FOOD

‘Watts for Dinner’: Let Molcajetes spice up your life!

Will Watts
Correspondent
Gorditas from Los Molcajetes Del Valle, East Naples.

Our next dining destination is Los Molcajetes Del Valle in East Naples; a nearby neighbor of another Mexican favorite – Taqueria San Julian on Bayshore Drive.

Things got off to an appetizing start with the complimentary chips and salsa. We added some fresh guacamole ($9).

My two dining companions partook of the mango margaritas ($13) while I, the designated driver, opted for one of my favorites, horchata ($4), which is non-alcoholic. Horchata is made with water, rice, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. And it really goes down easy with Mexican food. It can also go a long way to negate spicy food.

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For my entrée, I selected the chicken Milanesa ($15). It’s chicken, pounded to a thin fillet and lightly breaded and lightly fried. So good! It comes with rice and beans. Love the rice here. The beans come in a bowl and are more like black bean soup, but I’m not complaining.

I couldn’t believe the size of this meal. At most places you get one fillet. Here, you get two! So big! I couldn’t finish it.

One of my guests ordered gorditas ($13), which are essentially, thick corn tortillas (think of a texture like cornbread crust) that have a pocket in the middle made for stuffing with delicious meat fillings. In this case, one with pollo (chicken), another with chorizo (a spicy sausage) and a third with carnitas (pork).

Chicken Milanesa from Los Molcajetes Del Valle, East Naples.

This dish earned high praise.

My other guest had the barbacoa (lamb) soup ($17), with garbanzos. This is a dish you won’t find at many Mexican restaurants, especially in Naples. And it was amazing!

No matter what you’re looking for, you can’t go wrong with Molcajetes. Great service! Friendly atmosphere. Happy eating!

Prices indicate time of visit and may vary. This newspaper pays for all meals related to dining reviews. We do not solicit or accept free food.

If you go 

Los Molcajetes Del Valle

  • 3367 Bayshore Dr, Naples
  • 239-234-5027
  • stansidlehourgoodland.com