Community Corner

Panchero's Mexican Grill: An East Coast Version of a Taqueria

New Mexican restaurant in Bedminster already becoming a local hangout.

There's been talk for quite a while that a new Mexican restaurant would move into the spot at The Hills Village Center in Bedminster vacated about a year ago by McDonald's. And by the time Panchero's Mexican Grill opened last Tuesday, May 3, would-be fans already were lined up waiting for their share of burritos, quesadillas, tacos, salads and other Mexican specialties.

In truth, Panchero's has a similar menu and set-up to the often-crowded Chipotle Mexican Grill in Bridgewater.

As at Chipotle, those wanting their quick fix of Mexican line up in front of an assembly-line counter where they point out the kind of beans, meat, and other ingredients they want in a choice of limited meal selections. Panchero's is part of a chain, and the menu is detailed online.

Panchero's has some things that the Bridgewater Chipotle doesn't. It has a full restaurant's worth of seating, even  a few outdoor tables. It's also a little less expensive than Chipotle, with some selections running under $6.

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Panchero's also offers a fairly lengthy list of side dishes, and boasts that it's tortillas are prepared fresh in front of cutomers for every order.

The jury may still be out on which restaurant's food tastes better. But from what I've heard in this neighbhorhood, (where kids in The Hills were checking frequently to see when Panchero's doors would open) there's not a significant difference in quality.

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I thought that Panchero's might be a place to find Chipotle-type food without the crowds. But so far, the crowds are there, even on weeknights.

Although Panchero's just opened, it's already seeming to acquire something else that is more often seen on the West Coast: a place to go out for some inexpensive Mexican on a quick break from work, at the end of a long day, to dress down and just talk with the people you know best about how things are going. It's not the place to go for a romantic evening, a leisurely dining experience or for peace and quiet.

In other words, it's like a good old-fashioned taqueria.

What pizzerias are in the New York area, taquerias are Out West. A place to meet and kick back.

Panchero's fits the bill by offering both the food and the informal setting. The food seems relatively healthy, geared toward satisfying even the cholesterol-conscious. Unless you add chicken or meat, ingredients are vegetarian, according to the website. (But let's be honest here, the traditional lard for frying does add something to flavor.)

The crowds were lining up to the door on Tuesday evening just one week after Panchero's opened. I didn't realize we had stumbled on the restaurant's official grand opening, with $1 burritos for part of that day only.

With a deal like that, my teen dining partner and I ordered burritos. He had a chicken burrito, (paying $6.45 the first time) a repeat of what he'd ordered on a previous visit without me — he couldn't wait.

Although I am not usually a red meat fan, I savor the seasoned steak that in some places is known as carne asada.

The steak was good. The pinto beans were good. The chicken was a better quality than it might have been in some authentic roadside taquerias — although the delectable, fresh spices in such places can make up for the sometimes poorer quality of the meat. 

My only quibble is that the preparer was kind of stingy with the salsa, and the steak burrito was a bit drier than it should have been. But that may have been partially my fault. I like lots of salsa, and I felt pretty greedy asking for another scoop when I was getting the burrito for a dollar.

On a second day, I returned to order two chicken tacos for $4.95, and the server gave me as much salsa as I wanted. I also had a taste of carnitas, the pungent Mexican pork that also can be ordered to filled burritos or more.

The upshot: This isn't the world's most authentic Mexican. But it will satisfy the urge for Mexican food, and does so in a way that seems fairly healthy as well as cheap.

And Panchero's already seems like a regular in the neighborhood.

Panchero's Mexican Grill

402 Route 206 North

The Hills Village Center, Bedminster

908-719-3100

Decor: Bright, festive

Service: Friendly counter service

Drinks: Fountain drinks and some bottled

Price: $


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