If you're craving Mexican food, Ocean and Monmouth counties are home to a variety of restaurants offering quality Mexican cuisine.
Juanito's
Since 1994, Juanito's in Red Bank has specialized in authentic Mexican cuisine. Owner/chef Juanito Torres is a native of Mexico who has been an international chef in the United States since 1980.
His cooking experience comes from generations of family-owned restaurants and specialty grocers.
This place features outdoor dining and delicious Mexican food, said office manager Jennifer Burkhardt.
Its signature dishes are the burritos, which come with steak, chicken, ground beef, vegetables or pork and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla topped with ranchero sauce and served with rice. The fajitas also are very popular.
"What is great about this place is that people can bring their own drink, make their own margaritas and pina coladas, and we can make the drinks for them, too, if they want," she said.
The restaurant's laid-back, casual atmosphere is appealing to customers, according to Burkhardt.
"It's all Mexican-themed inside, with hand-painted walls of Mexican scenery and portraits of Mexican families," she added.
El Familiar
At El Familiar in Toms River, which opened in 2001, Mexican and Colombian foods are taken to a whole new level, said Nicolas Moreno, manager and owner.
Decorated with Latin American portraits and with Spanish music playing softly in the background, El Familiar takes its customers straight to the Hispanic culture.
"Everyone seems to know each other, and you can tell that people have a great time being here," Moreno said.
The country platter, also known as bandeja paisa, is one of El Familiar's signature dishes from Colombia. It includes grilled steak, pork ring, Spanish sausage, sweet plantains, rice, beans, cornmeal pancake, avocado and cabbage salad.
Mexican signature dishes include the bistec Azteca, bistec poblano, combo fajitas and enchiladas, all of which are popular, Moreno said.
"Everything we make here is homemade. Customers can bring their own drink and have a good time," Moreno said.
Other dishes include tacos, which come stuffed with shredded beef, steak or vegetables and are served with sour cream and pico de gallo on the side. The black bean and oxtail soups, quesadilla, shrimp and grouper fillet with tequila lime sauce are other specialties.
Casa Comida
Casa Comida in Long Branch is a family-owned restaurant that has been serving Mexican cuisine at the Jersey Shore for more than 28 years, said manager Kristin Catlett.
The restaurant offers fajitas, chimichangas, Tex-Mex barbecue ribs and a specialty -- marisco con chipotle sauce, which is made with jumbo shrimp and sea scallops coated in a cornmeal batter, deep-fried and smothered with spicy chipotle chile sauce and jack cheese, and surrounded by steamed broccoli and cauliflower florets.
Casa Comida, which has more than 100 tequilas at its bar, is right on the water and has patio dining as well.
Lenny Cinco de Mayo Mexican Grill
Lenny Cinco de Mayo Mexican Grill in Toms River offers many unique choices, said manager/owner Lenny Palafox. Those choices include paella, which is made with rice, clams, Spanish chorizo, lobster and all kinds of seafood.
"Decorated with portraits of Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa and other figures from the Mexican revolution, the place makes customers feel at home," Palafox said.
"It's a very familiar spot. This place is very clean, and the best part is that the owner is the one who makes the food."
Cinco de Mayo is a big event at Palafox's place.
"We have a big party here ... We have mariachis. We raffle tequila bottles, hats. People love to be brought into the Mexican culture," he said.
Photo of Juanito's by Bradley J. Penner
