Vibrant colors, fresh flavors, hearty portions. If you’re looking for some of the best Mexican food in the Bryan/College Station area, you should head on over to Cilantro Mexican Grill in Downtown Bryan.
Alex, owner of Cilantro, is a warm and welcoming soul, with a smile that immediately invites you in when you open the door. Growing up in Houston, her family owned a Mexican meat market, where she had the opportunity to learn invaluable lessons about the quality that should be present in a restaurant.
Her family later moved to the Bryan/College Station area, and opened another Mexican meat market. When she announced that she wanted to open a restaurant they were behind her.
Today, Alex gets all of the meat for Cilantro from her family’s market, just around the corner. “If it’s not right, they know I’ll send it back.” She explained about picking up her products, she doesn’t mess around with quality. Their butcher has been with the family’s meat market since the original store in Houston. When they moved to BCS, he followed, to stay a part of the team. He’s known Alex for years, and makes sure she receives things exactly the way she needs them.
When I asked Alex if she created all of the dishes on the menu, she explained that she has cooks from multiple areas of Mexico and she enjoys incorporating flavors and recipes from their hometowns. Her demeanor and vibe of the restaurant is as comforting as the food is. Come on in and experience it for yourself!
I’ve actually been to Cilantro several times, there was a couple years that I worked in Downtown Bryan and this was one of our favorite “Linner” spots. You know, late lunch/early dinner. So I have to admit, I already knew going in that I would love it. However, I think I’ve only ever gotten 2 things and was excited to try something new this time.
Obviously we started with chips and salsa, because this is Texas, and that’s how we roll. At Cilantro, they bring out three types of salsa, a creamy jalapeno, a tomatillo, and a red sauce. All three are delicious, but I love the red sauce. It’s mild but packed with fresh flavors. I like being able to taste the ingredients and not just feel heat. I enjoyed the creamy jalapeño drizzled on my entree.
The margarita she brought out was one of their top sellers. The Mangonada Margarita. It was a delicious combination of sweet, salty, tangy and had a touch of spice. The colors were as bright and vibrant as the flavors. Mango isn't my favorite fruit, but Mangonada is my new favorite margarita!
I already knew their creamy poblano sauce is absolutely incredible, so I was excited to see that they serve it a few different ways. It’s a gravy consistency, smooth and silky, but it’s full of the rich, roasted poblano flavor and thick sliced mushrooms.
When they brought the stuffed chicken breast out for me, I was amazed at how fantastic it looked. It’s a grilled chicken breast stuffed with grilled shrimp, spinach, and cheese. Then it was smothered in the creamy poblano sauce and topped with sliced avocado. Their rice, hands down, is my favorite Mexican rice around. It’s light and fluffy and packed with flavor. Normally, I skip the rice because it’s just a flavorless waste of stomach space, but I can’t get enough of it at Cilantro. The large helping of guacamole and pico on the side was a beautiful touch.
Then came the show stopper. You know that moment when you’re at a Mexican restaurant, the conversation stills, and everyone turns to look at the server coming to the table. Everyone can hear the fajitas sizzling on the cast iron skillet, and smell the onion and peppers charring. Now that’s a beautiful moment.
That’s how these fajitas entered my life. The beef fajitas, but not just any beef fajitas. These fajitas were on a bed of perfectly charred onions and bell peppers, then topped with fresh red onions, covered in the poblano cream sauce and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. The fajita meat is thick cut, almost a half inch, and fork tender. It comes with a side of rice, guacamole, pico, and the most amazing charro beans. Pinto beans with peppers, onions, and spices.
I forgot to ask if I can order those by the quart to go… they’ll make a perfect comfort meal this winter when I’m feeling under the weather.
The tortillas are warm and made in house so they’re always fresh. Wrapped up around the fajita meat, add the peppers and onions, then drizzle on some house crafted salsa - perfection.
Before I left, Alex made sure that I even had dessert. I was so full that I couldn’t eat any more, well, except for maybe one little bite. This was their fall dessert special. It’s a pumpkin spice flan, and it was incredible. Sweet, smooth, cool, with a hint of pumpkin spice. A perfect ending to a perfect meal.
If you’re takin’ the backroads this week, or just in the area looking for something delicious. Make sure you stop into Cilantro Mexican Grill. Tell Alex I said hi! And let her know you saw them featured here.
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106 N Parker Ave, Bryan, TX 77803
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