Two new restaurants have brought more Mexican flavors to the Bay area, one of them being Don Julio’s Authentic Mexican Cuisine.
After opening a couple of months back, Don Julio’s fulfilled a lifelong dream for the Rodriguez-Nambo family. They always wanted to share the traditional recipes of matriarch Esther Rodriguez with the local community on a larger scale — and, boy, have they ever at 2808 E. Bearss Ave.
The casual, sit-down Tampa restaurant — with a name that pays homage to Julio, Doña Esther’s late husband — spotlights a number of specialties, including fajitas, pollo a la plancha (grilled chicken with onions and peppers), enchiladas and bistec a la Milanesa (breaded steak). Those dishes mingle with taqueria classics like guacamole, carnitas on house-made tortillas, agua fresca and churros, plus wine, margaritas and beer.
Don Julio’s seems to be working toward becoming a family legacy indeed.
On the other side of town, St. Petersburg saw the launch of Taquitos Mexican in February. Located inside the former digs of Chef Ken’s Smokehouse BBQ at 9617 Bay Pines Blvd., the taco house specializing in modern Mexican street food draws inspiration from Cadereyta de Montes, just outside of Mexico City.
Patrons, whether they dine in or request carryout, might have a hard time choosing between the lineup’s sopes, taquitos, burritos, 10 types of tacos, quesadillas or bowls — but only because there’s so much goodness to behold.
Mama Rosita’s Quesadilla Frita (fried corn quesadilla topped with a selection of meat, lettuce, queso fresco and crema) and La Changa Chimichanga (tinga, rice and refried beans topped with lettuce, queso fresco, crema and tomato) are among the highlights.
This article appears in May 17-24, 2018.