Meet For
The Margaritas,
Stay For
The Food
5 Burro Café: 72-05 Austin St.,
Forest Hills; 544-2984
Cuisine: TexMex
Hours: Noon-3:30 p.m. for lunch,
closes at midnight Sunday-Thursday and at 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Bar open until 4
a.m. every day.
Credit Cards: All major accepted
Parking: Street
From the straw awning over the bar to
"The Real Wurlitzer" jukebox playing CDs and the Jack Bot pinball machine in the
back, 5 Burro Café is designed to be a place of relaxation, fun and friends . . . with
more than enough good food to satisfy any appetite.
Portions are large, specials are usually
more traditional than the tex-mex mix on the menu, and you’d go there to eat the food
even if their margaritas weren’t sent from heaven . . . and they are.
The "2 Burritos" on their
"Para Continuar" entrees menu came with "your choice of chicken, beef,
shrimp or lobster served in rolled flour tortillas" that were fresh and flavorful
without having to be doused in spices or cheese ($10). Served with re-fried beans and
rice, they were not only delicious, but way too much for me to finish so they came home to
snack on later.
A little more spicy but just as delicious
were the "3 Enchiladas," also served with a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or
lobster in soft corn tortillas ($10).
Though stuffed, I had to try their
"flan" ($4) – or homemade caramel custard – for dessert and it
certainly lived up to the homemade taste. Fluffy, light and deliciously caramel, it melts
in your mouth.
As for the drinks from the bar, their
Cadillac Margarita is top of the line and though the price reflects it ($8), so do the
ingredients: Sauza Three Generaciones tequila, Cointreau, and Roses Lime.
The Queens heat that no doubt lies ahead
can also be beat with one of their specialty frozen drinks, served in a bell jar with a
toy for you to keep.
And if you become addicted to their crispy
chips and mild, chunky salsa, you can even take it home (8 oz. for $3; 16 oz. for $5).
But keep in mind, as the relaxation lures
you in, street parking in Forest Hills can take a while to find and the several-block-long
walk from Austin Street garages is only good for a warm summer’s night.
— Tamara Hartman |
