Bites Nearby: Plaza Mexico Restaurant Bar and Grill

The newest edition to Woonsocket's list of great places to dine, Plaza Mexico, combines a unique intimate setting with delectably fresh food to create one of the best overall dining experiences available in the area.

My husband and I dined at on Wednesday evening at about 7 p.m. The restaurant was quite atmospheric with dark rich colors and beautiful Mexican decor. You definitely got the feeling you were in for some authentic Mexican fare, and there was certainly nothing 'chain restaurant' about it. In addition to the great ambiance inside, the restaurant also has a nice patio for those who prefer the outdoor dining experience.

The wait staff, dressed in bright red, which tied right into that authentic feel, were all very charming and attentive. I did find our waiter Mario a bit hard to understand at times because he spoke mixed Spanish/ English but thankfully my husband, who speaks Spanish, chimed right in when needed. I actually found this quite charming as I seldom get to hear him speak Spanish, let alone order my meal for me.

As for the food, we were promptly given a basket of colorful tortillas paired with a bowl of yummy salsa, both bottomless and complimentary. As we enjoyed the chips and salsa we mulled over the very extensive 6 page menu which also included daily specials and several kid's meals with Mexican and American choices. Had I done my homework ahead of time, I would have also found several printable coupons on the restaurant website. I will surely keep this in mind for my next visit.

We started out by ordering some diet cokes and my favorite Mexican delight, guacamole. I was asked if I wanted the regular or table-side and I chose the table-side, which basically meant that another waiter named Leo was going to bring a cart over to the table and make my guacamole fresh to my liking right there and then. I do not exaggerate when I say it was without a doubt the freshest most palatable guacamole I've ever had.

For the main course, although I would have been more than happy to eat guacamole all night, I ordered the chimichanga. This meal consisted of two deep fried tortillas (or soft if preferred) filled with beef tips and fried beans topped with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, guacamole and a side of refried beans. The meal was very good. It was a very large portion, not too spicy, extremely hot and the refried beans were excellent. 

One of the things I don't like about chimichangas, soft tacos or burritos is they can get soggy. With this dish, the chunks of big beef tips inside gave the chimichanga a great deal of substance, which was a huge plus.

My husband ordered the steak quesadilla which is two flour tortillas folded and stuffed with grilled steak, cheese and pico de gallo served with a side of rice, lettuce and sour cream. Another great choice, the quesadilla was filled with juicy flavorful steak and had a nice spiciness to it.

Of the two meals, the only thing I can say remotely negative about either is that the side of rice on my husband's plate was not as fresh as it could have been. It was actually quite dry and crunchy. Aside from this, we were both very satisfied with the entire experience and we will absolutely be returning.

The beautifully themed decor, cozy ambiance, friendly service, awesome table-side guacamole and general homemade, fresh taste of the main dishes puts Plaza Mexico in a class far superior to what you typically get in most restaurants today.

2 Diet Cokes 3.90

Fresh guacamole 5.99

Beef Chimichanga 10.25

Steak Quesadilla 10.45

Total = 30.59 + tax

Have you been longing to try a local Woonsocket restaurant but aren't sure what you might get ? Tell us in the comment section, maybe we can do the investigating for you.