This week, Park City residents will have a new option to choose from whenever Mexican cravings strike. On Wednesday, October 31, Tekila Mexican Grill & Cantina will officially open in the former Blue Iguana space at 255 Main Street.
At Tekila, you’ll find a fully reimagined menu and a redecorated interior. The menu centers on authentic Mexican dishes that have been passed down through generations, rather than Tex-Mex style cuisine. The chef makes all ingredients in house, from the daily salsa specials to the slow-roasted baby back ribs. Expect a casual, family-friendly atmosphere, but there’s also a 21-and-up bar area with plenty of flat screens — along with one of the state’s largest selections of tequila.
This week’s Grand Opening happens on the same week as not only Halloween, but also the traditional Mexican holiday, Dia de Los Muertos. And that’s no coincidence. Tekila’s modern interior decor is clearly inspired by the Mexican holiday, with black-and-white murals on the walls. These murals already make a popular photo opp setting, according to the owner.
Now let’s talk about the food. When we stopped by the restaurant, we tried some of Tekila’s most popular dishes — and they didn’t disappoint.
We started with one of the most unique items on the menu: the molcajete — basically, a bowl full of deliciousness. Meant to be shared by two people, the molcajete comes with grilled steak, shrimp and chicken, all simmered in a green tomatillo sauce, along with nopales (a.k.a. cacti), scallions, queso fresco, and chiles toreados. All the protein was seasoned with a tasty mix of spices (a secret house recipe), and it was beautiful to look at as well as fun to eat.
The carne asada tacos were another hit. These are served in the classic street-taco style, served simply with cilantro, onions, rice, beans and salsa.
The chile verde is a house favorite. Here, baby back ribs are slow cooked then prepared with a green tomatillo sauce. This dish also has nopales, or cacti, which are simmered to perfection. Who knew cactus could be so delicious?
The mole poblano is another winner. The shredded chicken is covered in a house-made mole sauce that’s slightly sweet, but has a nice spice to it as well.
And you can’t forget a margarita!
Tekila’s winter hours will be 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., making it a perfect apres ski spot.