Revised dining review

El Charro

Authentic Mexican Restaurant

1779 S. Glenstone Ave.

Springfield, Missouri

417-886-1444

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Except Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Martha Smith

El Charro is located on the corner of Glenstone and Sunshine Streets, and has plenty of parking.  Rochelle, Alex and I were there Thursday evening, March 8 about 5 p.m. There were only a few diners already eating and we received immediate attention. The dining area has two levels; the lower level is not as brightly lit which makes for a more intimate setting. The upper level has a selection of window booths or tables for the dining enjoyment. We chose a booth and were seated in the corner with windows overlooking the parking lot. I like to be seated by windows since I do not feel so closed in.  Traditional Mexican music was playing over the speakers. A large overhead television screen showed a soccer game in progress. I thought the music was a bit loud but there was no sound to the soccer game. 

The restaurant has a large selection of foods including seafood, pork and beef. There is even a section in the menu for vegetarians. Specials include child’s plates, lunch, and express lunch selections. Catering is available and they did have to-go menus.

Our first waiter’s name was Poncho (we had three in all). He understood very little English, so Alex conversed with him in Spanish and did very well with his command of the Spanish language. I have taken two years and barely remember how to say “Gracias.” Since Mexican restaurants are family owned businesses, the waiters all share in the duties and there seemed to be no competition among the three men that served us. They were attentive, replenishing our drinks in a timely manner and asking if we needed anything. Courtesy was the norm and knowing Alex could interpret for us, I did not feel the usual apprehension when I am in a situation where a common language is not spoken or understood.

For drinks, the restaurant must have had a separate menu which was not made available to us. There were no drinks listed on the to-go menu. I asked if they had sweet tea and they did. It was not the unsweetened kind where you had t add sugar after the ice is added, either. This tea was not too strong and yet sweet enough to satisfy the most dyed-in-the-wool Southerner. For an appetizer, we chose the guacamole dip. It was freshly made with ripe avocadoes and tomatoes and was not too spicy. Chips and salsa were served to everyone. The chips were warm and salty. Very tasty! The salsa was chunky and made with fresh tomatoes. The waiter asked if we wanted hot or mild salsa and we said “Both.” I had to be careful not to fill up on these.

My main dish was the Carne Asada, served with rice, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, guacamole and shredded cheese. Carne Asada is thin strips of beef, stripped, marinated in a special blend of spices for several hours and then cooked over an open flame. It is only about ¼” thick so it is very easily overcooked. This meat was a little stringy but it had been marinated correctly. I enjoyed every bite. The rice, beans, lettuce and tomatoes seemed to be served with many of the dishes and the servings were sufficient. These foods must be common among the Mexican people. I would have liked more lettuce and tomatoes but I noticed other diners did not even touch their tomatoes so it made sense to limit the servings. The food was hot and fresh. The to-go menu I received pointed out that “Mexican food is good only when prepared to order and served hot. So, please allow us ample time to prepare your food right.” And they did that in my opinion.

For dessert, I ordered Fried Ice Cream. Ohhhhhhh! It was delicious. This was a large scoop of butter pecan ice cream, rolled in a crunchy exterior, placed in a warm, flaky crust, topped with whipped cream which was drizzled with chocolate sauce. A maraschino cherry on top made for an appetizing and aesthetically appealing picture! I shared with Rochelle and Alex and there was still some left. This dessert would easily feed several people. I tried a bite of Alex’s Flan which was like custard and covered with a sauce. It was really good, also.

My order of Carne Asada, sweet tea and Fried Ice Cream totaled $15.41. Most of the dinners ranged from $10 to $12 a meal. The child’s plate was $3-$4.