MESA- Modern Mexican on Fairfield's Black Rock Tpke
There's a new muchacha in town, and her name is MESA! Bold as brass and situated in what has been, at least during my 10 years in Fairfield County, a most unlikely zone, this modern Mexican is worth its weight in oro. It is fair to say that my last choice when picking an ethnic food destination has always been Mexican. (Having been to Mexico many times, and having eaten the absolute freshest delicious food there, I have always found American-Mexican to be heavy, loaded with too much cheese and way too saucy.) But the times they are a'changin and Mesa is making its way to the top of my destination list. Why you may ask? I'll tell you.
We approached the site 2320 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield, and I was sure we were headed for disaster. Mesa is located at the old PIZZERIA UNO spot, not a harbinger of good things to come. Yet even though the outer shell is dicey, and perhaps in spite of that fact, what awaits inside is well worth the trip. Don't get me wrong, restaurateur and master chef Rafael Palomino and his business partner (investor Steve Calzone) have done little to revamp the outer shell of the old generic pizzeria - perhaps fewer scenes of old Italia and more colorful papagayos- yet the quality of the food at MESA is outstanding. Here's what we ate:
We started with an order of GUACAMOLE, brought to the table in a heavy MOLCAJETE (mortar and pestle). Reminiscent of ROSA MEXICANO in the city, this is appetizer is avocado ambrosia. Ripe, tender avocado - mixed, not mashed while you watch- with chunks of vine-ripe tomatoes and just enough cilantro, is the perfect accompaniment in which to dunk the crisp, warm corn chips. I could have had mine a touch spicier, but there is plenty of hot sauce available upon request for those that feel the need, the need for heat. We also ordered one of my all time favorites, the MESA CORN. Here, the cob is grilled to perfection, smothered in ANEJO CHEESE and sprinkled with PIQUIN CHILE. The juice of the sweet, crispy kernels, juxtaposed with the savory cheese and the spicy chile is sublime - dios mio!
Onward to the main courses.The CAMARONES en CHILE de ARBOL came next. In this dish, plump shrimp are sauteed with a potent Mexican chili tree pepper known as, you guessed it, "Chile de Arbol," and are served with MOROS and CRISTIANOS (basically, rice and beans) as well as sweet plantains. Again, it is the melding of these unusual flavors that brings this authentic dish to life.
The favorite dish at this sitting was the COSTILLA BANDERA. "Costilla" means rib and these are the most delectable ribs north of the border. Short ribs are slowly basted in NEGRO MODELO BEER and served over rice. The beer caramelizes just a tad and that sweet and hoppy flavor penetrates deep into the meat. The ribs are crispy on top but the flesh is so tender, it falls off the bone. Served with an incredible SALSA VERDE (made with roasted tomatillos, chile peppers, lime juice, cilantro, and onion) this dish made it to numero uno on my list.
One of the runners up was the TAMALES COCHINITA PIBIL. In this "little desire" or appetizer, succulent pork is marinated in ACHIOTE and slowly baked in banana leaves. ACHIOTE is a spice derived from the seeds of the ACHIOTE tree and its flavor is often described as peppery with a hint of nutmeg. It is the perfect spice to accompany the savory pork and the aroma of the banana leaves which seeps through to the meat during cooking. Another contender was the FAJITA en MOLCAJETE. It arrived to the table, bubbling over the mortar like a volcano about to blow. We chose Pork (hanger steak and chicken are also options) and along with the CHIHUAHUA CHEESE and GRILLED CACTUS PADDLE, the meat seemed to be fighting its way its way out of bubbling heap. And we fought our way in! Served with scallions, a three-chili salsa, CHARRO BEANS, more guac and corn tortillas, these fajitas were DELICIOSO! And what really made them stand out was the CACTUS. It looked like green pepper but the taste resembled asparagus. Unusual and savory, this ain't your abuela's fajita.
It is not surprising, in fact, that French trained Chef Palimino and his crew know how to do restaurants right. He has written 5 cookbooks and Mesa is just one of his many eating haunts. Others include GREENWICH TAVERN in Greenwich, PACIFICO in New Haven and BLACK ROCK TAVERN right here on Black Rock Turnpike. He knows how to hire a talented wait staff - pleasant, helpful and VERY easy on the eyes! - and he knows how to cook. He has some fantastic ideas that make MESA even greater. He has created MEXICAN BENTO BOXES for kids which include simple Mexican fare or the Mac and Cheese/Chicken Nugget/Slider trifecta for stubborn eaters that might otherwise protest going to an ethnic spot. And there will be a phenomenal TAILGATE PICK-UP menu for Superbowl Sunday! Included here will be family style specials, tacos with "heat and serve" instructions, Caesar Salad, Mexican Tapenade and much more.
MESA is Mexican done right. Check it out online at www.mesamexican.com if you like. Better yet, get on your caballo and trot on over. No reservations necessary but call if you like - 203-372-2909.
MESA 2320 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield 203-372-2909
Fairfield, Mexican, kid friendly
Reader Comments (8)
Dear Sarah: While I appreciated your enthusiastic review of Mesa, perhaps you could have done a Spanish spellcheck.
It is "Mo-r-os", not Monos (Monos are monkeys). It is "Cochin-i-ta" not Cochinta, and I am sure that Mr. Pal-o-mino did not appreciate your misspelling of his name. Unfortunately Spanish spelling tends to be thrown by the wayside all too often in the US, and your review is a glaring example. All that being said, I look forward to going to Mesa, thanks for making me aware of its existence.
Wow. I am terribly sorry. I copied his name from the information that I was given. Will make sure we edit all mistakes and thank you for the corrections.
Sarah,
It's so hard to find good mexican in Fairfield County but it sounds like we have a new restaurant to go to! My only hesitation is that although I am a fan of Palomino's cooking, he tends to lose interest in his ventures after a while. Greewich Tavern was once one of our favorites, a place we went to 2-3 times a month. We no longer go there because not only has the quality of the food declined but the restaurant doesn't have a good manager like it once did. There is no longer a warm, friendly vibe and the stale menu hasn't changed in years. My husband had a business lunch at Palomino in New Haven just last week and was extremely disappointed in the service which he said was completely indifferent at best. We will give Mesa a try because I can't get those delicious photos out of my head!
Fyi, you mention Black Rock Tavern as one of his other restaurants but it has closed. In fact, Mesa is in its location. As for Mesa, the food Is very good but the service is horrible. Hoping they can fix that problem so that it doesn't suffer the same fate as the 2 previous palomino restaurants in that spot.
Based on your recommendations, we ate lunch there today. First, the chips had a rancid taste- as though the oil they were fried in was bad. We discussed with the host, and he agreed they were, and gave us a fresh batch. Turns out the oil was fresh, and the rancid taste came from the chips sitting under a heat lamp too long. We had guacamole table side- it was authentic and fresh- delightful with the new chips. I had a veggie burrito- it was a bit heavy, I could only eat half. It was served with green rice and refried black beans. My other half had seviche - it was tangy and fresh and then a chopped salad with shrimp. He declared it was a bit bland ;pys of iceberg/romaine, although the plantains were fabulous. Sounds like the meats are the way to go here, but we're not big meat eaters, especially when we don't know the source. For the time being, we will stick with Bodega, until we hear better!
I would love to see these Top Foodie's try to impress me; at the Sun Wine Fest 2012! Hope I get my wish! Thx!
Went to Mesa This past evening with friends to check it out. The truth is, I saw the review on CTbites and the photo of camerones en chile de arbol looked amazing and this was the hook for me. We started with the guacamole, which was great! The camerones were just ok. The "sweet plantains" were not very ripe, but hard, more like tostones and the rice and beans were lackluster. They tasted like they were mixed in the pan a few days ago and reheated. The shrimp were on the small side. I had high expectations of this dish which sadly, were not met. The sangria was fine and the dessert (flan and a sweet chocolate in a tamale leaf) were also ok. The feeling I got was that they were preparing mexican food for gringos and not the natives. The food was acceptable, but not great. I don't think that this restaurant will last.
This restaurant now appears to be no longer in business.