Lake Stevens eatery’s Tex-Mex chow will fill your belly

I’ve mentioned before in the paper that I have a bird-size stomach.

Like a lightweight who is careful about how much they drink, I exercise caution when eating. An overly full stomach, for me, is like a hangover — unpleasant.

Nacho, a Tex-Mex restaurant in Lake Stevens that’s been around since 2011, made me want to break that rule. The food was that good.

Unlike other restaurant reviews where I’ve been accompanied by family or coworkers, I went to Nacho by myself. Therefore I felt a duty to try as much off the menu as I could to get a feel for the restaurant’s capabilities.

Everything at Nacho — a family business sporting the owner’s nickname — is homemade.

I ordered the deluxe burrito ($9.95) with pork. I could have also gotten it with beef, chicken, picadillo or chile colorado, which is beef stewed in a red chili sauce.

Maybe I’ve been eating at too many taco trucks, but I expected to be able to use my hands to eat it. This one needed a fork. It came filled with pork, rice and beans, and was topped with melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and sour cream.

Everything melded together deliciously. The pork was neither too tough nor too soft. The rice and beans were excellent.

The veggies that adorned the burrito were enticing on their own. Every ingredient tasted fresh.

I spread the guacamole and sour cream across the burrito only after I’d taken a few bites. The sauces strengthened the dish even more.

Next I tried a small enchilada for $3.50 off the a la carte menu. It also was great.

The service was excellent as well. My food was made quickly and my waiter returned to check on me a couple of times, but was never a nuisance.

I was sufficiently full at this point, having taken a sizable chunk out of the burrito and enchilada. I could’ve paid my check and been on my way.

But I was compelled to add a dessert for a complete trifecta. Everything had been a home run so far.

I’ve always liked churros, so I ordered those. I expected a couple of fried-dough pastries shaped like batons with cinnamon and sugar, no more.

Boy, was I wrong.

The churros, split into eight bite-size pieces, were stuffed with a caramel sauce. Drizzled on top was an icing made of condensed milk and sugar. I had the option of eating the churros as is, or dipping them in whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

I did both.

The churros were warm, creamy and nothing like I’ve had before. I managed to eat a couple before calling it quits.

I can’t speak with much authority on authentic Mexican food: I haven’t been to Mexico since I was a kid, nor do I frequent Mexican restaurants.

That being said, Nacho is the closest I’ve felt to being back in Mexico in a long time.

Nacho

600 91st Ave. NE., Lake Stevens.

Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Dine in or order takeout.

Call 425-397-8774.