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Plata's Mexican Food, located in Barstow, CA, is a family owned and operated restaurant that serves authentic, Northern Mexican cuisine every day of the week, including breakfast, with menudo being served every day of the week. Does life or food get any better? As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's a little past 06:00 in the early evening, Wednesday May 24, 2023, and I've arrived at Plata's Mexican Food, located in Barstow, CA to enjoy an early dinner. Plata's got my attention, as the restaurant features a sign outside that advertises menudo is served every day... what is better in life than a bowl of menudo?
Photo: The dining room is very large and sparsely furnished with tables and chairs. On this early Wednesday evening, I almost enjoyed the dining room to myself.
Photo: The decor... what decor? ... as the dining room is decorated with pastel hanging cloth - I couldn't quite figure it out - and a mural on one wall. Now, consider that we're not dining at "The Ritz," as Plata's Mexican Restaurant might just serve the best menudo in San Bernardino County! You'll note the main menu is posted on the wall, directly behind the ladies that are enjoying an early dinner of menudo, which piqued my interest, as I'm a "foodie" and a life-long lover of menudo.
Photo: The main menu is posted on the wall, to the left of the order counter, which is a little awkward. The menu is posted on an "old school" black board, and there are no printed menus. I noticed near the order counter there are other menus that list soups, specials and pastries for sale in the display counter.
Photo: Near the order counter, there are many menus that advertise daily specials. The "Soups/Caldos" menu grabbed my attention, as I saw MENUDO listed, which made up my mind for tonight's dinner choice. The major decision for me was: Small or large? Small won out. Menudo is served every day of the week at Plata's Mexican Food.
Photo: Plata's operates on what I call the "taqueria format" as you make your selection from the posted menu, place your order at the counter, pay for it, and you'll get a receipt with your name on it. Then, you seat yourself anywhere you choose, and when your order is ready, it will be brought to you by a friendly staff member.
Photo: After I placed my order, I looked around the restaurant and found this interesting display in the far back corner. I wasn't certain of the purpose... for sale or simply storage?
Photo: Looking at the order counter and he dining room from my table. My only gripe was the order counter was baracaded with plexiglass, which was most likely a leftover from the virus panic of a couple years ago.
Photo: When you look over the counter, you're able to get a great view of the kitchen, and watch the talented staff at work. Chef Chuy is in the center of the photo, working on my order of menudo, as the tray with the tortillas and garnishes are on the counter to the right, ready to deliver to my table.
Photo: Meet friendly and talented Chef Chuy, who not only created the delicious menudo, but delivered it to my table with a smile. Chuy is a friendly guy, a great host, and a superior chef, who knows how to create amazing Mexican cuisine.
Photo: I'm a happy guy, as I'm ready to enjoy one of the best bowls of menudo that I've had the pleasure to enjoy during my many travels in San Bernardino County, and the Mojave Desert. Thanks, Chef Chuy for the photo!
Photo: From the "Soups/Caldos" menu posted at the order counter, I went with a small bowl of menudo, and an order of corn tortillas. The "small" bowl of menudo is 16-ounces, and comes with your choice of flour or corn tortillas, a cut up lemon, diced cilantro and diced white onion. What could be better dinner to enjoy on a warm early evening in late May in the Mojave Desert? Menudo, like any fine soup, starts out with a great broth, as a good, rich broth is the foundation of any great soup. Chef Chuy's broth was simply delicious, rich, full-bodied and flavorful, thanks to the chili peppers and his - most likely proprietary - blend of spices. Menudo is not hot, when it comes to spices, as its simply delicious and flavorful and is true Mexican "comfort food." The chef didn't skimp on tripe, as there was plenty of tender, juicy tripe, cut to size, which added backbone to the broth. Some recipes for menudo don't include hominy but Plata's Mexican Food's menudo - thank you - includes an ample portion of hominy, which adds an "earthy" texture and flavor to the delicious soup. My early dinner included three warmed corn tortillas, wrapped in aluminum foil to keep them warm, along with a lemon that was seeded, and attractively cut, which made a nice addition to the menudo and the presentation. Diced white onion and diced cilantro rounded out the dinner. Plata's serves an amazing bowl of menudo! Each time I dipped my spoon into the bowl, I was rewarded with a taste sensation, that only a true lover of menudo can enjoy! The broth was rich, "earthy" and flavorful, and the tripe and hominy added body to the soup. As always, juice from the lemon added a "tang" to the soup, and the diced onion and cilantro added a bit of "crunch." In Mexican style, I rolled the tortillas up and dipped them into the soup, and used the last one to enjoy every drop left in the bowl. Friends... this was legendary menudo!
Photo: My delicious bowl of menudo, after I've added diced onion, diced onion and lemon juice. Delicious in every way! Such an amazing Mexican restaurant! The menudo was as good as it gets, the dining room was comfortable and inviting, and the friendliness of chef Chuy was amazing. Plata's Mexican Food is a superior Mexican restaurant any way you look at it! Barstow locals know to head over to Plata's Mexican Food, when they're looking for the best in Northern Mexican cuisine. Follow the Barstow locals to some of the best Mexican food in the high desert! Plata's Mexican Food Copyright(c) 2023 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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