Stars: 4.7 out of 5.0
Pros: Outside Seating, Menu Selections, Quality Food
Cons: Lack of Spicy Heat
SB is back in Richmond after 2 years in Madagascar with the Peace Corp. I would be lying if I didn't say I was very excited about it. It's great to see her and hear all about her trip. While she doesn't think she made a huge impact, she did some amazingly big things over there. I'm very proud of her and her accomplishments. That being said, it's nice to have her back in town. I appreciate having a new dining partner. So, we decided to go get lunch at Nacho Mama's (Nacho Mama's). Mexican beers and Mexican food at 1pm on a Wednesday. That's adultish right?
Nacho Mama's is located on Cary St. among a strip of shops. Street parking is touch and go, but the side streets around there usually have positive results. Nacho Mama's has a wonderfully bright exterior with a nice little front deck so it's very difficult to miss. We chose to sit outside because it was a nice day. The waitress met us at the front door and accommodated us. There were 2 other occupied tables aside from ours which is pretty much the full compliment of seating on the deck. If you can get out there on a nice day, well worth it.
We sat down and the waitress brought out some chips & salsa. She then explained the menu to us. She pointed out the "Local Favorites" section and explained how a portion of every menu item purchased from that section gets donated back to the community. Nice to see a community restaurant giving back to the community that supports it. The menu provides a wide range of options that would suit almost any preferences. There are vegetarian and gluten free options for those that prefer (or need) to go that route. I always find myself torn at Mexican restaurants more then any other place. I am aware that most plates contain the same base ingredients, but I get stuck trying to decide how I wish to have them presented. On this day, we both decided to go with burritos. SB went with the Southwestern Chicken burrito (grilled chicken, peppers, rice, cheese and a few other things). I went with the Macho Man burrito (chicken, rice, beans and chipotle sauce) because I am all about the hot sauce. I requested it extra hot. The waitress told me she would let the kitchen know.
As we sat talking I couldn't help but laugh at the pair of brass ones on the flock of sparrows that attacked a basket of chips that the waitress had not picked up yet from a table that had just left. These little buggers would perch on the edge of the basket and flick chips out to the ones waiting on the ground before grabbing a hunk for themselves. I, at least, found it pretty entertaining.
Our food came out looking delicious, but with a saddening statement attached. My food was "hot" but it wasn't "HOT HOT HOT". Apparently Nacho Mama's is more about flavor then burning a persons face off. While I can appreciate that, when I go out for Mexican, I want a little scorch to my food. I think that is perfectly reasonable. Still, the food was very good. I won't say as if I felt I had crossed the border, but this is Mexican food in Richmond. And for that, I feel it represented well. And the burrito was filling. Both of us had remains on our plate when we were done.
Overall, Nacho Mama's provides a nice touch of color and flair to Carytown. It's a wonderful place to stop in for lunch on a nice day. The staff is friendly and the menu vast. I will be back for dinner in the future.
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