Vera Cruz reaffirms faith in Mexican food
Published 9:00 pm Thursday, January 25, 2007
STANWOOD – After we wrote about a disappointing meal at a Mexican restaurant in Stanwood, a Herald reader wrote in an e-mail, “Please, don’t give up on Mexican food in Stanwood … the best Mexican food in Stanwood is at Vera Cruz. Great variety and delicious; chili verde and fajitas are excellent. They end each meal with a free serving of ‘sopapillas.’”
Vera Cruz is located at the eastern end of Stanwood’s downtown. According to our accommodating server, the restaurant’s been inside the old granary for 17 years. The 57 dishes on the menu embrace all our favorites like burritos, enchiladas, tostadas and combination plates, and the house specials cover two pages.
To go with all these choices are nine Mexican beers ($3.35), red and white wines ($4.25 a glass) or sangria ($4.50). If you’ve never tried sangria, consider it. It’s made with citrus fruit juice and red wine, and is especially refreshing in the summer.
We began with Mexican beers and munched on chips and a side order of guacamole ($3.50). I considered ordering the scallops cooked in garlic and onions ($13.25), and the Seattle steak and prawns ($13.25).
But we were dining at Vera Cruz, so I had to have a Vera Cruz-style dish, which demands fresh seafood, garlic and onions. I was torn between the fish or prawns in Vera Cruz-style sauce, and I think the kitchen knew that. I ordered the prawns and our server got it right, but the kitchen made fish Vera Cruz. It didn’t matter to me, but it’s a mistake that would make others complain when they wouldn’t think of complaining.
My friend ordered his standing “test” dish for Mexican restaurants – chicken fajitas ($11.95). Our dinner came with rice and refried beans and we both asked for corn tortillas.
My fish was lightly coated and pan-fried, then covered with the traditional Vera Cruz green chili-onion-garlic-laced sauce. It was excellent, but what caught my taste buds by surprise was the side of rice. I didn’t figure out what the chef did to make it so tasty, but it was the best I’ve had in recent memory.
At the same time I was enjoying my rice, my friend was praising his fajitas. As with the rice, it was the seasoning that made the fajitas better than most. By the time our friendly server brought the free dessert, we were glad we hadn’t given up on finding good Mexican food in Stanwood.
Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.
Contact Anna Poole at features@heraldnet.com.
