Panchos & Gringos, Brookfield, CT

Enchiladas Mole

I may have a new favorite Mexican restaurant, or at least one that is at least equal to my favorite which is the Cafe Maya in Fishkill. We first came in contact with Panchos and Gringos about a month ago when I heard on the radio that there was a restaurant tasting in Brookfield at the Raymour and Flanagan store. We stopped by and our favorite was Panchos and Gringos. They were sampling a pulled pork that was as good as ours and they gave us a gift certificate for a free appetizer. We put them on the short list of places to visit.

We were headed to Costco and decided to stop by and pay a visit. I only hoped it lived up to the hype we'd built up. Outside it looks kitschy and Mexican, with a life-sized fake horse in the doorway. Inside it is tastefully decorated, not over the top like some Mexican places, and there is Mexican music playing. There is also a Mexican wait staff and I'd certainly hope a Mexican cooking team. We were given water, menus and chips and salsa. The chips were warm and the salsa had just the right hint of heat to them. Oh, the water was cold.

Appetizer Sampler

Since we had the gift certificate, we decided on the appetizer sampler. Everything on it tasted fresh and good, the chicken wings being the best part. It was a nice start to the meal. 

The problem was in choosing the entrees as there were too many things that caught our eyes. I was going to go with a fish taco, but the enchiladas mole with beef won out. I'm glad it did as it was simply amazing. The Mole sauce was rich, but not overpowering, with multiple flavor notes coming through. Quite possibly my favorite Mexican dish, that is until I tasted the dish Teresa ordered.

Enchiladas Tomatillo

Teresa ordered the enchiladas Tomatillo with chicken and I tasted it. Actually I ate one of hers and she had one of mine. The tomatillos gave a delightful sour taste that made me want to lick the plate to get the last precious drops of that amazing sauce. This is why Panchos & Gringos may just be my new favorite Mexican place. Oh yeah, the refried beans were quite tasty and I even ate some of the rice.

Overall, nice ambiance, good service and amazing food at reasonable prices. We will certainly be headed back to try some of the other dishes that interested us and you should stop by too.