|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For nearly 30 years, Tio Pepe's Mexican Restaurant and Cantina has been dishing out Mexican favorites, to Auburn, CA locals, visitors to "Old Town" Auburn, and travelers on nearby Interstate 80. It's become a "go-to" restaurant for delicious Mexican cuisine, to locals, visitors and travelers on nearby Interstate 80. As with all restaurant reviews 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: My first dining adventure of 2024 took me to Tio Pepe's Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, located in historic "Old Town" Auburn, CA. It's just past the opening time of 11:00 in the morning, Tuesday, January 02, 2024, and I'm looking forward to an amazing Mexican lunch. Tio Pepe's has been dishing out fresh, family recipe Mexican cuisine for nearly 30 years, and the restaurant has become a favorite of Auburn locals, visitors to historic "Old Town," and travelers on nearby busy I-80 freeway. The restaurant is just a short couple blocks off the freeway, and has become a favorite of travelers heading east to Reno and beyond.
Photo: The patio, located in a courtyard, in front of the restaurant, is very "Mexican," including a water fountain as the centerpiece. On this late morning in early January, 2024, most of the Christmas decorations are still in place, and the patio isn't seated, thanks to the low 40-degree temperature.
Photo: As you enter the restaurant, you'll see the bar, and you'll be seated by your server. The floor seems to be a tad on the irregular side, so as the sign advises, please watch your step.
Photo: The main dining room is colorful, comfortable and spacious. There is a fountain in the middle, which adds to the cheery and colorful ambiance. The dining room decor reminds me of many upscale restaurants that I've visited during my countless trips to Mexico.
Photo: "Lunch" menu, which is offered weekdays, excluding holidays, from 11:00 to mid afternoon. Just for the record, the "portion size" is just about right for lunch. If you are adventurous, or if your appetite is "larger than lunch," you can order from the "Dinner" side of the menu, which offers a wide array of choices, and bigger portions.
Photo: Complimentary chips and salsa are provided with each lunch. The Pacifico beer was extra, as it served for both an appetiser and dessert. I was simply amazed at the chips, as they arrived warm and freshly cooked. By the taste and "crunch," I could tell the chips had swiftly arrived from the kitchen, as they were warm, crunchy and super fresh. Boy... today was my lucky day! The salsa cruda was made fresh, in-house, and was basically a thick, tomato-based salsa, which was good, but unremarkable. The salsa made for an outstanding dip for the chips, not only to add taste and flavor, but to add contrast. The warm chips dipped into the cool salsa made for a perfect lunch appetiser... but the Pacifico beer helped.
Photo: I checked out the "cantina" side of the restaurant, which offers a full-service bar, with lots of bar seating.
Photo: From my dining room table, I could look outside, across the patio to the historic Placer County courthouse, located on the hill above town. The old courthouse separates "Old Town" from downtown Auburn, as it's located on a hill which separates both sides of the town. The view adds to the fine dining atmosphere.
Photo: Meet Shelly, my amazingly friendly hostess, who brought my order to me with a smile. My order arrive only about 10 minutes after I placed it... that's FAST!!!
Photo: I toast to my friendly hostess, Shelly, along with my amazing lunch at Tio Pepe's Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, located in Auburn, CA. The Pacifico beer worked wonders for my lunch and for my soul...
Photo: From the weekday "Lunch" menu, I went with "Chilie Relleno," along with rice and beans, which are included with every lunch. The "Lunch" menu is offered Monday through Friday, from 11:00 until three in the afternoon, excluding holidays. Like most selections on the "Lunch" menu, it was priced at a reasonable $9.95. The menu describes this delicious entree as, "Chilie filled with cheese, deep fried and covered in Ranchera sauce. Served with rice and choice of refried or black beans." Like the trooper I am, I went with refried beans as my choice of beans. My "Chilie Relleno" began as a medium size chili pepper, most likely a "Hatch," which was stuffed with Mexican cheese, and deep fried to absolute perfection. The "Ranchera" sauce reminded me of chili/tomato based sauce that I've enjoyed to trips in Mexico, as it was definitely tomato based, but enjoyed lots of chili, and seasoning... you guessed it... cumin and garlic. The sauce was on the thick side, which covered the relleno perfectly, with just a hint of "heat," but the flavor was simply delicious! A small side of shredded cabbage and carrot was on the side, which made for a nice touch to my lunch, and it mixed well with the "Ranchera" sauce. Cabbage is very popular in Mexico, as you'll rarely find lettuce as a side, unless you're in a border or tourist town. The Mexican rice was solid, delicious, and included a tidbit of peas and carrots, which is rarely found in northern Mexico. I was surprised... Did I accidentally make my way to Mexico City instead of Auburn? Tio Pepe's website advertises their refried beans are vegetarian, which means the beans are free of lard and other animal products. I'm used to enjoying refried beans cooked in lard, but one taste of Pepe's refried beans made a believer in the "healthier side" of me, as delicious refried beans CAN be made without using lard! The refried beans were creamy, flavorful, and garnished with just a bit of melted, shredded Mexican cheese to enhance the taste of this amazing side. OK... I'm a believer in the refried beans served at Tio Pepe's Mexican Restaurant! I hear the recipe is a long-time family favorite, and it's served at the restaurant. Now the secret is posted on the web! You can't beat the price of the lunch, as it was $9.95, which included a basket of freshly-fried tortilla chips, along with the bowl of salsa cruda. The $5.00 price of a bottle of imported Pacifico beer is in line with every restaurant in the greater Sacramento area. So for the price of $16.03, including state sales tax, I'd say this was a fair price to pay for a simply delicious Mexican lunch in Auburn.
Photo: Talk about an amazing lunch for a late Tuesday morning! Chilie Relleno, rice and beans, tortilla chips, salsa, and a Pacifico beer for dessert. This is a lunch of champions! Tio Pepe's Mexican Restaurant serves a wide variety of delicious, solid Mexican cuisine, and the amazing food and the friendly, efficient service will make you come back again and again. Look to Tio Pepe's Mexican Restaurant and Cantina for delicious Mexican cuisine, located in historic, "Old Town" Auburn, CA. Tio Pepe's Mexican Restaurant and Cantina Copyright(c) 2024 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
|
