Ooba's Mexican Grill: Ooh, ooh, good
Located in downtown Redmond, Ooba's Mexican Grill provides good Mexican food in a town that's otherwise sadly lacking in it. A wide-ranging menu includes new spin on old standards such as quesadillas made with scallops, Yukon gold potatoes or grilled vegetables.
Baja style fish tacos are presented with fillings such as beer battered shrimp, grilled salmon or grilled Portabella mushroom for the vegetarians. Hungry diners may want to go with one of the Big Dinners, such as the skirt steak , the monster-sized Burrito Grande or the grilled Chipotle pork. Low-carb options are available as well. Ooba's prices are low, but the food is always terrific and prepared fresh to order. Take out can be ordered if you'd rather eat yours in surroundings free of Mexican mariachi music.
Freshly made tortilla chips accompany every entrée, and Ooba's offers a salsa bar with five or six different kinds of salsa from mild to hot. The self-serve nature of the salsa bar is typical of Ooba's style – pick up your own napkins and cutlery from the table beside it and plan on busing your own table after the meal.
The cheerful and friendly staff keep things running smoothly, even during an always-busy lunch time. The restaurant doesn't take reservations, so plan accordingly
The eclectic décor features a multiplicity of license plates from across the country on the walls along with vintage tin signs, such as the Nehi sign behind the salsa bar exhorting customers to drink more Nehi beverages. Despite the sign, there are no Nehi drinks for sale. Instead you'll find the usual range of sodas, fresh lemonade, some beers, wines (stick with the beer), and mixed drinks such as margaritas, mojitos and Sangria. There are no menus – instead, you'll want to consult the large chalkboard beside the counter to see what's on special that day.
Customers can eat at one of the tiny, somewhat dilapidated tables or sidle up to the counter in order to watch the cooks work while enjoying the fruits of their labor. Beside being wheelchair accessible, the restaurant is very family friendly and even offers a rack of hand-held games for children to play while waiting for their meal to arrive.
A limited number of tables is available outside. Two other Ooba's exist, one in Woodinville and the other in downtown Bellevue.
HelloSeattle Tip: Skip the guacamole, which can be rather tasteless, and sample the salsa bar instead.
Posted by Cat Rambo
