When it comes to your typical Mexican restaurant, I’m hard pressed to find items on the menu I haven’t ordered time and time again. Burrito. Enchilada. Tostada. Fajita. Yawn. It’s not that these popular creations haven’t earned their due respect. They have. But you know the places—the ones where two of the ingredients most synonymous with Mexican cuisine—avocado and cilantro—are not on the menu or even in the kitchen.
I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting anything groundbreaking at Jose’s Blue Sombrero. Yes, the usual suspects are present—those items with which we’ve come to associate or define Mexican food (in the U.S.). But look past the category names alone and undoubtedly you’ll find fresh renditions of old favorites as well as authentic Mexican classics not commonly found here.
As I surveyed nearby tables, the only common denominator greater than the margarita was the guacamole ($9), prepared tableside on a rolling cart encased in glass on three sides. You can dictate your preferred level of heat—courtesy of sliced jalapeños—and the dish is crafted via mortar and pestle with onion, cilantro, tomato and of course, ripe avocado. We received a muy generous serving, so much that when it was presented to the table I instantly envisioned taking most of it home for leftovers. Then, the next thing I knew, I was breaking the house-made tortilla chips scraping the bottom of the bowl.
There are refreshing surprises all over the menu, in addition to the more traditional options to satisfy Tex Mex devotees.
By far the most unique and intriguing item is molcajete (mol-cah-hay-tay). The best way I can describe this exciting creation is Mexican hot pot meets fajita meets fondue. It’s a dish named for the vessel it is served in, the traditional Mexican version of a mortar and pestle. A flavorful base of vegetables, spices, chorizo and salsa verde is topped with layers of ingredients (choice of steak, chicken, shrimp, vegetables or combo; $15-$27). The molcajete is heated separately before the dish’s components are added, then topped with a blend of cheeses, cilantro and a roasted banana pepper. The sizzling vessel melts and melds the cheese with the rest of the ingredients. Loaded with flavor and variety, it’s ideal for sharing.
The blue lobster burrito ($7-$19), with lobster meat, spinach, black beans and cilantro folded in a cheesy cream sauce and wrapped in a flour tortilla, is delicious and benefits from a healthy squeeze of lime to even out the richness. I can’t forget to talk about tacos because they certainly were not overlooked by José’s, with 15 varieties on the core menu alone, plus an extra three on a special menu insert, the “Street Sheet.” The insert features new and unexpected items the kitchen tries out on a limited basis to gauge success and popularity. Top performers make the core menu, including a favorite at our table, Korean Bulgogi street tacos ($8) with braised beef short rib, pickled red cabbage, carrot, cucumber and sriracha aioli. Another successful interpretation of merged cuisines is the Vietnamese bahn mi tacos ($8), combining chicken, pickled carrot, daikon radish and cucumber with cilantro mayo and serrano pepper.
José’s Blue Sombrero
8617 N. Port Washington Road
(additional locations in Brookfield and Racine)
414-351-9280
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Handicapped Access: Yes
