Delicious Mexican Eats

Dorado, a Latin-American Bistro that opened in mid-November, has the potential to be one of Park Avenue’s newest hot spots. While searching for a restaurant to go to this past weekend, the appeal of Park Avenue on the main street lined with restaurants and shops immediately popped into my head as a great place to explore.

I decided to Google it, as is the custom of our generation when we want to find out more information about something, and Park Avenue most conveniently has its own Web site, http://www.park-avenue.org.

When I clicked on Dorado, I knew I had to check it out because, with its simple yet descriptive Mexican and Spanish dishes, it seemed like it could provide the unique dining experience I craved. Walking from our parking spot to the restaurant, the Park Avenue aura just leapt out; the trees lit up with strings of little light bulbs, and the restaurants exuded warmth as their lights cast themselves out the windows onto the sidewalk.

As we approached Dorado, entering into what seemed like another world, I discovered that with seating for about 30, it would prove to be a very cozy meal.With walls were painted in bright well-matched colors, creating a friendly ambiance. Murals graced multiple surfaces in the restaurant, including the ceiling, which had a bright sky with painted clouds on it — a nice change from the usual bleak weather that is a Rochester winter.

With sconced lighting as well, the atmosphere was picturesque, setting a mood far from that of more commercial restaurants where you can’t hear yourself think.
As a group of eight, my friends and I filled up an entire corner of the restaurant, and it felt as though we had it to ourselves.  

When we sat, the tables had little metal bowls in the shape of pineapples filled with a mixture of different sunflower seeds, a nice complement to the organic soda selection the waitress offered. I chose a mango-orange soda that was tasty and quite refreshing.

The menu was very simple, and with the added three specials, there were about 10 dishes to choose from, including quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, a couple of salads and a steak dish, as well as fresh Mahi Mahi.

While this initially seemed a bit daunting to some of my friends at first, since picking a meal can be challenging, the advantage to having a smaller menu is that more of it can be customized; dishes could be served with chicken, beef, pork, salmon and Mahi Mahi, and more or less made to one’s specifications. With about 20 different hot sauces to choose from, the potential to make a dish all your own was definitely there.

As a group of eight, my group was curious about multiple items on the menu, so we ordered a number of the menu’s offerings; this was ideal because it gave me a chance to see the scope of the restaurant’s delicacies.

Once the food came out of the kitchen, its beautiful presentation was a great first impression. My friend, junior Greg Sanborn, commented, “You can tell that it was made fresh.”

Once we dug in, there was plenty more to be mentioned. While sophomore Fiona Devotta enjoyed “the simplicity of the flavors and the way the salmon wasn’t too overwhelming.”
I had what the restaurant titled “El Plato Grande,” Dorado’s “mess plate” complete with rice, black beans, chicken and cheese, as well as guacamole, sour cream, salsa and some tortilla chips. I’d say it was like this restaurant’s version of a “garbage plate,” only a lot fancier and delicious in its own rite.

The portions were a fair size, and while they could’ve been a little bigger, they were a welcome change from the massive portions of many current dining establishments and also left plenty of room for dessert!

Speaking of desserts, as we neared the end of the meal, dessert was the next logical step. Two in the group ordered mexican sundaes while four others, including myself, ordered Mexican hot chocolates.

The Mexican sundae, which I tasted, was a blend of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, as well as a bunch of fresh roasted nuts, including peanuts that still had [the skin of them], adding a unique flavor.

For my order, I chose the Mexican hot chocolate, which was fantastic; it came out fresh, hot and with a blend of chili powder, cocoa and some other Mexican spices, topped with whipped cream.

Junior Gayle Altshuler said, “It’s not too sweet; they used spices instead of too much sugar and arrived at a much better final product.” The drinks warmed us all up and really did have a nice kick to them, which capped off a great meal.

All in all, Dorado is a great restaurant that I highly recommend. Located in the heart of Park Avenue, it has a quaint atmosphere and delicious food to offer, as well as decent prices. While you could eat a meal there for about $12 including tax and tip, if you add dessert and a larger entrée, you’d probably end up around $22. The restaurant feels cozy but not constricting with the help of bright décor and Mexican touches.

The music was also a lot of fun, ranging from salsa, to reggae, to pop. Junior Ryan O’Leary even commented, “I like the Spanish Metallica they played.” I didn’t discover until afterward that a song that played between our courses was actually a Spanish acoustic version of the Metallica song “One.” Who would’ve thought it possible? On that note, definitely check this place out: You’ll be glad you did.

Siegel is a member of the class of 2010.