My informal foodie network had been raving for some months about a new Mexican restaurant on Kennedy Boulevard, within quick-lunch distance of downtown Tampa.
But what encouraged me, as I stepped into the little place called Algusto Tortilla & Salsa Mexican Restaurant, was its clientele: A group of Mexican laborers, dressed in construction attire, was chowing down with relish at two center tables. It's always a plus to see diners who know authentic Mexican fare best.
And after sampling the food, I had to concur with their choice: I found it feisty fresh and tasty.
Owned by Alberto Morillo and his partner, Gustavo Bojorquez, the restaurant opened only six months ago, but it already has built a following. At noon on a Monday, every table was full and there was a line snaking away from the back counter.
Located in the newly renovated Edison Shopping Center, the restaurant is bright, clean, neat, casual and comfortable. Morillo said it has only 40 seats now, but an upcoming expansion into space next door will add 40 more.
Its fare is based upon the owners' carefully collected and tested family recipes, some of which go back generations. The recipes embody the style of cuisine that one finds in central Mexico, around Mexico City, Morillo said.
"They're family recipes from years ago; it makes the difference. It's hard to find any other place like ours in Tampa," he explained. "It's not like Tex Mex or Taco Bell. It's good food, authentic Mexican food."
We started with handmade, crispy chips and an assortment of salsas from a condiment bar near the back. A basket of chips and salsa comes free with every entrée, along with two side dishes, like Mexican rice, refried beans or loose beans.
Sampling several different salsas, I appreciated their crisp, substantial texture, bright red diced tomato and onion, feathered bits of dewy cilantro; some were mild, others bore a welcome spicy shock to the tongue.
The botanas platter ($9.75), a Mexican sampler, came on a hefty oval plate loaded with a flauta, a burrito, an enchilada and quartered quesadillas. They were all delish. The quesadillas crackled as they sat down in my mouth, then spouted a lovely, hot and tender meaty and cheesy filling.
As a serious soup lover, I wasn't about to skip tortilla soup ($3.75), a mild broth sporting bits of tomato and floating strips of homemade tortilla, which concealed a surprise: A gooey ball of Mozzarella at its center that infused it with a snappy élan.
A waiter brought a platter of delectable beef fajitas ($8.75) for my companion, high-quality marinated meat seared with tomatoes, strips of green pepper and onion.
We liked a couple of the restaurant's specialty drinks, rice water ($1.50) delicately sweet and almost the same color as coconut milk, and Mexican chocolate ($2.75), a thick hot chocolate that could double as dessert. The restaurant also offers Mexican and American beers and a few modest wines.
Red mole (MO-lay) is one of those Mexican sauces that, once you've tasted a well-done version, its memory haunts you afterward in the form of cravings. It had been awhile since I had tasted a good one, so it was with some anticipation that I tried Algusto's chicken with red mole sauce ($7.95). The poultry was tender, moist and darkly layered with the mole, carrying a complex array of different types of chilis kissed with Mexican chocolate. A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds finished the dish, which practically sent me round the bend with delight.
For dessert, we tried flan ($3.25), not the lighter style so favored by the Spanish, but a heartier version with a cheesecake-like texture and a mild caramel glaze, a fitting finish to a fine meal.
Aunt Chilada's CantinaAs much as I enjoyed Algusto, I was dismayed at the food I got at another Mexican eatery, Aunt Chilada's Cantina, in Palm Harbor.
The place looks promising enough, with bright raspberry-painted booths and a roomy, colorful interior, but its fare is mediocre. On a recent expedition there, I left most of each dish on my plate.
We started with salsa and chips. The chips were so-so, and the salsa suffered from unacceptably colorless and tasteless tomatoes and wilted, discolored cilantro leaves. I didn't care for its thin, watery texture, and it needed more spicy heat. The empanadas appetizer ($4.99), corn flour pockets stuffed with chicken or beef, were on the greasy side and hopelessly bland.
Ditto the steak fajitas ($12.99), skirt steak grilled and served with rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole and shredded cheese. Though the menu said the meat had been marinated, I couldn't taste any sign of it, as the meat tasted flat. Even something as simple as a lime wedge squeezed over the whole dish might have given it some pep.
We hoped dessert would be the restaurant's saving grace, but found the banana chimichangas and ice cream ($3.99) equally moribund. The rolled flour tortillas, filled with banana and fried, were a pale echo of what, prepared by expert hands, could be a mouthwatering dish.
Food Editor Sara Kennedy dines anonymously, and Weekly Planet pays for her meals. She can be reached at sara.kennedy@weeklyplanet.com or 813-248-8888 ext. 116.
This article appears in Aug 21-27, 2003.
