Elote is located in the spot where Nelson's Buffeteria operated for many years and I predict that Elote will be there for quite a while, too. While it is a "Mexican" restaurant, Elote is definitely different from most in this category. In fact, they do not offer items regularly seen on other Mexican menus. They feature a lot of local, organically grown produce and meat, they compost their waste and use biodegradable containers on to-go orders. These people are really green, and they really care about the food they're serving. You have to admire that.
I had one of their specialties, called "Puff Tacos." These are basically tacos wrapped in something that looks a lot like pita bread. Maybe it's a fat tortilla, I don't know. But they are tasty. The beef is like pulled roast beef and has a nice texture as well as flavor. The tacos were accompanied by a mild rice which was nice. Not as good as Andales, but good. For my other side I chose sweet potatoes. They are cut into cubes, then fried, sort of like "cottage fries" in some restaurants. Not typical mexican fare, but a nice side.
Phoebe had a salmon taco and rated it very good. The peach daiquiris were refreshing and welcomed on this hot, muggy night. Our dear friend, Hyacinth, had a burrito and pronounced it "excellent!"
On a Thursday evening, I was surprised to find the restaurant rather full. Our waitress inquired if we were going to stick around for the wrestling. Hmmmmmm. We declined this opportunity. When I told my son, Carlyle, about the crowd, he said, "Well sure. It's Mexi-fight-night." Ah, now I get it: a cultural attraction to pull in the diners.
Elote is brightly decorated, with warm and friendly people, terrific food and it even offers an opportunity to expand your cultural horizons. Go for it.
