Our final stop on our tour throughout Winchester to sample some of the best Italian and Mexican food in the area was the Winchester location of Altos de Jalisco – right next door to the Alamo Drafthouse in the building that used to house The Green Turtle. This Mexican restaurant, which has a couple locations throughout northern Virginia, specializes in the flavor of Jalisco, Mexico, an area near and dear to the Foodies heart, as one of our members has family members from the area. He said that a lot of the food tasted like traditional Jalisco fare, so if you are looking for some authentic central Mexican food, Altos de Jalisco is the spot for you.
Price 💲💲out of 5
The menu prices at Altos de Jalisco is pretty standard for similar restaurants in the area. Prices vary depending on the protein choice and size of the entree or drink, with most of the items falling in that $15-$25 range. They still offer complimentary chips and salsa which is nice.
Ambience 🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳 out of 5
One thing about Mexican restaurants in the area – they sure do a great job of decorating the interior with traditional Mexican decor. Altos de Jalisco is no different, with Mexican paintings and decorations adorning the wall and bar area. In a funny twist, instead of completely removing all traces of The Green Turtle, they kept a few around the restaurant and added sombreros to them. I love when a restaurant is willing to embrace the roots of the building they reside in. We have seen that across the board, with restaurants paying homage to the history of the walls they operate in.
Food 🥩🥩🥩🥩 out of 5
Let’s get down to the dishes we were able to try:
Tableside Guacamole – this incredible guacamole is made tableside by your server, and includes avocado, jalapenos, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime. So fresh and delicious. Guac is the perfect starter to a good meal.
Flautas – these are a lesser known dish, but they are essentially like taquitos. Small, rolled and deep fried tortillas filled with whatever protein and cheese is offered. We got to try the chicken and beef flautas, and they were served with a side of guac to dip.
Enchiladas Suizas – three chicken enchiladas served with a green suiza sauce. The pickled onion on top was a nice addition, and it was served with fluffy rice and avocado.
Carnitas Michoacan – carnitas are some of the most flavorful and tender protein options at a Mexican restaurant, and this dish was cooked perfectly. They gave us a massive amount of pork, and served it with refried beans and rice.
Torre de Mariscos – another dish I have never tried before, this was a seafood ceviche tower packed with fish, shrimp, octopus, and scallops, along with pico and some avocado slices on top. Meant to be eaten with saltines or another salty cracker, this dish was so refreshing.
Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
All in all, our trip throughout Winchester was a huge success. Altos de Jalisco was a great night cap for our adventure. From dishes I had never tried before, to a fun and eclectic spot that embraces the past as well as the future, I can now say that I got to taste a small part of Jalisco right here in northern Virginia.