Nopalito

A vibrant Mexican restaurant in the heart of the city, offering traditional small dishes and customizable make-it-yourself taco plates.

Nestled a block east of the panhandle, Nopalito is a lively Mexican restaurant that takes pride in serving traditional small dishes and customizable make-it-yourself taco meat plates. With its inviting atmosphere, including a charming greenhouse-like patio and a brightly lit dining room, Nopalito offers a number of dishes that are built for sharing.

Review

Tostada de Ceviche Nayarita

Crispy corn tortilla, lime marinated fish, smashed avocado, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, onions, cilantro and salsa piquin

Presented as a towering masterpiece, this tostada features a crispy fried corn tortilla crowned with a mountain of cabbage. I am pretty sure that it is taller than it is wide. The corn tortilla can be broken apart into bite size pieces, where each bite contains a crunchy texture from the tortilla, a creaminess from the avocado, and the bright flavors of fresh fish and lime. The fish is lime-marinaded with a slight spicy kick and is very well seasoned. The cabbage and other veggies work well to bulk and balance out the dish, allowing for a delightfully refreshing and substantial ceviche appetizer. I love how the creamy avocado adds this subtle richness that melds the texture and really enchanted the dish.

Carnitas

Braised pork, orange, bay leaf, milk, & cinnamon. Served with cabbage salad, curtidos, salsa cruda & 3 tortillas

A recommended must-try dish at Nopalito is their Carnitas. The super tender carnitas are served with three fresh pressed corn tortillas. The carnitas are so soft that you can easily pull the meat apart with a fork. I love feeling the warmth radiating from the freshly pressed tortillas. With my carnitas, I build up a personal taco with a generous amount of meat topped with cabbage, shaved carrots, and finished with a delicious green salsa cruda.

Combined together, the taco makes for a super tasty meal. The savory meat is balanced by the herbal green salsa, wrapped together with a fresh corn tortilla. While some meat chunks may be leaner and drier, others offer succulent fatty richness, providing a range of flavor experiences.

This is a fun dish to eat and share, as you get to build your own taco with the exact size and proportions that you want. It would be a great dish to share since multiple meat dishes can be ordered to experience a flight of different tacos.