The seemingly perpetual road work on Route 170 in Odenton has given Pachanga Grill, a fairly new Mexican restaurant, the short end of the stick.
The restaurant, at the end of a small strip center near the junction of Routes 170 and 175, is hard enough to find without the state's continually tearing up the street outside and making it impossible at times to find the entrance.
"Sometimes we dance in the window to get the cars' attention," manager Cesar Floras said, laughing at the mess outside.
But if you take the time to maneuver your way into Pachanga Grill, you won't be sorry.
My dining companion and I arrived there about 9 o'clock on a Monday evening and found its atmosphere festive, but in a quiet way.
The soft music, the Mexican pottery and art that decorated its walls and shelves and the bright purple, yellow and pink crepe roseates in tiny vases on the tables made for a pleasant break from the drab Odenton winter-scape.
But the best part of the evening, with only one other couple in the restaurant, was that Floras devoted almost all his attention to us, and our food came fast and was delicious.
We started with a cup of Mexican tortilla soup ($2.75), a chunky chicken broth with tomatoes, avocados, green chilis and tortilla strips. It wasn't too spicy and left us wanting more.
We also shared the shrimp and crab quesadillas ($7.95), which were filled with crab, shrimp, scallops and cheese. They were delicious.
"You can't have any guilt if you come in here," my companion said before digging in.
He had the chicken burrito grande ($9.50) -- which he said was the best he has had. The large burrito, which came with rice and refried beans, was stuffed with shredded chicken.
The meat was soft, tender and well-marinated in a hot ranchera sauce -- a tomato-based sauce made with onions and peppers. That made the burrito juicy and bursting with flavor.
I had the carne asada ($13.95), which also came with rice, beans and tortillas but wasn't quite as spectacular. The steak was tender and done exactly as I requested (medium well), but I thought it could have have been seasoned a little more. I wanted to taste more than just hints of the pepper, chili, herbs and lime juice in my steak.
We split the flan ($2.95), which was not all that unusual but was a great ending to a spicy meal.
Pachanga Grill is great place to go for good Mexican fare -- a definite rarity in Anne Arundel's West County.
But, as my overstuffed, groaning partner warned: "Don't do this every day!"
Pachanga Grill
Where: 8395 Piney Orchard Parkway, Odenton 410-551-9318
Hours: Dinner, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 4 p.m. to 9: 30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Lunch, 11: 30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Prices: Appetizers, $2.75-$7.95; entrees, $5.75-$13.95
Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club
Rating: ***
Ratings: * culinary wasteland
**** culinary heaven
Pub Date: 2/12/98
