Arandas Mexican Bar and Grill is the latest tenant of a space on South Park Street that has seen several Mexican restaurants open for a short time before failing. If its food is any indication, then Arandas–not to be confused with Aranda’s (with an apostrophe) in DeForest–has a good shot of making it.
The menu is not unlike any other you’ll find, and I enjoyed everything I ate. My favorite dish was the Costillas de Puerco Salsa Verde ($12.75). The tasty pork was fall-off-the-bone tender–which was helpful since there were a ton of bones–and you get a nice little kick from the salsa verde on top.
This plate was listed as a specialty. Others include El Molcajete ($22.50), Steak a la Mexicana ($12.50) and Chimichanga Colorada ($13.75).
From the burrito section, I ordered the Deluxe ($13.25 with choice of steak or chicken). The burrito was massive–as in, you need a fork and knife to eat it. It is deliciously coated in cheese dip, has a ton of flavor and is quite filling.
Arandas also has individual tacos ranging from $2.75 to $3.25, and you can add toppings besides onion and cilantro, such as sour cream (25 cents) and jalapenos (25 cents). The tripa taco ($3) was so good, even though it was a little bit salty. Meanwhile, the lengua taco ($3.25) was very tender and tasty.
Other items on the menu include quesadillas, fajitas and seafood.
Arandas Mexican Bar and Grill is open every day for lunch and dinner.
Tags: Mexican, south side
