Written by Mark Hurley
Photography by Doug Miller
I had the unique experience of growing up in Mexico City where I developed a passion for authentic Mexican food. Ever since moving to the United States, I have searched and sampled many Mexican restaurants in search of those traditional flavors from my youth—no easy task at times. Roanoke has its fair share of good Mexican restaurants including El Rodeo, El Toreo and Rancho Viejo that I visit on regular occasions, but there is one place in particular that takes me back to my childhood: El Palenque, located at 3334 Brambleton Avenue in Southwest Roanoke.
El Palenque is a family-owned restaurant run by Frank and Yolanda Galvan and their two sons, Roberto and Eduardo. The family is originally from Monterey, Nueva Leon, which is in the northern part of Mexico. They have lived in the United States in cities including Houston and Brownsville, Texas and Birmingham, Alabama. After relocating to Roanoke on the recommendation of a friend, the family opened the original El Palenque on Hershberger Road in 1999.
In February of this year El Palenque moved to Southwest Roanoke on Brambleton Avenue, in the building formerly occupied by Chico and Billy’s. According to Roberto, many of their clientele encouraged the move, claiming it would draw more business. They were right: “business has been much better in the first few months since the move,” Roberto says.
A lot of effort has been applied to the décor, and the place is welcoming right from the start. Colorful flowers and herbs, grown right in the front of the building, beckon the visitor inside. The interior is warm with a combination of colors and Mexican paintings that transport the imagination South of the border. The dining room is spotless and lined with large windows; the addition of tablecloths adds elegance to a casual, comfortable dining experience.
As you enter, expect a member of the El Palenque family to greet you warmly. The Galvans take pride in the people they hire and as Roberto says, the “so called staff is part of the family,” too. He adds that because of the gracious service, El Palenque has “developed a reputation beyond making food.”
On one particular night my wife, Joan, and I went to dinner. Eduardo welcomed us and upon his recommendation we ordered the House Margaritas. These margaritas are not your typical ones made with a bar sour mix; as Roberto later explained, in Northern Mexico, margaritas are made with grapefruit. El Palenques’ margaritas are a delicious concoction of grapefruit and freshly squeezed limejuice. Their house tequila is Sauza Gold and they top it all off with a touch of Grand Marnier.
If margaritas are not to your liking, the menu offers an array of unique cocktails, from the Mango Martini and the Tequila Limeade. They also have a variety of Mexican beers on hand, including Corona, Tecate and Negro Modelo.
Each El Palenque dining experience begins with chips and salsa. The chips are freshly made from corn tortillas and arrive at the table warm. The salsa is not what many Roanokers are accustomed to, as it is a chunkier variety called Pico de Gallo. Made fresh daily, it includes herbs grown right in front of the restaurant, and the result is a wonderful, fresh taste with a mild, spicy kick.
Another pleasant surprise is El Palenque’s fresh guacamole. A pet peeve of mine is when restaurants use canned avocado pulp, add spice, and call it “guacamole”. That kind of canned avocado always has an acidic taste to it. I am happy to report that El Palenque uses fresh avocadoes for their guacamole and it is made to order.
El Palenque’s dinner menu offers a variety of dishes including chicken, pork, fish and steak. For dinner I feasted on the Mole ($11), a chicken breast covered in their homemade mole sauce, a traditional Mexican topping made with chocolate, peanuts and sesame. The chicken was cooked to perfection and was extremely tasty. Joan enjoyed the Enchiladas Suizas ($10). Both orders were well-portioned, served hot and delivered to our table in a reasonable amount of time.
After dinner we were eager to order dessert. El Palenque’s array of homemade desserts is prominently displayed as you walk in the restaurant, and have developed a reputation around town. It is easy to see why: the sweets are not only heavenly to taste but are colossal in size. The desserts are made by Yolanda and Desiree, Roberto’s fiancée. I ordered the Chocolate Cognac Cake and because of my past experience at the restaurant, I knew to ask for two forks. Joan and I did our best to finish the enormous slice of cake, but eventually surrendered and asked for a to-go box. The cake was still moist and delicious the next day.
El Palenque’s prices maybe a little bit higher for dinner ($10 to $20) than other Mexican Restaurants, it is because they don’t take any shortcuts in preparing their meals. From the guacamole to the fish and meat dishes; from the cocktails to the desserts; everything is prepared from scratch and not prepackaged. Roberto explains that since they first opened El Palenque, the quality has only improved. According to him, “you get what you pay for,” and at El Palenque the result is a delicious, made-from-scratch Mexican meal and world-class service.
El Palenque also offers a lunch menu with prices ranging $6 to $8. This past month the family has opened an outdoor patio for dining al fresco. On Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant serves up live music featuring keyboardist Wayne Gallup and on Wednesdays, a Flamenco Guitarist. Since their move to Brambleton Avenue, the place has become more popular; reservations are recommended by calling 540.796.2130. A catering menu is available for download at www.palenquerestaurant.com.
