The small bar isfront and center, with a few tables surrounding it. The wall behind the bar isfilled with some Day of the Dead skulls and religious artifacts. The Spanishword “corazon” means “heart” and, appropriately, red is a dominant color atCafé Corazon.
Owners John Kellyand George and Wendy Mireles can be seen bartending, cooking and waitingtables. They make a versatile team.
Mexican menus canoften be frustrating to vegetarians and vegans, but this one is accommodatingto all. An example is the quesadilla ($5-$7), which offers flour tortillas witha filling of meat, cheese, grilled vegetables or even soy cheddar. They aretopped with sour cream, chopped lettuce and tomato. With hints of aged cheddar,the soy cheese is surprisingly flavorful.
One surprise starterlisted among the salads and soups is mussels ($9). Mussels never appear onMexican menus, but these are given the appropriate treatment. The blue musselsare cooked with white wine and some fresh onion, garlic, jalapeño, choppedtomato and crumbled chorizo. The chorizo is on the mild side and the jalapeñosare restrained, for results that are daring and good. There is plenty of breadto soak up the flavorful liquid, and when the mussels are gone there will stillbe more chorizo flavored with the broth.
The rest of the menuconsists of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, grilled tilapia and a burger. Brunchis served on weekends.
The cheapest, mostbasic item is the truck stop taco ($2). After you choose a filling, tomato,onion, cheese and cilantro will be added. Meat options include carne asada,chorizo, chicken and mechada, which is Venezuelan, slow-cooked beef that tastesa bit like Cuban ropa vieja. The meat is pulled and makes a great filling fortacos and enchiladas. Meat-free options include a tasty mix of grilledvegetables, soy chorizo and a vegan taco. The soy chorizo is an excellentsubstitute that tastes like the spicy pork sausageall that is missing is thegrease.
The enchiladas($7-$8) come in a pair with any of the previous fillings and the typical cheeseand onion. They are served with a mild red sauce and include rice and beans.The beans are a choice of pinto or vegetarian black. Vegetarians have anotherwinner.
On the down side,chips and salsa cost $3 (and the red and green salsas are both on the mildside). The margaritas could be better as well. They are too sweet; the sugarremoves any tartness from the lime. But you’ll find a thoughtful beerselection, a few wines and an interesting choice of specialty drinks listed ona large chalkboard. The food is good though not great, except for those musselswith chorizo, and the restaurant’s small size can be a problem on weekends, asthere is little room for those standing and waiting for a table.
But Café Corazon isworth the trouble. It exudes charm, the service is warm, and the uniquebuilding is a classic. n
Café Corazon
3129 N. Bremen St.
(414) 810-3941
$-$$
Credit Cards: MC, VS
Smoke-Free
