A Taste of Mexican Quesadillas from Picante

Perhaps no ethnic food is as falsely imitated as Mexican. From up Morris Avenue to Tito's Burritos in Summit, a lot of places, good and bad, fall into the category of “Mexican” while bearing a slim resemblance to the food actually eaten south of the border.

But we have the real thing here in downtown Springfield at Picante. Owned and operated by a Mexican immigrant who has worked in American restaurants for much of his career, Picante serves tacos, quesadillas, burritos, sandwiches and entrees--all inspired by the owner's native Acapulco.

Last year, . Unlike a fast food taco, laden with cheese, lettuce and sour cream, Picante's tacos were true to the “street tacos” of Mexico.

Here was our take, in a nutshell:

The tacos were served beautifully simple—lean pieces of meat, diced onions, a generous amount of cilantro, all wrapped in two small corn tortillas, with salsa on the side. The pork looks a little greasy, but that is often the case with al pastor; it's likely just the look of the marinade, as the meat tastes good, lean and a little spicy. The pork and the steak were tender, and a squeeze of fresh lime is a refreshing addition.

Neither cheese nor lettuce nor sauce was needed to spice or fatten this up. Each of the ingredients was fresh and flavorful enough to be enjoyed as is.

This year, we're back to try the quesadillas. Again, we're a fan of the simplicity. Each ingredient holds its own here.

The flour tortilla was lightly grilled on both sides. Much lighter than the quesadillas served at Baja Fresh that can take a whole lunch hour to finish, Picante's were thin and filled with tiny chunks of tender skirt steak, onions, tomatoes and a light sprinkling of cheddar and jack cheeses.

My server asked if I wanted hot sauce. When I said yes, I imagined a bottle of red liquid; instead, I was served a small cup of spicy tomatillo salsa, which added the “picante” to the otherwise mild quesadillas.

On the side of my plate was a small salad, made of shredded romaine lettuce, diced onion and diced tomato with a light lime-based dressing. Also on the side: three thin slices of avocado and a dollop of sour cream.

My only disappointment here were the sides of rice and beans. Both were bland. While the quesadillas could hold their own without the salsa verde, the rice, with tiny pieces of diced veggies, and soupy beans were desperately calling for the spice and flavor of the salsa.

As we've noted before, even the Coca Cola is authentically Mexican. Served in thin bottles that require an opener, the soda is sweetened with real sugar, not the high-fructose corn syrup that sweetens the Coca-Cola one buys in supermarkets on this side of the border.

The space feels authentic as well. From colorful curtains in the window to Diego Rivera prints looking down at me as I eat, the space offers a good sense of place.

Every time I eat here, I find something that I want to order on my next visit. Last time, I vowed to try the quesadillas soon. This time, across the dining room from me, a couple was served an iron skillet full of sizzling meat and veggies, with a side of tortillas. Next on my list: those skirt steak fajitas.