Weekly Lunch Pick
Milagro
The three-course prix fixe at this cantina proves there’s more to Mexican food than nachos and tacos By Renée Suen
Tex-free Mex: Milagro's lunch special is a great introduction
to authentic Oaxaca fare
Image credit: Renee Suen
The place: Giant windows bring in the midday sun, casting a warm glow over the brown floors and vintage Mexican movie posters. The array of tequilas tempts from behind the sizable bar.
The crowd: Wellington Street businessmen downing Mexican beers, creative types in their casual best, tourists and lunchtime dates who escape to the patio. Attentive servers are friendly and well versed in the menu.
The deal: The lunch deal is a three-course prix fixe for $14.95 (not the $15.95 advertised on the Web site), with selections sticking close to Mexican classics: black bean soup, chicken with salsa verde, beef stew, etc.
The meal: A first course of black bean soup is made both hearty and spicy by Oaxaca-style cheese and serrano peppers. Our tuna Jalisco arrives, piled high along with sautéed strips of pale green cactus and zucchini in a spicy tomato sauce. The dish—which comes with refried beans, rice and a basket of handmade corn-masa tortillas—is vibrantly fresh and not overly decadent (though it’s a touch salty). Stuffed, we still find room for the dense flan casero con caramelo—a satisfying cross between cheesecake and an eggy flan—that’s bathed in a golden caramelized sugar sauce.
The time: 98 minutes, excluding a much needed siesta after the meal.
The cost: $23.65, including tax, tip and a glass of refreshing cuke-limeade aguas fresca ($2.95).
Milagro Restaurant, 5 Mercer St. (at John St.), 416-850-2855, milagrorestaurant.com.
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