Photo by Lauren Kirsch
Los Paisa Restaurante Mexicano takes the idea of home-style Mexican food fairly literally. The building it operates in is, after all, a home. In fact, if it wasn’t for the neon “open” signs in the window, you might think you’re entering someone’s home for lunch or dinner.
The homey feel continues once inside. The entryway divides the restaurant in half: the kitchen plus eight-stool bar on the left, and on the right a quaint dining room, colorfully decorated and filled with Mexican folk art and family photos.
Warm tortilla chips are served upon seating—with not one but three accompaniments: pico de gallo, pinto bean dip, and a smooth and spicy red sauce similar to a classic enchilada or taco sauce. Don’t stall on putting an order in for appetizers—or the next thing you know those tortilla chips and such will have left you with no room for fresh guacamole ($6). It’s only mixed tableside (vs. prepared), which is nice when vouching for freshness, but doesn’t allow for personalizing flavors or spice levels as offered at other establishments. Jalapeños locos ($4.99) are simply roasted jalapeño peppers smothered with Mexican cheese and broiled. Not much can go wrong here, and should there be any leftovers, chop them up and they will metamorphose tomorrow morning’s scrambled eggs.
The menu is traditional. Expected categories including fajitas, enchiladas and tacos all come with seasoned rice and refried beans, as does just about every other menu item. These sides—plus the guacamole, sour cream, etc., that accompany most entrées really fill out the plate, making portions, as a whole, feel large.
When not specified per dish, Los Paisa offers a variety of proteins to customize your order, including steak, chicken, ground beef, carnitas, chili verde pork or chunky beef, plus 10 seafood and vegetarian menu items.
Los Paisa’s burrito ($9) was prepared with our chosen protein, steak and beans and topped with cheese and ranchero sauce (medium spicy, thin brown sauce) and served with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and guacamole. Carnitas ($8.50) is a well-known Mexican dish of pork (usually shoulder meat) braised or simmered with traditional spices in oil or lard until extremely tender. Meaning “little meats,” it is served alongside flour tortillas to build-your-own taco, similar to how diners self-assemble, for example, mu shu pork in Chinese cuisine.
Fish tacos ($8.50) come with choice of breaded tilapia or grilled shrimp, two tacos per order. The tilapia was cooked well and delivered balance between the tender fish and crunchy breading. It’s garnished with lettuce and a spicy chipotle-ranch sauce.
And when you just can’t decide, the combination platters will bail you out. Between $6.99 and $9 you can compose your own entrée from choices including taco, burrito, enchilada, tamale, tostada, chile relleño or small chimichanga.
Los Paisa Restaurante Mexicano
600 W. Brown Deer Road
414-540-2125
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Handicap accessible: No
