Early fall is our favorite time to be able to go to a restaurant and sit by the water, especially with the cool and crisp weather and a beautiful view. With a ton of new restaurants popping up recently on the Long Island Sound in Shippan and Harbor Point, we have made it our mission to find the best places to go based on how good the food is, the ambiance, and our experience in general.
Recently, we tried Mexicue for the first time in Harbor Point, and we were hooked. With a two-story floor plan, no matter where you decide to sit at Mexicue you will have gorgeous views of the sound and the boats in the harbor, and will always be greeted with some of the best service we have had in Stamford. Even though the food is not traditionally Mexican, it is a perfect combination of Mexican American and barbeque that will please any range of appetite.
We decided to sit on the side of the restaurant next to the boardwalk, and the sound of the waves in the background alongside the slight breeze reminded us of how much we love Connecticut and New England as a whole. The menu is stocked with delicious drinks and many takes on the margarita, so I decided to try the spicy margarita, which was rimmed with a spicy tajin salt and had a great level of spice from the jalapeño to accompany the tequila.
We definitely ordered way too much food for three people, but the quality of each dish impressed us more than the last as they came to the table. We started with the classic nachos, which were drizzled with poblano queso, pickled chili and a fantastically hot guajillo salsa. A delectable combination of spicy, crispy, and melted cheese, it was a great option to share. We also ordered the grilled cornbread, which was thick and toasted on the outside; complete with a sweet and hot chipotle butter. The Mexican street corn was fresh and seasoned to perfection and served with a crisp cabbage and cilantro slaw to cut the richness of the cotija and crema. The taco salad was filling and stuffed to the brim with corn and fresh vegetables, topped with a cashew vinaigrette, sesame salsa, and homemade guacamole. After all of this, we were going to have to be rolled out through the boardwalk, but we decided we had to try the tacos that we know Mexicue is famous for. We ordered the Nashville Hot chicken (crunchy and topped with a creamy chipotle sauce), the picadillo (Cuban style ground beef with olives, and filled with crunchy puffed quinoa and a lime crema), and the burnt ends taco (amazing take on traditional Southern burnt ends, which were tender and crisp on the outside). The tacos were by far the stand-out of the meal, all presented on a homemade corn tortilla that was one of the best I've ever tasted.
Between the outstanding food, the friendly and quick service, and the perfect location on the Sound, Mexicue quickly took its place as one of our favorites in Stamford.
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