Review of Mariposa Grille in Tampa, Florida

On the way to introducing my friend to my favorite ice cream parlor, The Junction, we passed by a type of restaurant we're always looking out for: southwestern Mexican grill. Called Mariposa Grille, we were very excited to try out this new restaurant located on North Dale Mabry near the Van Dyke intersection. Mariposa is Spanish for "butterfly", and they took this theme to the extreme with their decor, with the doors to the kitchen even cut out to look like two butterfly wings. The inside is decorated beautifully, with bright and earthy colors juxtaposed. The tables and chairs are the heavy, thick wood you often find in Mexican restaurants, but the environment in Mariposa is much more inviting and clean than most Mexican restaurants I have visited.

As we came in the door we were greeted by an extremely (but not overly) friendly hostess who asked us questions about whether we had been there or not and did not try to rush us when we decided on what we would order. When we did place our order, for a tiger shrimp burrito ($8) and black bean chicken egg rolls ($7), she smiled and told us both were delicious choices. She then gave us a number for our order and we sat down. After we sat, we were brought spiced tortilla chips that seemed to be made in house and were very delicious. They served them on stylish plates, much more inviting than the baskets of chips you usually get. They had at least five different varieties of salsa for us to choose from in their salsa bar located near the drinks.

We waited around ten minutes for our food, which was brought to us by the same smiling hostess who greeted us and took our orders. I cannot stress how delicious the food was. Sure, you can go to Chili's to get southwestern egg rolls, but Mariposa's were so much more tasty, and you could tell they made them fresh for you. Plus, they were surprisingly filling, which I did not expect looking at the four slices of egg roll they serve. They decorated the plates with guacamole and shaved cucumbers in a way that resembled a much fancier restaurant. My friend's shrimp burrito was also very good (as, of course, I had to try a few bites). Of course you can go to Moe's or Chipotle to get a custom made burrito for cheaper, but neither of those compares to how fresh tasting Mariposa's burrito was, and how it being made by a real cook truly made a difference in the way the flavors blended together. The shrimp were of ample size as well, and they were nowhere near stingy on the amount of shrimp they put in the burrito.

Overall, I was extremely impressed with this new addition to the Lutz area's growing culinary spots. The prices were reasonable, especially for the quality of food. The decorations were lovely, and overall, Mariposa Grille has a great atmosphere and great employees running the place. I read online that a former Roy's chef owns the joint, which, if you've ever eaten at Roy's, is definitely a plus. The only downside to Mariposa is the short menu -- I'm sure now that I know about this restaurant, I'll run out of options quick! But Mariposa Grille is a great place to go and get an inexpensive meal with a few friends or have a casual dinner with your significant other. One warning: the salsa isn't too intense, so leave your need for spicy food at home.