El Jardin Mexican Restaurant

Located at 1581 S. Mission Road in Fallbrook, California

 

My Sweetheart and I ate at El Jardin last Friday night. They had posted a date night special of Fajitas and Margarita’s for $25. I thought that was quite a bargain, so that was our choice for our dinner date.

 

The ambiance of El Jardin is intimate, but the place is busy, so don’t expect it to be quiet! Their service was quick, so expect a bowl of chips, salsa and cheese dip to be one your table within a few minutes of sitting down. Okay—I have a confession to make: I love Americanized Mexican food, so this was a great fit for me. Salsa with no kick appeals to me. If you want authentic—go to El Meson in town.

 

Service was very good. The waitress took our order quickly, plus we got another bowl of chips with more salsa—complimentary, of course. Our margaritas were on the table and they were delicious! My Sweetie likes his over ice and me, blended. It was so good that I had to be careful to not get the dreaded “brain freeze”. 

 

We ordered the steak fajitas and they arrived on the sizzling platter with colored bell peppers and onions—all cooked to perfection and smelling heavenly. The platter of sides was perfectly garnished for visual appeal. The downside would be that the beans are like they're out of a can and not homemade. They could definitly be improved. The tortillas were another thing El Jardin could improve on. Home-made are just much better tasting. They were not anything special, but from the first bite of my beef, caramelized veggies and toppings, I didn’t care one iota. YUM!!

 

Portions were generous. My Sweetie overate as a result, but I took home some food from the sides and enjoyed them as leftovers the next day in a burrito. 

 

Prices are about average for most of their dinners. The $25 special was very generous, especially since just the fajitas are normally $32 for a couple. I would definitely recommend El Jardin to anyone who likes traditional Mexican food made for the American palate like mine.