About "Eat My Words"

About this blog

"Eat My Words" is a long time in the making. There is no question that my favorite activity is eating, but beyond that obvious fact, I especially like visiting new restaurants and trying new foods.

That's where the "Adventures in Dining" comes in. I won't be reviewing chain restaurants. The food may be fine, but there is no adventure to a Bob Evans, Applebee's, or Olive Garden! The only time I may blog about one of these establishments might be to comment on something unusual - whether it be good or bad - that may have occurred during my visit. Otherwise, I will be focusing on small, local restaurants that feature unique menu items.

I am not a food snob. I do not have any culinary training. I like what I like and will share my thoughts regarding my meal, a restaurant's ambiance, the attentiveness of the staff, and any other thoughts that may come to mind. Hopefully, readers will enjoy my reviews and try these restaurants for themselves.

Thanks for stopping by and please feel free to share your own feedback!

Gary Dougherty
November 24, 2010

UPDATE (October 13, 2012): I'm back!! For a variety of reasons (none of them good), I have not posted any reviews for about 18 months. Rest assured, I have continued to eat...just not write! I hope you enjoy my culinary adventures and I welcome any recommendations you might have for me. Bon appetit!








Friday, December 10, 2010

Cinco de Mayo

December 7, 2010

Cinco de Mayo
3962 Powell Road
Powell, OH  43065
(614) 210-0900

My parents came to town to watch Sarah cheer for the 7th grade girls' basketball team at Hyatts Middle School that evening and, before heading back to Tiffin, they needed to get some dinner.  Having been to Cinco de Mayo before and liking it, they chose to re-visit this Mexican restaurant in a strip center at the corner of Powell Road and Sawmill Parkway in Powell.  Of course, I joined them!

As one walks into the restaurant, you are immediately met by a blast of bright colors.  The tables, chairs, and booths are a combination of the most vivid reds, greens, yellows, and blues that you are likely to encounter in any restaurant!

Not unlike other Mexican restaurants, a server almost immediately places a basket of chips and a mini-carafe of salsa on the table.  The salsa is generally mild, but this evening, it actually had a little bit of a bit to it...a plus in my mind!

Open for about 15 months, Cinco de Mayo offers a wide variety of Mexican dishes and the ones I have tried have all been good.  This evening, I had a chile relleno, chalupa, and hard taco as a la carte items.  Chile rellenos are one of my favorite Mexican foods and I order them often.  At Cinco de Mayo, the poblano pepper is stuffed with cheese, coated in a batter, fried, and served with a tomato-based sauce.  The poblano is a mild pepper, so this dish would be suitable for anyone.

The chalupa is not the abomination you get at Taco Bell!   A real Mexican chalupa is a tostada covered with a variety of items.  Cinco de Mayo tops its chalupa with chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, and guacamole sauce.  It is a bit bland and could benefit from a spicy salsa to liven it up.  On this evening, the chalupa was covered with a too generous dollop of guacamole that overwhelmed the dish a bit.

The hard taco was not very imaginative, but who doesn't like tacos?!

Cinco de Mayo is a friendly place staffed by attentive wait staff.  I was particularly entertained by our server repeatedly referring to my 76-year-old mother as "honey!" 

Typically, I will provide a link to the website of the restaurant I am reviewing.  Unfortunately, Cinco de Mayo's website has the same Coming Soon! banner that has been there for months, perhaps since the restaurant opend in September, 2009. 

If you are in the Powell area, Cinco de Mayo is worth the stop, particularly if you have a Valpak coupon!  As a Powell resident, the proximity makes Cinco de Mayo attractive and I will return often.

No comments:

Post a Comment