Pochito's Mexican Restaurant and Cantina

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Shrimp Cartagena - shrimp over grilled vegetables with rice and beans, $13.50. Photo by Susan Laughlin.

More Info

Pochito's Mexican Restaurant & Cantina
33 S. Commercial St., Manchester
(603) 232-3054
pochitosmexicanrestaurant.com
Open for lunch and dinner

The former location of the Commercial Street Fishery is now the home of the new Pochito's Mexican Restaurant. Tucked away in one of the mill buildings on South Commercial Street in Manchester (on the way to merchantsauto.com stadium, where the Fisher Cats play), it's easy to drive right by. Lunchtime parking was a bit difficult due to a shared parking lot with other businesses, but for the dinner hours there was plenty of space.

There are a number of appetizer choices, from quesadillas to various dips and a tapas menu. We began with guacamole ($4) and the nachos with vegetables ($6). The guacamole was freshly prepared with nice chunks of avocado and tomato, as opposed to the homogenous green mush you find at many places. The nachos were a nice surprise - instead of a giant stack of chips where the toppings only rest on the upper layer, it was just one layer of chips with a generous portion of roasted vegetables like eggplant and squash. It was perfect for two people to finish without spoiling the meal.

The entrées cover all the basic Mexican favorites, plus offer some dishes that are a bit above the usual burritos and enchiladas, such as interesting seafood choices like the Shrimp Cartagena (shrimp over grilled vegetables with rice and beans, $13.50), the Caribbean Plate (grilled shrimp, scallops and haddock with rice and side salad, $15.50) or the Cabos san Lucas Pescado (grilled tilapia, grilled onions, peppers and tomato, $14.95).

To try a little of everything, I ordered from the vegetarian "Make Your Own Fiesta" portion of the menu where you pick three items enchilada, chile relleno, burrito, tostada, quesadilla or taco for $9. There is a similar option with meat choices for $9.25 with your choice of filling. My grilled vegetable burrito, taco and spinach and mushroom quesadilla were all packed with fresh vegetables, beans and cheese. I found the quesadilla a little too cheesy, but that may be perfect for some. The refried beans and rice on the side were good, but could use a little spice. Our house margaritas were tart, large and packed a punch - a good value for a little over $6.