El Pueblito Place   

The fare at El Pueblito is a successful marriage of Mexican and Guatemalan food, based on the family recipes of owners Monica and Eduardo Lopez. You'll experience the menu's duality as soon as you sit down in this charming restaurant in the Montrose area. The chips come with the usual tomato and hot pepper salsa, but the second dipping sauce is a sweet, chunky pineapple creation. The traditional Mexican food side dishes of guacamole, refried beans and sour cream are joined by fried plantains and fruit relish. Of course you'll find Mexican staples such as the chicken fajitas on the menu, served with guacamole, rice, pico de gallo, sopa de pollo and tortillas. Specials abound at El Pueblito, from lunch time treats to the Madness Plate, blackened catfish with a salad, desert and a margarita. On your way to the back dining room you'll get a peek into the Pueblito kitchen, a bustling, cramped affair with a sizzling grill and simmering pots of black beans where batches of fresh flour tortillas are handmade twice a day. And that back dining room is worth the trip. Besides the bar that's tucked into the corner, there's a large, lovely patio complete with lush greenery and fire lanterns. Small music combos perform there a couple of nights a week but the performers and schedule changes often, so check with the cafe for the latest roster. -- Olivia Flores Alvarez