Dining review: Mi Lindo Guadalajara is a hidden world of flavor
The Chicken and Beef Fajita is pictured at Mi Lindo Guadalajara in Provo.
Various tacos are pictured at Mi Lindo Guadalajara in Provo.
The Chicken and Beef Fajita is pictured at Mi Lindo Guadalajara in Provo.
Stopping by for a meal at Mi Lindo Guadalajara in Provo, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a friend of mine a few years ago about how there are actually several Provos — cultures living on top of each other without ever interacting or noticing each other much.
As a student at Brigham Young University, I lived in a Provo that I have barely visited or noticed now, since graduating a few years ago and having taken up residence in another Provo. But still, the Provo where I live is largely white, largely Mormon.
Entering Mi Lindo Guadalajara, I felt like an outsider entering one of the other Provo dimensions. First, I was confused about where I was, because the restaurant shares an owner and a building — with no dividing wall — with Mexitalia Pizza Express on Freedom Boulevard. Mi Lindo Guadalajara is the less visible of the two because its doors face north, not west, so drivers may miss it.
But Mi Lindo Guadalajara is actually the more established place between the two: When we placed our order, the cashier mentioned that this Sunday happens to mark the two-year anniversary of the place.
And she also mentioned that pretty much every Sunday, the place is packed, brimming with live music all day. The mental image struck me as evidence that I really am removed from yet another entire population within the small city where I reside.
The seating area in the back of the restaurant is friendly and comfortable. Each table has hot sauce and other spices, including Mexican oregano in charming bowls at the center of the tables.
Now, to talk about the food.
We ordered the Birria, three different tacos, a fajita and a coconut cornbread for dessert. All of it was delicious and served by a friendly staff.
The Birria is shredded steak prepared and served in succulent soup-like juices and served with rice and beans, which were topped with crumbled cheese. The flavor and texture of the meat were both just right.
The three tacos we ordered were the barbacoa, carnitas and pastor. Of the three, the pastor was the favorite, the pork flavored with spices that complemented the meat well. The tortillas were about 5 inches in diameter and noticeably fresh and warm.
Meat lovers will find plenty to celebrate about Mi Lindo Guadalajara. If anything, the food lacked a few fresh tomatoes or lettuce, but all the meat is prepared and flavored with care and skill.
The fajita came with chicken, beef, peppers, onions and cheese melted all over the top. It came with lots of warm tortillas and tasted fresh off the grill. It was brought out on a hot cast iron plate, which made it appealing to look at as well as to eat.
The dessert was outstanding. It was cornbread, but more like corn-based cake — very moist, with remnants of coconut throughout. It was intended for after the meal, but we couldn’t resist eating most of it before and while eating the rest of the food.
There are lots of Mexican places in Provo, of course, many of which are great. Many are packed with white BYU students on dates, and in some, the food itself seems to come from a white American cultural perspective as well, or at least an appropriated one.
Sometimes it’s nice to go for true authenticity, where I can be an outsider, not a member of the place’s primary audience. Where I can simply come, quietly, unimportantly, a happy customer of a place that would go on just fine if I hadn’t stumbled upon it, but where I’m very glad I did.
MI LINDO GUADALAJARA
Where: 446 N. Freedom Blvd. Provo
Prices: $1.99-$13.99
Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Info: milindoguadalajarautah.com
