This past Saturday, David and I were in tense negotiations about where to go for lunch. Taste of Cincinnati was in full swing, but we weren't planning to brave the crowds until the following day.
After about 20 minutes of discussion without agreement, David threw up his hands. “I’m going to go take a shower and get ready to go...somewhere. Come up with three options to choose from when I get back and we’ll go from there.”
I glanced at him with irritation. “Did you seriously just RFP me for lunch plans?”
For those who have never encountered the acronym before, “RFP” stands for “Request for Proposal”, and is pretty much despised across the board (especially by ad and PR Agencies).
In fact, the only person that would really be happy about an RFP is the party that is doing the requesting. Which is probably why David looked so smug as he headed down the stairs.
In the end, I came up with several picks, including Mazunte. After perusing the menu and remembering a recommendation from a friend, we decided to check it out. Self serve margaritas? Mazunte, your ideas intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
Mazunte is on Madison road in the shopping center to the right of the Rainbow Carwash. The setup may be confusing at first, but it’s fairly easy to figure out. Carryout or eat-in, you order at the front counter, take a seat, and wait.
The inside of Mazunte. Photo by Jesse Fox of Citybeat
If you desire a margarita, you tell them, they give you a cup, you head to the bar area and get yourself one. If you want a second one (they’re very good, so you probably will), you tell them and they ring you in another. The bar area also has an assortment of beer bottles in ice (a nice local and Mexican menagerie), as well as self-serve sangrias and horchata.
We tried a variety of dishes, including some of their vegetarian options, and the staff was very thorough in explaining how many dishes could even be made vegan. There’s a prep kitchen in the back, but the majority of dishes are assembled and plated in front of you behind the bar.
I had some cheese dip that blew the others I’d had elsewhere out of the water -- creamy and spicy. David ordered the chile relleno, as well as the grilled corn, which was the perfect combination of sweet corn, salty cheese, and a little smoky char.
chile relleno
I didn’t want to leave without trying the taco sampler, consisting of your choice of beer battered fish, pork and steak tacos. The sangria marinated skirt steak taco was phenomenal, and David raved about it days later. I also tried the tacos dorados, which were filled with braised chicken. Mazunte uses blue corn for them, which I also liked.
party on a plate
pork taco
housemade chips
At that point we were both full, but there are plenty of other dishes on the menu that we’re looking forward to going back for, like the tamales, tostada, churros, and if David has anything to say about it, more skirt steak tacos.
