Where Are You, Jimmy B?

Margarita King Bar & Grill

A Restaurant Review

Call it kismet?

No?

Then just call it the urge to eat and knock back a drink. Or maybe two.

While driving through downtown Meadville to jump through red tape to get a new job, this old gal happened to pass Margarita King Bar & Grill several times.

Its bright signage always caught my eye on Chestnut Street.

So one day, after a barrage of tests to obtain a menial position, I decided to treat myself.
After feeding the parking meter, I wasn’t sure if I should practice my curtsey, since, after all, I’d be meeting royalty, wouldn’t I?

I needn’t have bothered. Sadly, the “King” wasn’t present—nor was anyone else when I entered the establishment on a recent Thursday afternoon.

Perchance he was visiting one of his other three realms: Mercer, Grove City or Niles (OH)?

I always feel antsy attending a restaurant when no one else is there, figuring either one of two situations:

A) I have the place to myself and the server will be attendant and cater to all my whims

or

B) The food isn’t good and/or there’s poor service, which is why it’s empty (And would I have time to escape before I’m spotted?)

Luckily for me and my appetite, it was “A.”

A friendly young waitress who’d been sunning herself, and of course, fiddling with her phone outside, followed me in and promptly brought me a menu.

Asking me my choice of drink, did I really have another choice than to request a margarita, since this was the court of the Margarita King?

Much to my dismay, the waitress explained they weren’t currently serving alcohol due to some brouhaha with the Liquor Control Board and the site’s previous owner, which somehow affected his Highness.

The waitress did say, however, that Margarita King is currently BYOB, so John Barleycorn could be served there—that is, if you thought ahead enough to bring your flask.

Sigh…

Rather than bellowing “false advertising,” I ordered a Blue Hawaiian, which was a slushy with a 50-yard field kick of lime juice.

“Aye-yi-yi!”

With its lip-puckering sour, sweet, satisfying flavor, a duo dancing the flamenco on my taste buds all at once, heck, who needed booze?

As with every Mexican-themed restaurant, I got chips and salsa that I wolfed down while perusing the menu and checking out the place.

The restaurant’s décor with its wagon wheels upon its gray walls gave the place the feel of Ol’ Mexico, yet the six large- screen TVs took away that effect. Nonetheless, I watched a silent “Seinfeld” episode while listening to happy Hispanic music being piped in from somewhere above me.

Food wise, let’s face it: Most Mexican restaurants offer the same fare. Burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, yet I wanted something kind of different, so I ordered the fajita taco salad.

I was initially disappointed with the size of the meal in comparison with its $15.99 price, yet I ended up taking some of it home for a second meal, so could I complain?

A deep-friend fajita fashioned into a bowl, rather than me piling ingredients into a fajita wrap, everything was included within the edible container. (Take that, Tupperware!)

A word to the wise: Don’t let the cool cheese, lettuce and cubed tomatoes slices atop this fajita fool you: Underneath it, the steak and vegetables were piping hot! Chalk that up to a lack of customers and/or a bored chef.

As a food critic it’s my duty is to try different items. While my tummy craved deep-friend ice cream, I chose “churros con fresas,” advertised as “fried dough pastry covered in cinnamon sugar fresh strawberries, chocolate syrup and whipped cream.”

Sound good?

Hit and miss, actually.

You can’t go wrong with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, but chocolate fried pastry was too chewy for me and, as for the “fresh” strawberries, well, they weren’t.

Tighter than a bullfighter’s pants within the pastry, I couldn’t get enough of the item to suss out what it was. It wasn’t strawberry compote; it was far too thick. Maybe strawberry jam?

Still a good meal overall, I bid “hasta luego” to Margarita King and I promised myself I’d practice my curtsey for the next visit.

Margarita King is located at 251 Chestnut St., Meadville. For more information call 814-333-1237.
***The Lunch Lady

End