Try the loaded fries: A review of Abelardo's Fresh Mexican
In Westerns, they say, “This town isn’t big enough for the both of us.” Still, here in Bartlesville, I believe there is plenty of room for another Mexican restaurant, especially one that offers a unique culinary experience.
Located in the old Taco Bueno building by the Washington Park Mall, Abelardo’s Mexican Fresh, a small regional chain hailing from Nebraska, introduces Bartians to a different side of Mexican street food – Mexican and American fusion.
Although there are many traditional Mexican favorites on the menu board, what sets this newcomer apart is its authentic street food and American-influenced items, such as the loaded fries, which are located under the “Nacho” section on the menu.
Abelardo’s loaded fries are an indulgent treat, perfectly crisp and sumptuously covered in cheese, refried beans, guacamole and your choice of meat (we chose steak). How fries covered in so much sauce can stay so crisp is a mystery, but these fries are a must-try for French fry connoisseurs and those who love good street food.
Another menu winner is Abelardo’s birria tacos. For the unenlightened, birria tacos are a traditional street food of Jalisco consisting of slow-roasted meat (traditionally goat, but typically beef in the United States), onion and cheese grilled in a soft corn tortilla.
These tacos are then dipped in birria sauce, the leftover broth from cooking the meat, onions, and sometimes beans. Think of it like Mexico’s answer to the French Dip.
Abelardo’s take on the birria taco did not disappoint – tender, juicy beef in a warmly savory sauce, grilled closed with cheese, then dipped in the accompanying birria sauce, which still had some of the tender meat in it from its initial stewing.
These tacos were delicious, and if my husband (you know him – EE reporter Andy Dossett) and I had not already indulged in the loaded fries, we might have been tempted to eat every morsel and lick the plate.
Our last trial entrée was the green chile plate, recommended by an employee when we asked for popular dishes. Complete with rice, beans, and an extra-large homemade tortilla, this plate features bites of pork in a green chile sauce.
A southwestern favorite, this dish is another fusion of American and Mexican cuisine. While Abelardo’s was not my favorite version of green chile that I have ever had, it was still decent. At first, I thought the dark meat was chicken, but returning to this dish the next day as a leftover, I concluded it was the more typical pork. While I cannot recommend this dish as heartily as the other two, it wasn’t bad.
We also tried a horchata and a bavarian cream-stuffed churro for dessert. The horchata was very sweet and milky, a satisfying version of the popular drink. The churro was warm, flaky and replete with delicious cinnamon flavor – a definite winner.
We spoke with other patrons at Abelardo’s while we waited for our food and the consensus was “Better than Taco Bell,” and “Yeah, I would come back again.” However, the patrons we surveyed had mainly ordered crunchy tacos, quesadillas and tostadas, which appeared to be typical versions of these entrees.
My recommendation, dear reader, should you try Abelardo’s, order something a little more out of the ordinary – this restaurant is not Taco Bueno. Try those loaded fries, or a birria taco, or the crispy torta sandwich. It’s in these flavorful street foods that Abelardo’s really shines.
Lastly, Abelardo’s is highly affordable, and patrons echoed the sentiment and commented on the large portion sizes. For three entrees, a giant horchata, and a churro, we paid roughly $36. We both got a second meal the following day from the leftovers, which re-heated surprisingly well.
While Abelardo’s has not dethroned Tacos Maria as my favorite fast-Mex street food joint in Bartlesville, I will be returning for those fries.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Try the loaded fries: A review of Abelardo's Fresh Mexican
