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Lorenzo's Mexican Restaurant has long been on my things-to-do list, but due to the long walk from my place to Lorenzo's - round trip: 11 miles - if I want to drink any "Pacifico" beer, it took me a bit of time to take the long hike over to the restaurant. Thursday, November 6, 2014, everything worked out, so I took the hike to Lorenzo's to enjoy lunch, take photos, and ultimately, prepare this write-up.
Photo: It took me some time to finally visit Lorenzo's Mexican Restaurant, as the round-trip hike from my place is a little over 11 miles, but the hike is worth every mile. Since I like to drink beer, driving is not an option. I could take a cab, or go with a sober friend - what's that? - but since I like to walk and burn calories, the hike is a good thing. It's Thursday, November 6, 2014, at 11:15 in the morning, and it's time for lunch!
Photo: As you walk in the door, the first thing you'll notice is a small souvenir shop, where you can purchase tee shirts, coffee cups, and other goodies. There is a dining room behind the hanging tee shirts, and the swingin' doors are one of several avenues to the kitchen.
Photo: This is the view as you walk into the restaurant. The souveniers are to the right of the photo, along with the dining room shown in the previous photo. The bar, and the other dining rooms - I am not kidding - are through the arch to the left. To the right is one of several entrances to the kitchen.
Photo: The restaurant is quite unique inside, as it's divided into three separate dining rooms, separated by partitions. Each is long and narrow, and very difficult to photograph, due to the layout.
Photo: A long, narrow dining room, with lots of biker photos on the partition. The decor is very roadhouse/biker-theme, with lots of photos of bikes. The owner or decorator must be a Harley-Davidson motorcycle enthusiast, as the decor is very Harley-theme, as there are many photos of Harleys, and numerous references to "hogs." Personally, outside of the photography challenges, I love the biker/roadhouse theme.
Photo: I didn't adhere to the "Please Wait to be Seated" sign, as I headed directly to the bar. When I dine alone, I prefer to sit at the bar, as it's a better way to chit-chat with the staff, and watch the operation of the restaurant. Lorenzo's Mexican Restaurant has a small bar - I counted eight stools - and serves beer, wine and margaritas. Note the "roadhouse" decor. To add the atmosphere, popular music from the 1960's was paying in the background. I must admit that Lorenzo's is the first Mexican restaurant I've visited that features "roadhouse/biker" decor, and 1960's popular music.
Photo: "View from the Bar" looking towards an entrance to the kitchen, and baskets of chips, stacked, and waiting to be delivered. I love the "Free Beer!" sign, but it reads "tomorrow," and as you know, tomorrow never comes.
Photo: After sitting at the bar, I asked for a menu, and was immediately rewarded with a basket of chips, and a small bowl of fresh, in-house-made salsa. My friendly bar tender and waiter, Weston, asked what I wanted to drink, and since I wasn't driving, I ordered a Texas-sized, 32-oz mug of Pacifico beer the restaurant has on tap at the bar. As an aside, the restaurant has several other popular brands of Mexican beer on tap. Weston asked if I wanted lime slices - hell yes! - and within seconds, they were attached to my frosted mug. That's service!
Photo: My lunch arrived less than five minutes after I ordered it, which launches Lorenzo's Mexican Restaurant far beyond the speed-of-delivery of most "fast food" restaurants. Folks, that's FAST!!! I suspect the food was prepared in advance, and simply plated in order to achieve such a speedy delivery, but I couldn't taste the difference, as the food arrived at the perfect temperature, and, as per the reputation of the restaurant, was fresh, and delicious. My friendly server Weston, delivers my lunch, and smiles for my camera.
Photo: Since it was 11:15 in the morning, I placed my order from the "Lunch Combos" meal, which the menu offers from when the restaurant opens, at 11:00 AM until 4:00 in the afternoon. I ordered a pork taco - you can choose between pork, beef or chicken - and included with the lunch are rice and beans, and surprise! ... a small salad. At $8.95 - as of this writing - the lunch represents a good value, especially if you're in a hurry. What do you think about the taco on a "stand?" OK, a word or two about my lunch. I dearly loved it, as my lunch was prepared from fresh ingredients, the presentation was beautiful, and it was delicious. However, this is not "authentic" Mexican cuisine, so if you're looking for Mexican "street" food, you need to head to Tijuana, Mexicali, or several other Mexican restaurants in Mexico. My lunch was delicious, but if I had to label it, I would label it as "Mexican-influenced" food, catered to the taste to the majority of Roseville locals. That's not a bad thing, as I would assume that this lunch would be embraced by 95% of Rosevillians, including your author. But, it's not "authentic" Tijuana-style food, and I truly believe Lorenzo's Mexican Restaurant isn't attempting to masquerade their food as "authentic" Mexican cuisine. Whatever label you put on it, the food is good, and the restaurant is a great place to enjoy lunch.
Photo: Thanks Weston, for taking my photo, as I pose with my mostly un-touched 32-oz mug of beer, basket of chips, bowl of salsa, and my delicious lunch. The food was fresh, the presentation was excellent, and the service was amazingly fast, friendly and efficient. Although the cuisine is not "authentic" Mexican, it's good for 99% of residents north-of-the-border, and it works for me. If I truly desire knock-down, drag-out Mexican food, I'll take the 9-hour drive to Tijuana, or visit a handful of other Mexican Restaurants in Roseville. As I previously mentioned, I was simply AMAZED at the warp-drive speed my lunch was delivered to me. Amazing! If you have a limited lunch hour, and you enjoy amazing fast, friendly service, and you're in the mood for a delicious, Mexican-influenced lunch, then be sure to pay a visit to Lorenzo's Mexican Restaurant. The food is fresh and delicious, the people are friendly. It's a good value for your lunch buck. Lorenzo's Mexican Restaurant Copyright(c) 2014 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. This site has been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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