By Nicole June
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – With so many Mexican-inspired food establishments in Clarksville, it can be tricky to find one that stands out for you.
My coworker and I recently visited El Bracero Authentic Mexican Restaurant off Wilma Rudolph Blvd. for a quick lunch. We were craving some guacamole and queso dip and decided to give this fairly new restaurant a go.
When we walked inside, I was pleasantly surprised by the lavish interior. There is something interesting to gaze at in all directions, from decorative plants, to chandeliers, to bright wall colors.
Our server was attentive and helpful. He pointed out the lunch menu, which offers great prices for a decent amount of food. My coworker ordered the lunch chimichanga (7.99 – Flour tortilla stuffed with beef tips or shredded chicken and then deep-fried to a golden brown. Smothered with cheese sauce and served with rice, beans, lettuce, sour cream, and pico de gallo).
I almost always order a quesadilla fajita wherever I go, so I chose to branch out a little and ordered the lunch taco salad fajita ($7.59 – A crispy flour tortilla filled with grilled chicken, cooked with onion, green and red bell pepper, smothered with cheese sauce, topped with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream). The ‘smothered with cheese sauce’ bit really hooked me.
And of course we also ordered the guac and queso to go with our chips and salsa. I almost started digging in without taking a photo first, which explains why this photo is blurry. Cheese addiction is real, people.
The guac was fresh and the queso dip had a bit of a kick to it, but no so much that it would scare off those who don’t prefer spicy things. The salsa was average. Needless to say, the chip basket didn’t last long.
We waited mere minutes for our food to arrive. We each received rather large helpings considering we had ordered from the lunch menu.
My coworker had no complaints about the chimichanga. I tried it and agreed it was wonderfully crispy and chock full of nicely seasoned chicken.
At first glance, I was slightly disappointed by my taco salad fajita bowl. The ingredients placed on top included a pile of shredded cheese and I had been pining for the cheese sauce the description promised. However, as I got further into the bowl, I discovered that most of the cheese sauce was along the bottom. Although I still enjoyed dipping parts of the taco bowl into the cheese, I would have liked to taste it throughout the dish. Lesson learned: Mixing is important.
Everything was served hot and fresh and the service was great. We were able to order, eat, and pay within 30 minutes, even during a busy lunch hour.
As we left, I also noticed the restaurant has an extensive patio area with tons of tables that would make a nice dining spot for cool nights.
El Bracero is located at 112 Morris Rd. off Wilma Rudolph Blvd. You can browse the full menu here.