Ryan Wisniewski
Generously stuffed tortas are a great choice.
There’s a new restaurant epicenter in Middleton: It’s at Middleton Hills.
The walkable New Urbanist development had long made do with a Starbucks and the Prairie Cafe and Bakery. Then Craftsman Table and Tap opened, and a Menchie’s frozen yogurt shop. More recently, Pizza Brutta opened a location on Frank Lloyd Wright Avenue. And now Lupe’s Taqueria has taken over the long-vacant space once occupied by the Bean Sprouts Cafe and more recently Palmyra, a Mediterranean restaurant. There are a few sidewalk tables; inside, it’s livened by colorful paintings of Mexican wrestling masks.
Lupe’s serves fresh Mexican food in a small space, only about 10 tables total. Everything is made to order at the counter, as at a Chipotle or Qdoba. A first visit can feel a little overwhelming, because there are quite a few options.
Many Mexican and Mexican-American standards are available — tacos, burritos, tostadas and nachos. Choose your meat, veggies, rice and sauce. The guacamole was outstanding, as was the salsa roja, but be prepared for some heat and a thinner, more authentic consistency compared to chunkier Americanized versions.
I liked my tostada, a flat corn tortilla fried crisp and topped with shredded roast pork, pinto beans, Cotija cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo and jalapeños. The flavors were good, and the jalapeños were hot, although I was surprised they came out of a jar, since Lupe’s bills itself as a “fresh Mexican grill.” The pico de gallo was definitely fresh, though, and added a nice complement of tomatoes, onions and cilantro. The tacos, prepared similarly, are also a good bet. Order a few of either the tostadas or the tacos to make a meal. And try the beef, a delicious nod to carne asada, diced on the large side.
The shredded chicken is also quite good, but my favorite protein is undoubtedly the picadillo, a mixture of ground pork and ground beef. I had that on a torta, the Mexican sandwich served on a thick round bun. Stuffed with pinto beans, cheese, lettuce, jalapeños, mayonnaise and sour cream, this was my favorite dish of all.
Mozzarella is the other cheese available in addition to Cotija. It seems like an odd choice for a Mexican restaurant, when there are more flavorful choices like Chihuahua cheese or queso fresco.
On more than one visit, Lupe’s has run out of ingredients posted on the permanent menu. My dining companion ordered chorizo on his nachos, only to be told there was only one small scoop of meat left. (The server offered to add in some other meat.) The serving was very small, especially considering the price — over $7. On a second trip, it was a larger serving, but still not enough to justify the price.
There was another setback with dessert. On one visit, Lupe’s had sold out of both the tres leches cake and the ChocoFlan, its two options. It was near closing time, and I figured that was bound to happen. However, on a second visit at lunchtime, the kitchen was again out of the ChocoFlan. I did manage to score a piece of tres leches. The moist yellow cake came with vanilla frosting and was surrounded by sweet strawberries. I liked it, but it did not make up for the fact that I really wanted that ChocoFlan.
Overall, Lupe’s is a welcome addition to the Middleton restaurant scene and a good spot for casual Mexican food. It always seems to be busy. With a few tweaks, it could go from good to great. I hope this location has finally found the business that will last.
Lupe’s Taqueria
6719 Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Middleton; 608-841-1715; facebook.com/Lupes-Taqueria-1136551316395497
11 am-8 pm Mon.-Sat., 11 am-7 pm Sun; $1-$8
