Our day started with a pleasant, moderately strenuous 5-mile hike.
So when we arrived at Calle, a new Mexican restaurant in Mount Vernon, we were ready to start our meal with a refreshing beverage.
The cucumber margarita ($7) was just what I was looking for. Calle prides itself on its tequila selection, and also seems rather proud of its selection of margaritas.
They have a right to be proud. The cucumber margarita was fresh, crisp and just the right combination of sweet and sour.
Also, according to the menu, it was under 100 calories. Not bad. I resisted the temptation to use that information to justify another.
My husband ordered the house margarita ($6, happy hour price), which was made with lime, tequila and agave. It was also tasty; the agave gave it a different flavor from most margaritas.
Calle also offered several other margaritas that sounded interesting, including one with mango and habanero-infused tequila — yes, habanero as in the pepper.
Calle has an impressive offering of tequila. If that’s your thing, they offer flights starting at $15.
With our meal already off to a good start, we perused the menu. Calle has some unusual offerings.
It took us a while to decide on what we wanted to eat. We ordered some guacamole in the meantime, and it filled the empty places in our stomachs while we tried to decide what to order. The guacamole ($4) was delicious, with big chunks of avocado, onion and tomato. It vanished quickly.
We also ordered a fruit plate from the happy hour menu. At $3, it was a great deal. It came with a generous selection of mango, cucumber, pineapple and oranges. The happy hour at Calle is generous, lasting from 2 to 7 p.m. each day they’re open.
My husband settled on a selection of small items for his dinner. The first was a street-style taco with carnitas ($2, happy hour menu). The tacos were excellent, with a fresh tortilla and lots of flavor in the meat.
He also tried the chorizada, chorizo grilled with steak and pineapple. That one was his favorite. Just a few of those would have made a filling, and very affordable, meal.
He also tried the carne asada gorditas, which, sadly, were bland and hardly worth mentioning compared to the rest of the food.
My friend ordered the ceviche tostada ($7), shrimp marinated in lime juice with tomato juice. She declared the ceviche just OK, saying there was too much sauce. She preferred the strawberry shrimp taco ($3), saying it was an interesting combo of flavors. It’s certainly something unusual; I’ve never seen anything like it on a menu. The strawberry puree is made at Calle and it’s served warm in the taco.
I ordered carne asada plate ($14). The meat was a smidge flat tasting; I prefer a bit more flavor in carne asada. The refried beans that came with it were fabulous, though, and they rolled up nicely in the fresh tortillas. However, after seeing all the interesting tacos on offering, I think that’s what I’ll try next time.
The service throughout our meal was prompt and friendly. I could tell the staff takes a lot of pride in the restaurant.
Calle is still settling in in Mount Vernon. I hope it sticks around. I’d love another meal there after our next hike. They say hunger is the best seasoning, but even without that we would have enjoyed Calle.
Oh, and one more word on those cucumber margaritas? By the end of the meal, the cucumber pieces had frozen into fabulous tequila-flavored mini-popsicles. Now, that’s the right way to end a meal.
Calle
517 S. First St., Mount Vernon; 360-336-5566; www.calletacostequila.com.
Specialty: Mexican, tequila
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.Tuesday through Sunday.
Alcohol: Full bar
Vegetarian options: A few choices
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