Mexicali Border Cafe in Tulsa, OK Provides Good Food with No Frills

Cookie cutter Mexican restaurants have proliferated the landscape with El Chico, On the Border and Don Pablos serving up prefabricated, consistent dishes. The food at the national chains isn't bad, but it lacks the charm and the originality that Mexican cuisine is known for. It is, then, a delight to find a local Mexican eatery that serves up good food that tastes fresh. Mexicali Border Café in Tulsa, OK is just such a place. With two locations in Tulsa, and one in Florida, the restaurant has yet to become a one-size fits all restaurant.

Located downtown, just across from the historic Brady Theater and two blocks from the Tulsa Crowne Plaza, Mexicali Border Café is convenient for a night on the town. On a recent visit, the parking lot was almost full, a testament to the popularity of the restaurant with both locals and out of town visitors. My dining companion and I were seated immediately and were presented our drinks and the obligatory basket of tortilla chips and salsa within a short time.

The menu is extensive, but there are few surprises. Enchiladas, tacos ad fajitas take up most of the slots, with a few shrimp and chicken dishes rounding out the selections. Diners also have a choice between traditional yellow queso and white queso. We selected the yellow variety, and it was fine, slightly spicy, but nothing special.

I selected the Three Amigos Enchiladas Platter ($8.99). It included one beef, one chicken and one cheese enchilada with rice and beans. The cheese enchilada was the best of the three, with a generous serving of creamy cheese filling and spicy red sauce. The beef and chicken were also good. The kitchen staff at Mexicali walked the line between too hot and too bland without straying too far either way. The rice was standard fare, but the beans had an artificial smoky taste. Fortunately the enchiladas were good enough to make up for the odd tasting beans.

My dining companion order a combo platter ($7.99) with a chicken taco and a chile relleno stuffed with cheese and mushrooms. The raved about the chicken taco, but the relleno was not as good. She, too, felt that the beans had an odd taste, but was pleased with the overall quality of the meal.

The service was fast and friendly. Water glasses stayed full and a quickly glance around the restaurant showed many servers assisting diners with everything from menus to entertaining children.

The dining room was spacious and attractively decorated and there is patio dining space available.