Where do you go with your family when you’re looking for great Mexican food in a real tablecloth restaurant but you don’t want to deal with hokey, saguaro-and-sombrero kitsch? Little Mexican Cafe is the perfect choice for relaxed, multigenerational family meals. It’s neither cartoonish nor theme-y; it’s just a great neighborhood restaurant with excellent Mexican food.
Recently, we stopped in with a group of neighbors and kids and it’s clear that we will all be returning—and soon. The parents armed themselves with cold Negro Modelos and a colorful array of traditional and innovative margaritas, while everyone tucked into a giant, shareable bowl of guacamole that was pounded out at our tableside in a stony molcajete. Our crowd dug in with chips (alternating dips into fiery red salsa) while we scanned Little Mexican’s long and tempting menu. We settled on kid-friendly nachos and the cheerful taco sampler that offered a colorful array of two-bite tacos (carne asada, chorizo, chicken, al pastor and carnitas). Happily, the sampler arrived with another scoop of that delicious guacamole. To our horror, the kids scarfed the entire first batch (and it was big!) while the adults had been dutifully plotting their dinners.
Servings are giant, so we all happy shared at our table which was overloaded with all manner of delicious treats. Our charro platter offered juicy, paprika-scented grilled fresh chorizo; deliciously salty grilled, dried beef (cecina); and more of that deliciously spiced carnitas. Enchiladas with mole are the unmissable LMC dish – the heady sauce tasted of scores of ingredients and a whole lot of love. It was perfect on juicy and tender wraps of chicken, Oaxacan cheese and pork. The kids were busy with their flautas and quesadillas, and (for at least two whole hours!) we were all content, well fed, and happy to be in New Rochelle at Little Mexican Café.
