If you live or work anywhere near the Perimeter Mall area in Sandy Springs, Georgia, you are more than familiar with the virtual maze of restaurants, bistros, and eateries peppering the neighborhood. Roswell Road north of I-285, is known for its bustling traffic and pedestrian activity. During a particularly soggy lunchtime outing, I found myself scampering for a tasty, yet low-intensity place to have a decent lunch. The thought of Mexican food crossed my brain, and I pulled into El Azteca right off Roswell Road.
The Atmosphere
The selection of Mexican fare in the area ranges from extreme Tex Mex to well-simulated authentic Mexican meals. The El Azteca franchise is a festive one with clean bungalow-style buildings. The restaurant at the Roswell Road location is deceiving from the outside in that it’s much larger than you might think, just by looking at it. There is a lovely patio off to the side, complete with cheerful, yet artistic looking details over the awning and railings. I would imagine that on any other day, with the sun shining brightly as it sets on the horizon, this would be a splendid place to down a frosty pitcher of Margaritas, and a spicy snack.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a pair of attractive Latina hostesses, and was quickly led to a huge booth on the shallow upper level of the restaurant. Surveying the pleasant environment, I was pleased to note a few well-placed flat screen TVs. I am not big on watching TV during meals in restaurants. But for some reason, having them here only added to the eaterie’s casual ambiance. Within just a few minutes, my server arrived…
During the busy lunch hour, the restaurant is literally swimming with waiters, all dressed smartly in burgundy polo shirts. They bustle about hither and yon, carrying piping hot plates of “traditional” Mexican fare. At this particular hour, there was less of a crowd than I expected. So, I would imagine that the service was even faster because of this fact. As I sat, quietly gazing into various corners of the room, I came under the impression that the personnel in the place worked together like a well oiled machine. The waiters whooshing by in their smart looking shirts seemed to work on autopilot. But while they were all reasonably pleasant, they appeared to be absent of any genuine personality. Or perhaps, they were simply trained to exhibit substantial amounts of humility towards guests. In any event, I felt that I was in competent hands. It took me all of three seconds to decide upon a “Speedy Gonzalez” meal from the lunch menu. Already heavily sampling the complimentary chips and salsa placed on my table, I was literally shocked when not even five minutes later, my lunch appeared piping hot, on the arm of my server.
The Food
For $4.95, I simply couldn’t resist the “Speedy Gonzalez” which consisted of a beef taco, a beef enchilada, and the option of rice or frijoles (refried beans.) I opted for a chicken enchilada instead of beef, and rice instead of beans. The meal was promptly delivered on two separate plates, with the lone taco assigned to its own dish.
I have ordered this exact special in other Mexican restaurants around the Atlanta area, and noticed right away that this chicken enchilada’s sauce appeared more gravy-like, than I was accustomed to. While most of the sauces are slightly reddish in color (with plenty of cheese), this one was a bright tan and a bit watery. Diving into the enchilada, I noted that the “gravy” was a bit saltier than I’m used to. And while the rice was cooked well, I noticed that it too, was a bit saltier than I prefer. The taco, on the other hand tasted very fresh and was well equipped with a good balance of meat, cheese, and lettuce. To combat some of the generic “saltiness” of the meal, I ended up drowning the enchilada in salsa, in order to alter the taste. Continuing to munch on the chips also helped to balance the flavors on my palate a bit.
The conclusion that I came to upon eating this meal, was that the main elements of the Speedy Gonzalez were probably prepared well in advance, and then re-heated in an industrial oven to “mock” freshness. The flavor was far from stale. But I did got the idea that the entree was covered in gravy in order to mask its true age.
In truth, this is a great restaurant for quick, filling meals. By no means was the food horrible. But I would suggest dining there during the evening, and ordering an entrée from the dinner menu. Perhaps some of the flavor was sacrificed during the staff’s diligence in getting the meals out in a hurry.
