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.  

Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Brookfield CT

Five Guys has ruined me for other 'fast food' burgers. The burgers there are tasty and fresh, a handful of happiness. I use the term fast food carefully since everything is made fresh, so it does take a few minutes. The short wait is worth it though.

The Five Guys in Brookfield is on Federal Road, just up from the Stew Leonard's so we decided to go eat first, then do some grocery shopping. We changed our mind when the Five Guys lot was full so we shopped first and tried it again. This time there were a couple of spots available, but there was quite the crowd inside. It isn't as big as the one in Poughkeepsie since it is an old diner that's been converted, causing an odd interior. The food, however, was every bit as good though.

This time we decided to try the regular Five Guys fries instead of the cajun fries. They were good, but bland compared to the spicy ones. I had two little cheeseburgers with pickles and Teresa had a little burger with onions. Plenty of good food for a little over eighteen bucks with a soda.

I may start planning trips revolving around Five Guys locations, at least until they put one in Newburgh. If you haven't tried Five Guys yet, shut down the computer and take a drive. You can find their locations on the company website.