Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
Mexic 103
Was it a little risky to open another Mexican restaurant within a one-block radius of two well-established eateries serving Mexican fare (Samano’s and Lala’s)? Maybe, but the venture seems to have paid off for Mexic 103, housed in a beautiful Lannon Stone building on East Layton Avenue that was occupied by a series of bar and grills and, most recently, a microbrewery.
Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
Mexic 103
Since opening last summer, Mexic 103, owned by restaurant industry veteran Gilberto Isidoro and his wife, Ericka Martell, has carved its own identity and has become a neighborhood favorite.
My visits over the past year with friends and family have found the food to be consistently good, with friendly service. A spacious patio alongside the building offers pleasant seating during summer. The interior is warm and inviting. There’s about a half-dozen fruity margaritas to choose from, but as a margarita traditionalist, I like the classic tarty lime on the rocks ($6). Beer drinkers will find a nice assortment of Mexican and domestic brews. Appetizers include ceviche ($8), a seafood dish originating from Peru; empanadas ($2 each); and fried plantains with Mexican cream ($4.50). The tortilla chips are on the thicker side and hold up well for dipping into the cool, creamy guacamole dip ($6) blended with fresh cilantro, lime juice and tomato chunks.
The broad menu has all the Mexican classics you’d expect; these include a ground beef taco platter ($8) with three ground beef tacos on corn or flour tortillas; quesadilla supreme ($8); sizzling fajitas ($13); house enchiladas ($10); and house burritos ($10), with a choice of fillings. Plates come with a side of beans and buttery, seasoned Spanish rice, attractively served in a pyramid shape. There are slight upcharges for some additional sides or toppings.
There are several seafood specialties to choose from, and on a recent visit, one of my fellow diners chose the Baja tacos ($12.50). The plate featured one shrimp taco, which was generously filled with plump, snappy shrimp, topped with scallions, tomatoes, cilantro and onions, served with cilantro jalapeño sauce; and a tilapia taco, which generated a “wow!” from my fellow diner upon the first bite. He remarked how the tilapia fillet was grilled and seasoned to perfection, topped with avocado slices, tomato and Baja cream sauce.
As a vegetarian, I was excited to see the rare choice of a veggie chimichanga ($10) filled with squash, zucchini, tomato and onions, but I wanted something a little on the lighter side that day, so I went with the vegan tacos ($8). It’s always interesting to see each Mexican restaurant’s unique spin on vegetarian and vegan substitutes. Mexic 103’s house-made soy crumbles are moist and lightly seasoned, making a satisfying plant-based filling for tacos. Each one was topped with shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, onions and tomatoes.
Favorite house dishes available include shrimp with garlic butter ($14), seasoned with Creole spices; mole ($12); and nopalito (baby cactus) with cheese ($15), which comes with grilled chicken, shrimp and cactus, topped with red house sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack. Mexic 103 also offers some breakfast options, such as breakfast tacos ($7) or huevos con chorizo ($7), as well as a kid’s menu.
