Asian-Latin fusion fireworks where you would least expect them
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You could have knocked me over with a feather.
The place had all the signs typically guaranteeing indigestible food: an open-much-of-the-day concept, a youthfully throbbing bar scene, more exposed navels than a Florida orange grove, and atmosphere so thick it appeared to be shoveled in with a backhoe. We had to inquire through a fleet of gorgeous servers before we found one who knew how long Peso's Taco Lounge had been at its spot near the corner of Queen Anne Avenue North and Mercer Street — seven years — and even more before we uncovered the place's rumored relationship to Ballard's latest hot spot, The Matador. (Unrelated, but co-owned by an erstwhile Peso's employee.)
It all added up to, shall we say, minimal culinary expectations. So imagine our surprise when we found much of the food to be appealing and delightful, assembled with a knowing palate and shimmering with zestful ingenuity.
Much of the fun comes off the appetizer and specials sheets, which offer such intriguing savories as corn, blue-crab and poblano-chile spring rolls, a lovely sea scallop and halibut ceviche, or — for an entree — elegantly fired blackened ahi tuna in a roasted-shallot-and-corn sauce. Though the usual suspects are available — admirable green-chile enchiladas, for one — they by no means characterize the long menu. The chip-munching (they're great, by the way), tequila-swilling crowd will be amply satisfied at Peso's, but so will seafood samplers, budget sandwich eaters and even nominally sophisticated foodies (who will pay a little more, $15-$17ish, for the pleasure of some of the fancier dishes.)
The interesting part is the continent-hopping detected across the menu. After happily gamboling through an appetizer of garlicky prawns, lively with cilantro and copious slivers of red pepper; dredging our "Mexican" spring rolls through a sesame-heavy dipping sauce; and discovering that the green beans alongside our ahi bore a close resemblance to those fiery wonders at Wild Ginger — we recognized that we weren't just in Mexico anymore. "This is an Asian-Latin fusion restaurant," my dining partner wisely concluded, "masquerading as Chili's."
So it is — and more successfully than one would imagine. I even liked the flagrant décor, which had a sort of amber-lit Alhambra/dungeon thing going.
I could have done without the big-screen TVs ... but then even all that navel-gazing won't keep those frat boys happy forever.
Check please:
Corn, blue-crab and poblano-chile spring rolls: The idea was terrific, stuffing flaky spring-roll casings with corn kernels and crab, then lighting it all ablaze with poblano chilies — but the execution didn't deliver quite enough crab flavor or chile fire, and the whole was too greasy. The sesame-kissed dipping sauce rendered it exotic, however, and compelling.
Garlic prawns: I'll never get a cold again, thanks to the 5,000 cloves of garlic chopped into this delicious, if unsubtle, appetizer. Beautifully cooked prawns, slivers of red pepper and lots of cilantro also contributed.
Green-chile enchiladas: Delicious, carefully prepared black beans, pico de gallo and Spanish rice were three clues that someone in Peso's kitchen cares about the details. Corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken and lavished in a lightly fiery green-chile sauce were solid. A little dollop of Mexican crema added the right lush complement.
Blackened ahi: A sensational dish, featuring the normally precious ahi presented with welcome rusticity. Cooked to ruby perfection, the fish wore a creamy roasted-shallot-and-corn sauce and was served with green beans wizened on the grill. A wonderful mix of flavors and textures.
Mojito: Nobody makes 'em sweet enough, nobody makes 'em minty enough — and Peso's is no exception. Still, it came in a nice big glass (a plus!), all clinky with ice cubes, and provided good enough refreshment between bites.
Itemized bill, meal for two
Corn, blue-crab and poblano-chile spring rolls $6.75
Garlic prawns $7.95
Green-chile enchiladas $10.75
Blackened ahi $17.50
Mojito $7.00
Tax $4.39
Total $54.34
Kathryn Robinson: kathrynrobinson@speakeasy.net
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