Dos Amigos in Elko, Nevada Offers Highway-side Mexican Goodness

If you happen to be traveling through Elko, Nevada, along Interstate 80 and find yourself hankering for a good sit-down Mexican restaurant, Dos Amigos is your ticket.

The restaurant's unmistakable logo features two hands grasped in friendship, one with an American flag sleeve, the other with a Mexican flag sleeve.

Locally owned and operated, as opposed to the Taco Bell right next door, Dos Amigos offers traditional and semi-traditional food at prices that won't break you at the bank. Daily specials range from fajitas to quesadillas and soups.

The restaurant features what is probably the most elegant environment in all of Elko - an operating Mexican villa-style fountain. Add this to the paintings on the walls, and this establishment provides a pretty stimulating dining experience.

The fajitas and enchilada combinations are definitely tops, while the spinach enchiladas and other vegetarian offerings give vegetarians or those looking for something lighter plenty to pick from. Gone are the days when the only thing vegetarian at a Mexican restaurant was the salsa, lettuce and rice. Lard was once used in beans, making it a hands-off item for most vegetarians and those who are heart-conscious. However, Dos Amigos, and the other places in Elko do not use lard - even though it does make the beans a bit tastier. Another good choice are the carne asada flautas with their marinated beef grilled to perfection and rolled in corn tortillas; then deep fried. Top it off with some salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

For appetizer experience, Dos Amigos takes a different approach from other restaurants in town. Aside from the fresh salsa served with the tortilla chips, Dos Amigos serves a bowl of warm, garlic brine-soaked pinto beans. It's essentially bean dip, but without being mashed. While not necessarily spectacular in their own right, the beans do offer something different from the rest.

The restaurants soups are also something to be tried. The chicken tortilla soup has big hunks of chicken breast, cooked in a savory tomato, red chile broth and is topped off with corn tortillas. This is a hefty meal in itself, and is especially good during the winter to help stave off the cold, dry mountain winters in Elko.

While the restaurant manages to maintain a cleanly eating environment, the service can sometimes be spotty, even when not eating during the lunch or dinner rush.

Still, the portions are ample, with the beans, rice and veggies piled high on the plate.