HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The El Olmeca Mexican Cantina menu issues a tortilla-wrapped challenge, in the form of the Burrito Macho XXL, an elephantine $15.99 entrée served on a medieval-shield-sized plate.
If you can finish the Macho XXL in 30 minutes or less, your meal is free. And El Olmeca will throw in a $10 gift card. Yes, it's a south-of-the-border version of the Old 96'er – that 96-ounce steak John Candy's character takes on in the 1988 comedy film "The Great Outdoors."
No one in our dining party was close to Candy-sized. So we opted not to attempt the Macho. What we did find is El Olmeca offers some fairly exotic Mexican items, even if their standard Mexican dishes played things too safe, seasoning-wise.
Right when you sit down, you realize El Olmeca is a little different than your typical, interchangeable taco hut. The complimentary basket of nacho chips contains green and red colored chips as well as the standard-hued variety, and while the colored chips don't taste different, the flair is nice. As are the eatery's high-ceilings and contemporary, muted-tones décor accented with tasteful splashes of Latino colors, a respite from those over-the-top cantina interiors that basically look like a piñata threw up everywhere.
We started with two dips as appetizers. A four-ounce Guacamole ($3.25, a larger version is $7.99) and some Choriqueso ($6.50). The latter contains chorizo sausage cooked with onion and poblano pepper in melted cheese, and the dip's smoky, meaty, and less-spicy-than-expected flavor was a memorable deviation from phoned-in queso. The guac tasted fresh, bright and citrusy.
Our entrees arrived less than 10 minutes after we'd ordered them, and a few minutes after the apps. Smooth timing, and El Olmeca's overall front-of-house service was attentive, quick and professional.
The Huevos Con Chorizo ($6.99) was easily the most compelling entrée we ordered. Eggs on steroids. Earthy sausage. Nice little kick. Warm tortillas to wrap it all up in, with veggie-augmented rice and standard refried beans on the side.
As memorable as the Huevos Con Chorizo, the beef burrito in the Lunch Special # 2 ($4.99, including rice and beans) was just as forgettable. Not bad. Just very restrained flavors.
The Taco Salad ($5.25) is served in one of the fried tortilla bowls you can eat. Shredded lettuce and cheese, tomato, sour cream and your choice of beef or chicken – we went with bird. There was easily more chicken in there than lettuce. If you're a carnivore maximus, that's awesome. If you're looking to focus on veggies, not so much.
I ordered the Fajitas Seafood ($12.99), which, according to the El Olmeca menu, contains shrimp, scallops and "one king shrimp," as well as grilled peppers, onions and tomato, and served with rice, beans, guacamole, tortillas, etc. on the side. However, the king shrimp appeared to have abdicated its throne, as there wasn't one on the sizzling fajita plate when it was brought out. After I brought this to our server's attention, an auxiliary plate containing not one but four grande shrimp was brought out to rectify things.
The king shrimp offered that lean-yet-sumptuous texture and ocean-breeze flavor the best shrimp do and were seasoned better than the other shrimp and pebble-sized scallops. I liked how the fajitas and sides plate was accompanied by a serving plate allowing you to assemble your fajitas on a separate surface. But, if you take out the four apology shrimp, the Fajitas Seafood felt a bit overpriced.
Finishing our meal in one of El Olmeca's roomy booths, we found ourselves wishing we'd explored more of the restaurant's less commonplace items, such as Taco al Pastor (spicy pork tacos), Fajitas Olmeca (short ribs, shrimp, chicken, steak and chorizo) or Pina El Olmeca (fresh pineapple cut in half and filled with chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, onions and pineapple chunks).
This El Olmeca is located in the Kroger shopping center at Jeff Road and University Drive. (There's also an EO in Owens Cross Roads.) If you live in the shadow of the Huntsville-Madison border, your neighborhood Mexican place offers some victual paths less taken. Take them.
El Olmeca Mexican Cantina
7044 University Drive N.W., Ste. B
256-890-5522
Recommendations: Choriqueso, Huevos Con Chorizo.
Suggestions: Opt for less commonplace items. |
Alcohol: Yep. Full bar.
Ambience: Tasteful and airy with Latino accents.
Service: Attentive, quick and professional.
Vegetarian-friendly: Cheese and bean burritos, tacos, etc.
Price range: Most lunch items $4.99 - $7.99.
Specialties $8.99 - $18.99.