Jana Hollingsworth/News Tribune
When news that another version of Cloquet’s Mexico Lindo was going to open in the cavernous space of mediocre Mexican-food past, followers rejoiced.
Could it succeed? Would the cult-like love of the Cloquet restaurant be enough to survive among more choices, uninformed tourists and the curse of its predecessor?
A month or so in, it seems it is. People are flocking and waiting in long lines to get their hands on salt-rimmed gallons of margarita and tasty, tortilla-wrapped delights. I can just imagine what it will be like trying to get onto that fabulous deck in coming days when sun- and chips-and-salsa-seekers converge like gulls in Canal Park. I was worried that one of the things I loved about Mexico Lindo — its cheap prices — would change in its new higher-priced setting. But any price changes appeared minimal.
On a Thursday night about two weeks after it opened, we waited 50 minutes for a table for three. That allowed us to have a cocktail at Red Star Lounge, which was having a happy hour. A $5 authentic mojito wasn’t a bad way to wait.
Back at Lindo, the name-taker gave our table to someone else, and then forgot about us. I expect things like that in the opening weeks of a restaurant, as it finds its way. Our server was busy but good, fixing things that needed fixing. There was a general sense of controlled employee chaos, which makes me wonder if the owners were quite prepared for their popularity.
The first thing I noticed about the food was the lack of cilantro in the salsa. Having been to the Cloquet location more than 20 times, I know they use it. Perhaps we had a bad batch and it’s not a permanent change. My Burrito Cancun was great: the same salty, tasty, addictive dish I remembered, filled with slices of grilled chicken, a swath of onions and shrimp, and that mellow Oaxaca cheese. It was bliss, without dousing the burrito in cheese like so many other offenders. I love the rice because it’s simple. Squeeze the orange over the burrito for a touch of sweet.
I know this isn’t all heart-of-Mexico pure cooking, although there are some dishes with that ambition, like the stew served in a molcajete. Much of it is somewhat altered to cater to the tastes of the area, but even authenticity doesn’t guarantee good-tasting. And I’ve had far more pleasing meals than not at Lindo.
We reported earlier in the year that owner Felipe Mata spent time in Mexico researching food for the opening, so perhaps I need further menu exploration to find deeper Mexican cooking. In any case, most of us just want something delicious and well-seasoned with our lake-watching. Finally, we have it.
Eat there:
Mexico Lindo, inside Fitger’s Brewery Complex, 600 E. Superior St.,
(218) 727-1978
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