The Granite Plate

Roger and I adore Mexican food. At home we often cook with cumin, chili powder, chiles of all kinds, lime, corn, beans, and cilantro. My husband has become a fiend for chipotle flavored anything. And we both like it hot.

My complaint with most Mexican restaurants is that they glop up everything with cheese. It isn’t always traditional and it tends to make most dishes to heavy.

So, we enjoy visiting Tio Juan’s Margarita’s in Concord (we sometimes pop into the Manchester and Lebanon locations) for three reasons:

• Icy cold Dos Equis Amber served with two wedges of lime in a nice big 20-oz glass
• Their spicy salsa and warm chips. The salt spice balance is just right and the chips the perfect vehicle.
• Fish Tacos

I don’t think I was aware of fish tacos until a few years ago, but how can you go wrong wrapping anything hot and spicy in tortillas.

The Fish Tacos at Margaritas are two white corn tacos filled with flaky, crusted (crushed tortilla dip before cooking) talapia and home-made corn salsa and shredded red cabbage. They come with a side of chipotle mayonnaise.

The challenge is to get both down without the second one falling apart in your hand. Hey, life is filled with challenges. If you fail, drown your sorrows in a second 20-oz Dos Equis. Poor baby.