At Cazadorez Mexican Restaurant, they not only refilled my glass of frosty horchata, but they also gave me a to-go cup afterward. That’s one of the reasons I enjoyed Cazadorez, 3900 N. Harrison in Shawnee. Besides the extra horchata, it’s a moderately upscale Mexican restaurant without the upscale prices. That’s good enough for me!
Throughout the seemingly massive building, skeletal art surrounds the walls. As our waiter took us to our table, the lunch crowd filtered in and out, with the plates of lunch specials of burritos, chimichangas, and tacos wafting near us.
Seated, as the complimentary chips and salsa arrived, the book-like menu seemed daunting at first, but as the Mexican food surrounded us, it was pared down with the lunch specials and all was right in the culinary world. Orders placed, I took a bite of the chips and, in a few minutes, my appetizer came.
I started with the lone starter, the Armadillo ($3.29), a well-oiled machine of pork-based goodness. A singular, gigantic jalapeno pepper, stuffed with shredded cheese and then wrapped in bacon, with the deep-fried goodness that I desperately craved.
And, surprisingly, it was fire—a literal fire—burning the roof of my mouth as the feisty pepper slithered through. As I contemplated visiting a burn center, the hot cheese momentarily gave me some solace, with the sizzling bacon helping my cause. Overall, it was a wonderful treat from Hell’s Gate.
My mother, feeling more “breakfast” than anything else, decided on the Huevos Mexicanos ($9.49). Easy enough, I thought, with two scrambled eggs mixed with diced onions, tomatoes, and jalapenos, along with Mexican sliced potatoes and rice.
While the potatoes were too salty for my blood, the onions, tomatoes, and the very-hot jalapenos were lambasted with the well-to-do eggs, scrambled to perfection. Very tasty and very hot, it was a triumphant dish for breakfast for lunch and went well with the pioneering rice.
I, on the other hand, had Cazadorez’s trademark burrito – the Burrito Cazadorez ($9.49). Paired with Mexican sliced potatoes and corn on the cob, this burrito had everything I wanted packed inside – shredded beef, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and cheese – all topped with sour cream sauce.
To be honest, I was a little gun-shy, with the Armadillo still scorching, but after two or three bites of this burrito, I was definitely into it. Filled with all the stuff that makes a good burrito into a great burrito, the shredded beef was simply to die for, with the greenish sour cream sauce lubricating my inside to extinguish any flame.
And even though the potatoes were still too salty, the corn was out of sight, with a flame-grilled coating on the top. As I shucked the rest of my corn with my mouth, I put the refuse on my plate as my complimentary sopapilla arrived.
The sweet treat, like everything else at Cazadorez, was fantastic. If you are near Shawnee or the following areas, give it a rousing try—and don’t forget the horchata, please. Cómpralo ya!
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