Another Mexican Restaurant...and Perhaps the Best One!

We have an almost overwhelming number of Mexican restaurant dining options in our semi-rural small town setting.  I can think of eleven or twelve different restaurants serving Mexican style cuisine within a 20 minute drive from our home.  Many of them are above average.  Laurie had her favorite and I had my favorite...but to be fair, a couple other Mexican restaurants were also in the running for favorites.

But recently, we found a Mexican restaurant that we both agree is our favorite...at least for now.

This is the Sol Azteca Mexican Grill in Madisonville Tennessee.  Like almost all local Mexican restaurants in our area, Sol Azteca is family owned.  The owner/chef has been cooking/creating for the public for over 10 years.  We've passed the restaurant many times on our way south through Madisonville over the last several years.  Probably due to the restaurant's location in the corner of a sweeping curve by an overpass on US Hwy 411, we'd never really noticed it or managed to remember seeing it.  This is despite Sol Azteca having been in business for about 8 years!

On our first visit, we arrived a bit early for dinner...and the full bar lacked any customers.

Basically, the lack of early diners and patrons was also evident in the dining areas as well.  While Sol Azteca has colorful decor, it is less over the top than some of its local competitors'.  It is a bit more subdued.  

Like in almost all Mexican dining establishments, our server (Kevin), brought a basket of tortilla chips and salsa to the table.  What was a bit different was that he provided a bowl for each of us for the salsa and he brought a carafe of salsa...which meant we didn't have to ask for more salsa later in the meal.  Subtle...but a nice touch.  The salsa had a little 'bite' to it, but it is mild enough for most diners.

OK...our favorite Mexican style appetizer is Chorizo Dip with our chips.  Our biggest complaints about this style dip generally are: 1) it was too runny; 2) it lacked enough chorizo sausage bits, and 3) it was too bland.  Sol Azteca's Chorizo Dip featured none of those negative points.  It is the best version of this appetizer that we've had in several years, and it was plentiful too. ($9.99) 

As this was our first visit to Sol Azteca, Laurie stuck with her usual tried and true menu item.  This was her Quesadilla Rellena. ($9.99) This very large flour tortilla was grilled and then stuffed with chicken, cheese and beans. (beef tips are another option) The tortilla was then served with Mexican style rice, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream.  She was quite happy with this oversized quesadilla!

I stayed within my tried and true comfort zone as well when ordering.  I ordered the Burrito Deluxe, 2 burritos, one filled with chicken and one with beef, plus beans and then topped with grated cheese, lettuce and sour cream. ($9.75) It came with a red sauce but I opted for a green salsa.  I'm not into sour cream so Laurie, who loves sour cream, was the recipient of my serving, adding it to the dollop on her plate.  I also enjoyed my meal...so what logically came next? 

Note: Like several other Mexican restaurants in our area, Sol Azteca has a 'salsa bar' where you can replenish your salsa or sample a wide range of alternate salsa toppings.  They range from green to red and from mild to 'call the fire department'!

The answer to the question posed above is that we revisited Sol Azteca, this time bringing our neighbors, Steve and Sue, California 'refugees' who managed to 'escape' to a relatively laid back East Tennessee and it's moderate climate.

No repeat photo but once again we ordered the Chorizo Dip as an appetizer.  It was well received by Sue and Steve.  For my entree this time I wandered a bit from my norm.  This was the Camarones a la Diabla. ($15.25) Diabla for sure...as the sauce with the shrimp was very spicy hot indeed.  However, while it may not appeal to everyone, the 'heat' was right for me.  Laurie was happy too...in that I'm OK with but not crazy about guacamole so she was able to score the slices of guac that came with my meal.  While I did wrap some shrimp in the soft tortilla wraps that came with my meal, I decided that I preferred them straight up with a little lettuce.

Laurie went for the shrimp for her entree as well... This was her Camarones Cremosos. ($15.49) In this instance the shrimp were cooked with mushrooms and then they were served with Mexican rice, lettuce, tomato and sour cream.  She was very happy with her meal, enjoying both the plentiful shrimp on the plate as well as more mushrooms than she could eat.

I'd never seen a 'bowl' dish like this before in a Mexican restaurant.  Sue's entree was Sol Azteca's Classic Burrito Bowl. ($9.99) The bowl was filled with grilled chicken, black beans and Mexican rice with Pico de Gallo and avocado slices...all topped with the Mexican cheese dip.  Two thumbs up!

Steve went 'all in' with a Classic Fajita Plate. ($13.99) This combination of steak strips and shrimp was grilled with onions and bell peppers then topped with cheese.  As you can see, this platter of food was accompanied by a plate of Mexican rice, refried beans, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes and soft tortilla shells.  Despite having come from California with it's many Mexican restaurants, he gave high praise for his dinner.

Sol Azteca Mexican Grill is located 4263 US Hwy 411 in Madisonville Tennessee.  This restaurant is open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.  Website: 

https://www.solaztecamexgrill.com/.  This restaurant is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/solaztecamadisonville/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for dinner!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

New Restaurant and More

Back home in East Tennessee… Not too much happening but we did go out for dinner and couple of times. 

El Senor took over and remodeled a building close to I-75 on TN Hwy 72 in Loudon.  It has served as the location for several different restaurants in the 14 years that we’ve lived in the area.  The exterior and the parking area have been refreshed…and it’s hard to miss the visual that is El Senor when driving past it.

Inside El Senor, there is plenty of color with matching decor everywhere!  It is almost ‘de rigueur’/required to see a portrait of Frida Kahlo in Mexican restaurants these days…and El Senor is compliant as regards this trend.  Plenty of other paintings, posters and colorful décor cover the walls.  Even the table tops and the front of the bar are highly decorated.  The only items lacking ‘color’ are the chairs and the seats in the booths.  Actually, those bland items, actually prevent color sensory overload… The effect is that this is a ‘happy’ and upbeat place to be.

We did imbibe… I had my usual Miller Lite ($4.07) while Laurie opted for a 20 oz. Lime Margarita. ($10.25) Laurie thought that her Margarita was a nice change from the usual…

Of course, our server brought us the usual corn chips and salsa.  We stepped it up a bit with an order of Choriqueso…cheese sauce topped with some spicy chorizo sausage crumbles.  It was excellent, one of the best we’ve had lately.

A total of 9 different appetizers are offered.  I made note of the Buffalo Wings, 10 for $13.99, which I will compare to another restaurant in my next post.  Tex-Mexi Egg Rolls ($9.49) and Shrimp Ceviche ($13.99) were a bit unusual and worth noting.

For her entrée, Laurie went ‘vegan’!  She ordered the Quesadilla Vegetariana stuffed with spinach and mushrooms. ($11.32) She topped it with a bit of the red salsa and she was a very happy camper.  Mushrooms don’t ‘happen’ at home…

El Senor has a huge menu.  In addition to the appetizers, burritos and quesadillas, there is a large selection of vegetarian offerings, nachos, steak, pork, seafood, chicken, house specials, combos, fajitas, salads and much more.

For my dinner, I ordered the Burrito Carnitas. ($11.93) My 10 inch flour tortilla was filled with shredded pork and then topped with cheese sauce and salsa verde/green sauce.  It was a very good burrito and there was enough cheese and green sauce to mix in with my rice too!

We were very happy with our dining experience at El Senor Mexican Restaurant.  It is hard for a Mexican Restaurant to really stand out in our area.  I can think of 3 or 4 other Mexican dining venues within 15 – 20 minutes of our home that also offer quality Mexican food.

El Senor Mexican Restaurant is located at 10058 TN Hwy 72 in Loudon Tennessee.  Phone: 865-657-3777.  Website: Home (google.com).   

Now onto our home and a family photo…

A prolonged cold snap this past winter resulted in the death of the 2 boxwoods which stood sentinel by our front entrance.  We recently replaced them with a pair of Japanese Cleyera Japonica.  These new bushes can get quite large but they can also be pruned to keep them from overwhelming the space.  The leaves change colors with the seasons and with age, so we’re expecting them to accent the entry to our home.

A couple of pluses include the fact that Japanese Cleyera Japonica are low maintenance plants…except for pruning…that is mostly pest and disease-free and they’re also deer resistant. 

The two planters between the new bushes are home to a selection of colorful flowers chosen for Laurie by our local plant expert at our local hardware, lumber and garden center.  They just keep blooming and don’t require much attention...other than water depending on the weather.

I thought I’d end this post with cuteness!  This is Elliot Jane, Laurie’s youngest great grandniece.  Elliot is holding her bunny, whose name is ‘Pistachio’.  With those ‘shades’ on, the bunny is looking really cool…

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave    

Food, Shopping, Spending and more Food

…continuing with our visit with Laurie’s family in St. Louis Missouri.  We were out and about with Laurie’s sister Bonnie and her husband Bill.  We dined, shopped, gambled and then dined again.

This post might be just a tad longer than usual…

Bonnie and Bill like taking us to some of the long time restaurants, diners and dives, that they’ve enjoyed over the years.  Amighetti’s has been a fixture in the St. Louis area for many years…since 1916.  Of course, with the Italian “Hill District”, Italian cuisine of every type can be found in the area. 

This new location, (now 3 in total), at 5390 Southwest is referred to by many residents as the “Top of the Hill”.  New owners, Italian of course, bought Amighetti’s in 2016 and then they acquired Hank’s Cheesecakes, another local favorite, in 2021. 

I like that fact that Amighetti’s retained the old sign for Hanneke Hardware when they took over the building.  Hanneke Hardware was located here for many years, opening in 1927 and finally closing in February of 2015

The hardware store ‘look’ continues inside Amighetti’s.  The front of the concrete counter is clad with wooden doors mounted sideways.  The pitted surface of the counter looks like one where customers placed their various hardware items for purchase.  Another feature that stresses the ‘aged look’ of the restaurant are the barn wood sculptures that hang from the ceiling.  In the end, the interior look is industrial. 

Customers line up and place their orders and when your food is ready, as I remember, you pick it up and head for a table.  Basically, Amighetti’s is a popular sandwich shop that serves other items as well.  Go through the “Exit” door in the second photo and you’ll find a large showcase full of Hank’s Cheesecakes…with more than a dozen flavors!

Many St. Louis residents consider the Amighetti Special to be the best sandwich in town.  It consists of ham, beef, salami, brick cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomato, onion, pepperoncini and Amighetti’s special dressing. ($6.49 half/$10.79 whole) I forget who ordered the 'side' salad but the restaurant is certainly generous with all that cheese on top!

I can’t identify the sandwiches that we ordered as per the photos above…except for the last one, my Italian Roast Beef with cheese and house made gravy. (Whole $11.49) An important factor with any of these sandwiches is that the bread is from Amighetti’s.  It’s fresh and crusty while being soft in the middle.  

But, it’s not all about sandwiches!  Amighetti’s also has a number of starters, salads, soups, sides and pasta offerings.  The latter includes lasagna, spaghetti and tortellini.  They also offer a sandwich that I’ve never had…a Wild Salmon Meatball creation.

Everyone seemed pleased with their selection.  But, as frequently happens, I was an outlier as regarded my sandwich.  It was OK but I wasn’t really impressed.  Of course, my problem might be that I was thinking an Italian roast beef sandwich from Chicago, probably not a fair comparison.

Amighetti’s Hill location is at 5390 Southwest Avenue in St. Louis Missouri.  For more about this local favorite, and to view their extensive menu, go to Amighettis – St. Louis' Signature Sandwich.

Our next stop was at Cool Stuff Period, a home furnishings, antiques and décor items, creating a weirdly wonderful and interesting store.  Given its location and signage, you could just drive by without noticing if you didn’t know about it.

The following photos are intended to give you an idea about the variety and scope of the decorative and functional items feature at Cool Stuff Period.

Cool Stuff Period/aka Cool Stuff.  This imaginative store is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  Like the store and what it sells, the days that they are open for business are a bit ‘different’.

This is a great place to find unusual décor and furniture too.  Check it out at 5707 Manchester Avenue in St. Louis Missouri.  Their website is at Welcome to CoolStuff. (coolstuffperiod.com).

Weakness set in and we decided to briefly visit one of the casinos that can be found in the St. Louis area.  Bill knows where these money sapping entertainment centers are located…as well as which ones might yield a payout.  So we stopped at the River City Casino and Resort at 777 River City Casino Boulevard in St. Louis Missouri.

We were at the casino for a little bit more than an hour.  Laurie and I dropped less than $100, a ‘win’ in our estimation…but thanks to Bonnie knowing when to quit, she and Bill left with a few extra dollars in their pocket.  I did note that there was good ventilation which helps those of us who don’t smoke…and there was a large non-smoking area with a bunch of slot machines.

River City Casino features all the usual games for those who like variety…although I did notice mechanical ‘dealer’ for black jack players.  Find out more at River City Casino in St. Louis, MO.   

Our next dining opportunity was this little St. Louis restaurant.  El Potro Restaurant serves a variety of Mexican and Central American dishes, including a number of seafood specialties.  Bill really likes this place and Yelp reviews give El Potro 4.6 stars out of 5.0.

Other than this large imaginative and colorful horse on one wall, laid back industrial would best describe the dining atmosphere.  FYI, El Potro is translated as “the foal”.

We started with the obligatory gratis basket of corn chips with a mild salsa.  No photos…but a couple of mojitos ($7.00 each) and dos cervezas ($8.00) “might” have been ordered to accompany the chips and salsa.  Guacamole was also ordered for the table.  Since I don’t and can’t consume guacamole, I can’t comment on it…but it was completely consumed by the time we were done.

The ladies weren’t very hungry after the chips and guacamole, so they spit the order of Tacos de Pescado/fish tacos. ($14.99) I ordered the Burrito de carne Asada/steak, beans, rice and cheese with cheese melted on top. ($15.99) It was just OK…nothing special.

Bill is really into seafood!  So, he ordered the Coctel Vuelbe Ala Vida. ($22.99) This creation is a cold soup of shrimp, octopus, snail, oysters, onion, tomato, avocado, jalapeno and cilantro.  It’s served with crackers and lime wedges.  Bill was content with his seafood feast...

The service at El Potro was sporadic and uneven.  It took a long time for Bill to get his food.  I just was underwhelmed…

El Potro also operates a market under the same name next door to the restaurant.  It offers Mexican and Central American groceries and other items.  This restaurant is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.  It’s located at 6922 Manchester Avenue in St. Louis Missouri.  Phone: 314-256-1400.  Website: www.elpotrostl.com.

Only one more post to follow for our St. Louis family visit… Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Tacos and More

New restaurants, both very casual and a bit upscale, have been popping up around the greater Knoxville area.  For our anniversary we dined at “Bella” in Maryville Tennessee.  More recently, we tried the wings and pizza at “Ya Rona” in Vonore Tennessee.  Then there was CM (Korean) Chicken in Farragut as well as Blue Moose Burgers and the Black Horse Pub and Brewery, both in the Alcoa/Maryville area.

So this time, we were back in Farragut Tennessee to try yet another new restaurant…

This is Condado Tacos in the Turkey Creek Shopping area located in Farragut/Knoxville Tennessee.  This casual restaurant looks a bit formal on the outside but, as shown below, it is anything but formal on the inside!  FYI, Condado translates from Spanish to English meaning “county”. 

Condado Tacos (Tequila and Margaritas) was founded in Columbus Ohio in 2014.  Currently this fast growing chain has over 40 restaurants in 7 states.  The company plans to have 100 restaurants by 2026

In contrast to the rather staid exterior, the dining area in the Turkey Creek Condado is beyond colorful!  Every Condado restaurant is unique with hand-painted murals by local artists.  Definitely a party atmosphere!

Each of the 12 Zodiac signs is represented on the walls and all of them are tied into local Knoxville area references as well as tacos and tequila.  The bar top (no up close photo) is decorated with more than 2 dozen famous people connected to Tennessee and they are lined up according to their horoscope.

Laurie and I did imbibe a little but we stuck to beer…a Miller Life for me ($3.50) and Modelo Especial for her. ($5.25) The reality is that Condado is all about tequila and margaritas although they do offer beer and wine.

  Condado features 22 ‘standard’ tequilas, 22 ‘premium’ tequilas and 13 ‘ultra-premium” tequilas.  A shot/neat of the standard brands is $8.00/pitcher $38.00, premium pricing is $10.00 and $46.00, and the ultra-premium is $12.00 and $54.00.  Even more ‘special’ tequilas are offered, shots/neat only.  Prices range from $15.00 to $65.00.

So, what about the menu to accompany all that tequila?  They do offer 6 different quesos, 3 guacamoles, 2 salsas, Mexican street corn and Nachos.  But the reality is, Tacos are truly the only food focus.  It’s just a matter of which pre-set taco you order (14 versions) or if you order build you own tacos.  Choose your taco shell (or go ‘shell-less’); choose from 11 proteins, ranging from chicken to steak and plant based; 13 toppings ranging from lettuce to pickled red onions; 4 salsas and then, finally 7 sauces.

Laurie and I both ordered flour soft shell tacos, working from both the build your own and the pre-set versions.  Laurie ordered the “Sweet Heat” with brisket, smoked cheddar, honey and more. ($5.60) She also had the “Dutch Dragon” with guacamole, roasted Portobello mushrooms, pickled jalapenos and more. ($4.25) Since I’m meat focused I built my 3 tacos around Tex/Mex ground beef, braised beef brisket and tequila lime steak.  My tacos ranged from $4.10 to $5.20.   

Our waitress Tera was very helpful and patient.  If you want to relax with dinner, this isn’t the place for you… I doubt that we represent the restaurant's target patrons.  Laurie did love her “Dutch Dragon” taco but we felt that the other tacos were nothing particularly special.  For us at least, Condado was just OK.  Still, it is an innovative concept.

Condado Tacos, Tequila and Margaritas is located at 11383 Parkside Drive in Knoxville Tennessee.  To learn more about this restaurant and its menu, just go to Tacos & Mexican Food in Knoxville - Turkey Creek | Condado Tacos.

Nature can be quite eye-catching, even when decay sets in.  Laurie took this photo of some bracket or shelf fungi that is slowly wearing down a stump at the edge of our yard and the remaining wooded lot next door.  Bracket fungi are a polypore…and there are over 1,000 varieties of them that have been identified.   Some are edible, others are used in ‘traditional’ medicine and others have been used since pre-history as tinder to start fires.

Progress continues on the new home being built across the street from our house… The concrete base was finished and the foundation that the house will be built on is going up quickly.  At least that disruptive jackhammer is gone…now replaced by a ‘quieter’ mixer for the cement needed to put up the concrete blocks.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave