Perhaps the most desired ethnic food amongst Bowdoin students is Mexican cuisine. Whether its Chipotle burritos or guacamole from El Camino, Mexican food is like the hot new Rihanna song.
This week's restaurant review examines one of the few Mexican food options in Brunswick, Pancho Villa. Short of the Ritz of Mexican cuisine, Taco Bell and Taco Mania at the dining halls, Brunswick's only Mexican options are Pedro O' Hara's and El Camino.
There are too many obvious things wrong with an Irish/Mexican themed restaurant whose best dish is chicken fingers, and El Camino always has a line.
Many students flock to Bruce's Burritos in Yarmouth to get their fix, but it's not open on Sundays and the dining halls are terrible on Sundays.
Located at 164 Pleasant, Pancho Villa can be a nice alternative pick when cheap Mexican is all you desire.
Let me just start by saying Pancho Villa isn't that bad. I mean, it's pretty bad, but let's appreciate it for what it is. Pancho is inexpensive and stereotypical.
The place is decorated like a cheap Cinco de Mayo party, and the wait staff really couldn't care less. It's the type of place where you feel like you can get away with cursing loudly, burping or farting and, unfortunately, many people do.
The food is good if you're in the mood for it. Portions are large and prices cheap. Each table starts with a plate of bottomless nachos and salsa, but the servers take their sweet time in refilling after round two.
The chips are heated and salted but are obviously from a bag. The salsa, like many of the other dishes, was a little bit bland but got the job done.
The menu is very large for such a small establishment. Menu options feature everything from ceviches to enchiladas and, of course, that classic Mexican staple, the double cheeseburger.
The most prominent and popular menu items are the burritos.
You can order your burrito regular or "gringo style," that is, topped with heaps of a tomato-based, enchilada-style sauce and cheese and then baked until the cheese is melted. It is served with a side of sour cream and a useless portion of rather unfortunate-looking guacamole.
The burritos are made with a variety of different meats including steak, ground beef, chicken, pork and chorizo.
Each tortilla is packed fat with seemingly-tasteless rice and refried beans that knock out most of the potential taste from the meat and cheese.
It's definitely in your best interest to get your meal gringo style, because, otherwise, the cheap products make it dry. If you're able to find your server at this point in the meal, ask for some hot sauce as well.
The most expensive burrito is only $1 and easily makes a full meal with enough to take home for later. Don't go to Pancho Villa expecting authentic Mexican cuisine, but give it a try when the craving for Mexican strikes.
At the end of the day, it doesn't taste nearly as bad as you would expect. Ultimately Pancho Villa is a bang for your buck that you won't (at least I didn't) regret later that night.
Taste: 2.5 stars
Authenticity: 1.5 star
Value: 5 stars
Overall: 3 stars