I enjoyed my first meal in the new location for Elizabethton's Amigo Mexican Restaurant on a recent Sunday afternoon.

 

The Mexican eatery recently moved from the former Western Steer Family Steakhouse to a spacious new location in the Elk Crossing Shopping Center. The Elizabethton restaurant is part of a regional chain owned by Miguel Garcia. Other restaurants are located in Jonesborough and Johnson City.

 

The restaurant offers seating at booths and tables in a comfortable setting encompassed by walls painted a shade of rose with matching upholstery on the booths and chairs. Some enhancements include colorful Mexican woven blankets displayed as wall hangings. Tile floors and red glass pendant light fixtures complete the overall decor.

 

The dining area also offers eight big-screen televisions situated at different vantage points. No matter where customers are seated, they should be able to catch the action on the screen. With that many televisions present, some impromptu Super Bowl parties may spring up at Amigo Mexican Restaurant this Sunday.

 

Soon after we were seated at one of the booths, a server arrived with menus. He also brought the requisite tortilla chips and salsa, which was blended to a very smooth consistency. I would probably have preferred a salsa with a bit more kick to it, but we enjoyed it with the chips as we surveyed the menu's selection of appetizers.

 

The items available for kicking off the meal include several different quesadillas, as well as dips -- Spinach, Cheese and Bean, Cheese and Guacamole -- to enjoy with tortilla chips. The menu also offers several different platters of Nachos, including some served with ground beef, shredded chicken, beans, steak and shrimp.

 

My dining companion and I decided to share a quesadilla, which meant choosing from such options as La Villa Chicken Quesadilla, Steak Quesadilla and Grilled Spinach Quesadilla. We decided to try the Paradise Quesadilla, which consists of a flour tortilla stuffed with grilled chicken, cheese, fresh spinach and sauteed mushrooms and onions. This quesadilla is also served with a side order of rice and a salad of fresh lettuce, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. We really enjoyed this fresh-tasting treat, which was perfect for sharing.

 

At that point, we turned our attention to selecting a main course. The menu offers fairly standard Mexican fare, including Enchiladas, Burritos and Chimichangas. The entree possibilities also include combination dinners and house specialties, which include Steak Ranchero, Pollo Picoso and Special Monterey, which features seven different items: burrito, enchilada, chalupa, chile relleno, beef taco, Mexican rice and fried beans.

 

I considered the Grilled Shrimp Chimichanga, Steak Mexican Style and Carnitas Mexicanas, which consists of diced pork cooked with green salsa and pico de gallo. In fact, I first ordered the Carnitas only to be informed by the server that the restaurant was out of this particular entree for the evening.

 

Fortunately, a second option had also gotten my attention, so I ordered the Enchiladas Suizas. My dinner companion selected the Grilled Chicken Chimichanga after considering such items as Carne Asada and Grilled Burrito.

 

Service was slightly erratic during our visit, particularly as regards timely refreshment of drinks and periodic checks to see if we needed anything. Since the restaurant wasn't terribly busy during our visit, this was a little surprising; on most of my previous visits service has been consistently attentive.

 

Our meals arrived promptly, however. On the menu, the Enchiladas Suizas is described as being the dish for people who like it hot! There's truth in that description. The enchiladas were filled with grilled chicken and cheese, and were topped with a creamy and spicy suiza sauce and served with Mexican rice. The sauce was definitely infused with some sort of pepper, as evidenced by the lingering intensity of this tasty sauce on my tongue.

 

My dining companion enjoyed the Grilled Chicken Chimichanga, which consisted of two flour tortillas filled with chicken sauteed with tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. This dish, which is topped by a mild white cheese sauce, is served with Fried Beans, guacamole salad and sour cream.

 

After finishing these hearty meals, we decided to share a dessert.

 

Looking over the menu's options, we considered Flan, Xango, Churros and Sopapilla with Ice Cream before we went with another traditional favorite, Fried Ice Cream.

 

This ice cream dessert, which is briefly dipped into a fryer to gain a crispy coating, was topped with honey, chocolate sauce and plenty of whipped cream. Shared between the two of us, the Fried Ice Cream provided a great ending to the meal.

 

Amigo Mexican Restaurant has been a long-time dining destination in Elizabethton. If you haven't visited lately, consider enjoying your next Mexican meal in their new location.

 

******

 

AT A GLANCE: Amigo Mexican Restaurant, 623 W. Elk Ave., Elizabethton. 543-1711. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Entrees range from $6.25-$14. Credit cards accepted. Carryout available. Full service bar available.