When Julio and his spouse Ximena Rodriguez first opened the unique Don Julio’s Mexican Restaurant within the Palms Connection plaza on E. Bearss Ave. seven years in the past, the restaurant was an homage to Julio’s mom Esther Rodriguez (or Doña Esther). Esther started placing her cooking skills to good use within the late Nineteen Eighties and early ‘90s by promoting her genuine Mexican delicacies out of her storage in West Tampa after her husband, the unique Don Julio, handed away when her three youngsters have been nonetheless younger. She did properly sufficient to place all three youngsters by way of faculty.
As we reported final yr, since then, Julio and Ximena opened a a lot bigger restaurant, with a full-liquor bar, within the Metropolis Plaza at Tampa Palms buying heart, which has actually helped enhance the Rodriguez household’s publicity locally “and introduced in loads of new clients,” Julio says.
However, only a few days earlier than we went to press with this subject, Julio and Ximena had moved the unique Don Julio’s two areas down in the identical plaza — to the a lot bigger area beforehand occupied by Bearss Tavern & Faucet. “It simply bought too packed on the weekends on the previous area, Julio says.
I promised Julio that Jannah, photographer Charmaine George (who took all of those footage), her boyfriend Brendan and I might go to the “new” location to not solely try the a lot bigger area but additionally to pattern a few of Doña Esther’s “autentica” recipes we hadn’t tried earlier than.
And, it simply so occurs that Doña Esther (heart in above photograph, with Ximena and Julio) was serving to out within the kitchen on the day we visited — and sure, we undoubtedly sampled! We began by sharing the large Don Julio’s Sampler (photograph proper) from the “Antojitos/Cravings” menu. The sampler contains crisp taquitos (we had them full of rooster), a tamale (corn dough full of pork, wrapped in a corn husk and steamed), a sope (handmade thick corn tortilla topped with refried beans, lettuce, onions, cheese and bitter cream; we added floor beef to it), a tostada (just like a sope, however flatter; we added carne asada steak to it), nachos (we added pastor and floor beef) and our new favourite, the superbly tacky quesadillas to which we added shredded rooster.
We every additionally ordered a predominant course. Jannah bought her regular fave (though it was her first time having it at Don Julio’s) — the bottom beef enchiladas (with refried beans and a purple guajillo chile sauce). Charmaine actually loved her taco salad (backside proper photograph) with tender carne asada steak. Brendan additionally raved about his chimichanga al pastor (marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit; left photograph), which additionally was full of loads of cheese and topped with melted cheese).
I additionally tried the Bistec Ranchero (under), which is spherical steak cooked (and lined) in an incredible mixture of tomatoes, onions and serrano peppers. The steak itself was not fairly as tender because the carne asada, however the taste was really unbelievable.
The brand new restaurant itself is gorgeous. Julio says, “It took us six months to construct this out, however we’re more than happy with the end result,” together with the genuine Mexican Talavera tile behind the bar (backside left photograph). We’d must agree.
And, talking of the bar, the most recent Don Julio’s nonetheless options an unimaginable collection of tequilas and mezcals, some very upscale and uncommon, however all at very cheap costs. Brendan, beforehand a long-time bartender, stated his strawberry margarita was “spot on,” Charmaine savored her tequila dawn and Jannah raved in regards to the white sangria. I, in fact, additionally had no complaints about my Woodford Reserve bourbon.
Prepared For Cinco?
Julio guarantees that each areas of Don Julio’s shall be throwing “the most effective Cinco de Mayo occasion on the town” the weekend of Might 3-4, “and the large closing blowout on Monday, the fifth.”
“We’ll have DJ music, drink specials and, on the Bearss location, we’ll be serving fast and simple tacos from our meals truck exterior,” he says. “Plus the brand new location has this large outside patio, so come test us out!”
Each award-winning Don Julio’s areas (2802 E. Bearss Ave. and 16023 Tampa Palms Blvd.) are open Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday & Saturday. For extra data, go to DonJuliosMexican.com or discover them on Fb or Instagram. For reservations (not required however prompt, particularly on the weekends), name (813) 898-2860 (Bearss Ave.) or (813) 644-7899 (Tampa Palms).
