Plenty of Seating

It is a toss-up between whether we spend more time at the Margarita’s on Southwest Boulevard or the location in Lenexa. Obviously, a lot of it depends on where we are spending our day, but for this article we visited their Lenexa spot at 7890 Quivira Road. For years they were located on Johnson Drive, in a basement, which would have been a death toll for most restaurants. Their dedicated fan base kept them busy, until it became clear that they needed a location with better access. Their move to their current location allowed customers improved parking, and the restaurant certainly has more street presence. For those who have been regulars for years, there is an appreciation that the inside is a little roomier than their past digs. A variety of tables and booths offer plenty of seating, and customers can also choose to sit at the high-tops located in the bar area.

Chips For Dips

We visited between the lunch and dinner rushes on a Saturday afternoon, so the seating was plentiful. We were seated immediately, and served fresh chips and salsa. Our server dropped by, and introduced himself. We seem to gravitate to the same menu items each visit, but decided it was time to mix it up a bit. After some explanations from our server, we finally decided on our meals. With our orders in, we could now just relax and snack on the chips. We are fans of Margarita’s salsa, and even buy it at the grocery store for use at home.

And Now For Something Different

For her meal, Crystal chose the Chicken Argentine. This consists of a grilled chicken breast that is coated with their signature Margarita Dip, which is a melted blend of cheese and spices. It comes with fresh tortillas, and a side of rice and beans. She used the tortillas to create her own version of a cheesy chicken burrito, and noted a little kick to the dish. Crystal always foregoes the beans in favor of more rice, which she added to her burrito. For my side dish, I choose to only have the refried beans, and leave the rice for Crystal. (It is obvious that opposites attract.)

I usually order a chimichanga, but on this visit, went with the tacos. Our server explained that they serve a variety of fillings, and that I could mix and match. To get a good sampling of the flavors offered, I decided to order three different meats. One taco was a standard hard shell with ground beef. It doesn’t get any more regular than this, and it had great flavor. That taco didn’t stay around long. The other two were “authentic” style tacos, which are served with onion and cilantro. I selected one with roast pork, and the other with carnitas meat. They both were delicious, and had their own unique flavor. Our meals are always so filling that we can never finish them. We chatted with the server for a bit. before making our way back to our car. We realize that Kansas City offers a wide array of Mexican food options, and it’s great that so many of them serve good meals. So, which Mexican restaurant is your favorite?

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Marketing To The Masses

During our visit, we found out Los Alamos has adapted over the years. In the early days, they focused on selling household goods, wine, beer, and Mexican items. Customers requested more from them, and soon they began offering breakfast items. Owners Augustin and Ana found that the demand continued to grow, and soon added lunch. To this day customers will still find an eclectic collection of goods for sale. Pinatas hang above shelves filled with Jarritos and assorted snacks. As we made our way past these few shelves we came to the dining area. Taking up about half of the floor space is an assortment of mismatched tables and chairs. Our arrival was after the lunch rush on a Saturday, but we still found quite a few of the tables occupied. We made our way over to the glass-front counter to order our meals.

Rustic Menu at Los Alamos Market

As we stepped up to the counter we were greeted by Augustin. We explained that this was our first visit, and a smile spread across his face. He immediately started into his presentation about all of the items available to eat. It was obvious that he is passionate about the business, and loves sharing their food with customers. This kind of warmth makes a visit that much more special. He walked us through all of the items available, and gave us a brief explanation of the components and cooking for each. What began as a lunch stop quickly turned into a mini-lesson on authentic Mexican foods. Crystal selected the Pork Carnitas plate, which comes with rice and beans. You have a choice of corn or flour tortillas, but Augustin suggested we go with the corn, so we did.

Authentic Flavor

I chose the Beef Barbacoa, which comes with the same sides, and I selected the corn tortillas, as well. We found ourselves a table, and waited for our plates to be assembled. We noted that Los Alamos Market has a diverse range of customers, and all looked satisfied with the meals they were eating. Our anticipation grew, and soon our plates were brought to the table. Two bowls of sauce were also served, and it was noted that one was mild, and the other hot. In my opinion they may have misidentified them, since the mild had lots of kick. Of course, we weren’t going to test that theory for fear that the other was substantially hotter. The food was delicious, and there was plenty to fill us, and allow for left-overs. A note to our non-heat loving readers, the slaw in the middle contains some diced peppers that also have a healthy kick. We bid our goodbyes to Augustin and Ana, and thanked them for their hospitality. After this wonderful experience the only question is, what other great menu items should we try?

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Smoky Goodness

The menu at El Pollo Rey is fairly straight forward. They specialize in chicken, but they also have sides to accompany it. While the prices are slightly higher than you would pay for a rotisserie bird from a grocery store, the flavor makes the extra cost a non-issue. The flavor far surpasses that of most any other prepared bird you will find in the city. The idea is so simple that it makes the final product that much better. A half-chicken order comes in around $7.00, and is more than a meal for one. Besides the bird you will also receive sides of beans, rice, salsa, and tortillas. Don’t forget to pick up some pickled onions for an added treat.

Make it a Meal

They also offer hot wings in groups of 10. We haven’t tried those yet, but others have given them rave reviews. El Pollo Rey opens at 11:00 am for the lunch crowd, and stays open until around 8:00 pm. The lines can get long and that increases the wait. many times, we have ordered our chicken, and then crossed the street to a local market. Armed with additional supplies, we head back to pick up our meal. Give them a try for some of the most flavorful chicken in town, and grab a Coke while you are there. It’s the old style made with real sugar, and not corn syrup. Now that’s some good eating.

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