Mucho Gusto Taqueria & Mexican Bistro

Saturday had been a long, emotional day for me and all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with the remote, but I had already made plans to hang out with my best friend Karen, so the couch and my DVR list would have to wait. She wanted to go and try someplace new with me, so I consulted my list and we decided on Mucho Gusto. I had heard from many friends that it was good, but since it opened after I had graduated from ASU, it wasn't in my "hood" anymore so I had yet to try it out. We had gotten off to a late start, with her having to shower after doing some housework, and me wanting to lay on the couch as long as possible, so we didn't arrive until 9:00 pm. It was a beautiful night out so we opted to sit on the patio, which is where everyone else was sitting as well because a sneak peek of the inside revealed an empty restaurant. We both thought that the patio was adorable, trimmed with small twinkling lights and random objects filled with plants (like the old BBQ next to our table) scattered throughout.

A small bowl of chips and salsa appeared almost immediately, followed by a waitress to take our drink order. I went with my usual, water with lemon, while Karen opted for a lemonade. We tasted the chips and salsa, the chips weren't my favorite chips ever, but they were pretty good. Some of them had been given a little kick with a sprinkling of chili powder. The salsa was more of the consistency of a hot sauce versus a salsa, it had quite a bit of heat to it, but didn't overwhelm.

After sampling the chips we looked over the menu and noticed how it was a good mix of traditional Mexican favorites; burritos, tacos, etc. with some more modern items. Since it was so late, and since we were planning on a visit to Mojo Frozen Yogurt afterwards, we decided to get an appetizer and an entree to share. For the appetizer, we decided to try the Picaditas and add machaca to them. They were described as masa corn cakes, topped with black beans, machaca, lettuce, tomato, cojita cheese and sour cream. When they came out, we were encountered with two large cakes piled high with the toppings. I first tried a bite of just the corn cake; I really liked the strong corn flavor that came through. Next, I tried the machaca, it had an excellent flavor, with a touch of heat and was very tender. Karen and I both enjoyed these, it is not a dish that I have seen on many menus, but something that I would definitely try again. They reminded me of an inside-out tamale!

For our entree, we went down a path that I generally never go down, we ordered fish. Yes I know the health benefits of fish, but I just never seem to order it unless it is tuna in a sandwich or fried with a side of tartar sauce! I was feeling adventurous that night, so we went with the Shrimp and Crab Topped Red Snapper. The fish was topped with a crab and shrimp mixture in some sort of creamy sauce and served with mashed potatoes and sauteed veggies. We both took a bite of the fish and declared it a winner. The crab, shrimp and fish all mixed with the sauce were delicious, creamy and very satisfying. I couldn't quite put my finger on what I thought was in the sauce, but I felt like I have had some of the flavor components before. Karen tried the mashed potatoes and told me I had to try them. Since they were orange, I thought that they were mashed sweet potatoes, but my first taste told me no....but whatever it was, they were amazing! We kept taking bite after bite trying to figure out what was in them, finally when the waitress stopped by again we broke down and asked...the answer....enchilada sauce! That's right,they mix the mashed potatoes with red enchilada sauce; the combination of the rich, creamy potatoes and the spicy enchilada sauce was the highlight of our night. We couldn't help but laugh...who came up with this crazy idea??? Because we would like to thank them!

Karen and I both enjoyed our meal at Mucho Gusto and were especially taken with the relaxed atmosphere on the patio. We moved through our meal slowly; chatting more than eating, but it is always nice to spend quality time with a good friend. We are both eager to return and try some of the other items on the menu and maybe check out what is has to offer for Happy Hour. We finally decided to head out to Mill Ave. to get our Mojo fix and to visit her brother at the Coffee Plantation and meet his tranny friends...and well.....I will leave that story for another time.

Mucho Gusto Taqueria & Mexican Bistro

603 W. University Dr.

Tempe, AZ 85281