Dining Out
Quintanas de
la plaza and Arribas
Back
in the early eighties my friend Leith Quinton told me his missus, Rebecca,
wanted to start a Tex-Mex restaurant here in St. John’s. I’ve always remembered
the conversation because I gave him some advice (which he wisely ignored) that
turned out to be dead wrong. I said, quite earnestly, “Don’t do it! You’ll lose
your shirt! Mexican food will NEVER sell in this town!” Well, it’s a couple of decades later and
Mexican is still selling. Not only that, but the Quinton empire has expanded
from downtown’s Casa Grande to Churchill Square’s, Quintanas de la plaza and
its lovely upstairs cocktail bar, Arribas.
The
legion of life stresses was being particularly effective at chipping away my
equilibrium recently, so my friend Linda prescribed a restorative lunch at a
nearby eatery. I chose Quintanas. We entered to the sound of lively chatter and
the background beat of Latino (or maybe Tejano?) music. Rebecca Quinton has
always impressed me by her attention to detail. Nothing gets by this formidable
Texan. That’s the reason Quintanas has an atmosphere that can instantly cheer
you. She has created a mix of south of the Rio Grande music, colors, and
images, combined with an energetic, plugged in staff and a comprehensive
Tex-Mex menu, that really makes you feel like you’ve escaped to another
carefree, fiesta-filled jurisdiction.
The
place was so busy we had to be seated upstairs at Arribas, an equally cheerful
spot. That day the darker toned front room (facing the parking lot) was a bit
chilly, so we moved to the opposite room with the bar that features lighter
patio style tables and chairs. A sign over the bar offered various fruited
margaritas like strawberry ones, but I opted for a classic margarita. I don’t
like too many choices when it comes to drinks. (Thank goodness they only stock
one type of tequila. There’s a Mexican restaurant in the states that, at last
count, stocked two hundred different brands of the fermented agave juice, or,
to be specific, the fermented juice of the Agave Tequiliana Weber or blue agave
plant.) Linda had her usual, classic Pepsi, while we perused the menu.
You
won’t steer wrong by starting with a cup of the Mexico City tortilla soup
($1.95). It contained loads of sliced celery as well as sliced root vegetables,
like carrots, in a flavourful vegetable broth. The garnish of tortilla strips
gave it a nice crunch as well. It tasted clean and fresh, like a morning breeze
off the Gulf of Mexico at Veracruz. I savoured every drop while Linda happily
munched on the complimentary white and blue corn tortilla chips and salsa.
We
both had combo plates. Linda’s featured cheese enchiladas, as well as crispy
fried cheese batons, meaty tortillas called poquitas, a Mexican wonton (fusion
finger food that works much better than the marriage of some Indian and Chinese
dishes), and little deep-fried red chili peppers called, coyote critters, that
were stuffed with cream cheese, breaded, and fried. They came topped with a
dollop of jalapeno chutney. Yummy but very filling.
When
I think of Tex-Mex food I see two things, mounds of jack and cheddar cheese,
and plenty of chopped, cubed, and ground-up beef. It’s definitely protein rich.
Take, for example, poquitas. The mini ones on Linda’s plate outwardly looked a
bit like Chinese spring rolls, but that’s as far as the resemblance went. These
little corn tortillas were stuffed with beef, really stuffed. There wasn’t much
room in there for anything else, apart from some Mexican spices like cumin and
chile powder. For dedicated carnivores, a real satisfier.
My
plate featured another meat lover’s charmer, the beef taco. Like a cat
burglar’s gunnysack after an especially productive night, my taco shell was
bursting with a hefty load of flavourful cubed beef. One note, the beef could
have used a touch more salt. And, as well, so could the refried beans, or,
frijoles refritos. (By the way, they aren’t actually fried twice. The prefix
‘re’ is meant to give emphasis, so we’re actually talking about beans that have
been fried really well.) I also found them to be a little bland. For my taste,
I’d add more onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin.
Two
of my favorite dishes at Quintanas were the cheese enchiladas and chicken
fajitas. The enchiladas were wonderful, warm little packages of cheesy
goodness. The contents were carefully wrapped in tightly pressed floury parcels
made from fresh white corn tortillas. I could have eaten a dozen of them.
Coming a very close second, the Quintanas chicken fajitas are among the best in
town. You get plenty of nicely browned chicken and onions and all the necessary
condiments to make a really tasty lunch or supper. I’ve found they go down well
with a Carona and lime.
Like
most St. John’s bistros and cantinas, Quintanas has an ample selection of
sweets for those diners who might have some wiggle room left in their bellies
after a substantial Quintanas main course. They have Casa Grande chocolate
crepes with seasonal berries ($5.25), Mexican fried bananas with vanilla ice
cream and whipped cream ($4.95), caramel flan ($4.25), and my favorite,
bunuelos ($3.75). This may seem like a stretch, but, for me, bunuelos are like
a Mexican touton. In Newfoundland we fry pieces of raw bread dough in butter
and slather them with sweet molasses for breakfast, or as a treat. Bunuelos are
strips of fried Mexican pastry, sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar and
slathered with honey. They are to die for, especially with a good, strong,
piping hot cup of coffee.
My
vicarious jaunt to the southernmost reaches of North America was the curative
my battered psyche needed. I left Quintanas feeling relaxed and ready for a
siesta. My troubles had melted away like the jack cheese in an enchilada.
This
review was based on a few visits to Quintanas, but a meal for two, including a
couple of margaritas and tip, should cost approximately $50.00.
Best Points:
Quintanas
has a bright, ‘feel good’ atmosphere, an informed staff, and very good food.
The enchiladas, fajitas, and Mexico City tortilla soup really impressed me.
Areas for
Improvement:
The
refried beans play a supporting role to the principal dishes at Quintanas, but
that doesn’t mean they have to be quite so neutral in their taste. I’d like to
see a little more attention paid to spicing them.
Ratings Category:
For
being consistently good in food and service I am giving Quintanas de la plaza
8.5 points out of 10.