe in which you make tostadas… topped with the fresh refried beans we make from scratch… Melted to perfection… You’re basically dipping into each individual piece with everything, guac, sour cream, pico de gallo. And it's not like your traditional volcano style. You actually get a bite of everything in each Nacho.”
There are dozens of delicious entrees to choose from at El Potro, and they pretty much all come with their homestyle refried beans and Mexican rice. Check out the Pollo a la Crema, featuring slow-cooked chicken in a rich housemade garlic and mushroom cream sauce. The Bistec a la Mexicana features grilled steak sauteed with peppers and onions in a light tomato based sauce. And if you like seafood with a lot of flavor, order the Shrimp Enchiladas. “Basically the shrimp or sauteed in a garlic and cream with a little bit of guajillo and chili pepper sauce, all blended together, and it's nice, creamy goodness… melted to perfection with blended of many cheeses. We use about three to four cheeses… topped with some fresh crema, little bit of more cotija cheese, and then garnish with all the fixings. It is delicious.” An equally delicious Mole Chicken Enchilada is part of the Tampiquena plate, served alongside a nicely char-grilled steak. So you get equal parts savory, sweet, and spicy, great contrast of flavors and textures.
There’s also the Chili Relleno, featuring a fire-roasted and deep fried Poblano pepper, stuffed with your choice of meat, topped with ranchera sauce and cheese. And the number one selling entree at El Potro is their legendary Carne Asada, a bargain for well under twenty-five bucks. “Our carne asada is well renowned in the area. It is a family secret recipe for over 30 plus years. It's a traditional… cut skirt steak style… and we marinate it for at least 24 hours, if not more, when it's freshly cut…You ever have a filet mignon when it's cooked just a perfection? A carne asada, each and every bite is perfection. You’ve gotta try it.”
You also need to try the Churros for dessert. You get a little stack of Mexican style fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar, stuffed with dulce de leche, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
So if you want a fun and flavorful Mexican meal, this place basically checks every box. From the hand-painted chairs to hand-crafted cocktails… Friendly service to bold flavors… El Potro is waiting for you in Somerville, Malden, Lowell, and Chelsea. “The real question is, why not come to El Potro? I mean, if you're looking to step away from your normal life, looking to have a little bit of Mexico in your life, or just good eats, good food, good atmosphere… and just an unforgettable experience, whether it be just for a quick beer, quick lunch, or have a nice family outing… you know each given experience in El Potro is going to be one to remember.”
