El Beso Mexican Restaurante & Cantina (5030 S. 74th St.) resembles a village decorated for the Day of the Dead with skull-faced portraiture adorning walls painted with rustic vistas. It's the kind of environment practically begging to be franchised.
Thankfully, El Beso's spectacle doesn't override the quality of cuisine. It offers brunch daily, including mimosas and Bloody Marys.
El Beso's signature omelets makes for a worthy companion for either beverage. Cage-free eggs are splayed out in almost frittata-like fashion in combination with poblano and jalapeno peppers, tomato, onion, Chihuahua cheese and finely-ground chorizo. A topping of cilantro sprinkles adds to an already rich array of color, flavor and texture. A side of whole black beans in a bowl (instead of the usual mashed refried pintos) marks another way El Beso distinguishes itself.
For a dessert rich and singular, platanos machos is the obvious option. Eight pieces of fried plantain drizzled with condensed milk and chocolate and caramel sauces surround a veritable mountain of hard vanilla ice cream, strawberries, pillowy whipped cream and a touch more chocolate.
El Beso's ornate building stands out amidst the Greenfield strip malls. What's cooking inside provides reason to venture within.
