Local Restaurants Vol. 9 – El Tenampa
Posted by disneyholidaytownhome on July 10, 2009
Right Under Our Noses!
Once again, my family and I were on a mission to find some authentic ethnic food during our last trip up to Disney Holiday Townhome (DHT) . This time, we thought we’d try some Mexican food. We had seen a couple of Mexican restaurants in the area, but were unsure as to which one to try. I mentioned this to a fellow vacation rental owner, and she suggested a restaurant that just around the corner from DHT!
The reason I hadn’t noticed this particular Mexican restaurant is because it shares a building with a Mexican food market. The other vacation rental owner told me two things that convinced me that we should try this place: 1) very authentic Mexican cuisine and 2) GREAT margaritas! That was good enough for me!
El Tenampa
Located just 3 miles east of DHT on Irlo Bronson Highway, El Tenampa Mexican Restaurant is easily found on the north side of the road – if you know to look for a restaurant and/or a small grocery store! Whenever, we stay at DHT, we go past this place at least twice, and I’ve only ever noticed the grocery store!
Pulling into the parking lot, El Tenampa doesn’t look like much more than one of those convenience marts with a coin-operated laundry next door in the same building. The lot is small, and we parked off in the dirt/grass. Opening the door to the restaurant, however, revealed a charming little establishment with full wall murals representing Southwestern scenes. We were immediately greeted by El Tenampa’s friendly staff, and seated at a table in the middle of the restaurant. A quick look around the (mostly full!) restaurant told me we were in the right place. I’d say about 60% of the customers were of Mexican (or Hispanic) descent – a very good sign, in my opinion!
We started off with drinks. My wife and I had to try the margaritas. We were not disappointed! While looking at the extensive menu, we all munched away on the chips and salsa provided – which were very good, BTW!
Everyone was feeling a bit adventurous. The kids happened to see that you could get a side of cactus and wanted to try it. Sure! Why not? We’ve never had cactus. It was actually pretty good. It had the look and consistency of green peppers, but was a bit tart and not bitter like a green pepper.
For the main courses, my daughter got a junior quesadilla, and then munched on the chips & salsa, the cactus, and some of our main courses. Trust me, she didn’t starve! There was plenty of food to go around.
My son had the chipoltle style chicken. He really liked the meal. He mentioned that it was too much food. I also know that he’s not a big fan of pulling at “chicken parts”, so that didn’t go ever too well. Boneless would’ve been better for him – but how authentic is that?!
My wife had the grilled fish and was very pleased. She even tried the slices of avocado that came with her meal – and she is not a fan of guacamole!
I ordered the rib-eye steak and shrimp. I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. The flavor of the steak was outstanding! Like everyone else, I felt like there was just too much food. Wow! I’m glad I dug into the steak and shrimp before I gorged myself on the tasty re-fried beans and yellow rice.
The meals were all very affordable, with my steak and shrimp dish topping out the pricing at at paltry $15.99. Everyone else’s meals were under $10!
Authentic Cuisine, Great Atmosphere, Awesome Price
If you like great Mexican food served by a pleasant staff at an incredible price, then El Tenampa is a place you must visit. As I mentioned, the exterior will underwhelm you, but you won’t be disappointed with what’s inside. This is definitely one of those, “you can’t judge a book by its cover” kind of restaurants! It just has a great vibe to it. I can tell you that we will definitely be back to try another dish or two. Give it a try – you’ll be happy you did!
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A minor attraction that has been around longer than Disney, Universal, or SeaWorld!
