Dinner @ Hacienda del Sol, Pasco, Washington

Sunday, January 4, 2009
Hacienda del Sol
5024 North Road 68
Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 547-6392

Here in town, they recently replaced a Chinese buffet place that, to be honest, was a bit lousy. It tasted like Chinese fast food, kind of like Panda Express but worse. It was replaced by a Mexican restaurant called Hacienda del Sol. Pasco has a healthy Mexican population, so there's no shortage of restaurants and great taco wagons. I've wanted to expand on my Mexican cuisine, and it was new so I had to try it.

This visit was my third visit, so obviously I've become a fan. They have dishes that I have not seen anywhere else, and the flavor of the dishes I've had so far have been real ono. They have a combo section, which is good to try out the various dishes on there, so I decided to try the #22, which is a Chalupa and Chile Relleno:



It looks small, but you get a lot of food on the plate, including rice and beans. I tried the chile relleno and the chili pepper inside was nice and sweet, not hot at all. I had mine with ground beef, and when I got to the end I discovered there was some egg with it (it caught me by surprise). Then I tried the chalupa. I could have eaten about two more. I was half way through the chalupa when I realized I couldn't eat anymore, but I did finish it off. The chalupa is crispy and flavorful, far from the variation Taco Bell tries to make. If you have a big stomach, you can probably take this down easy, but if not, you can definitely get a container to bring it home. You're literally getting two meals on one plate, and whether it's the next day or later that night, you'll still have something good to consume.

Next time out I'll try some of their chicken and seafood dishes. Last time I had a burrito with a sweet type of lettuce and tomato salad on the side, which reminded me of what they serve at Tsukenjo in Honolulu. This is perfect when mixed up with the rice and beans.

The atmosphere is very nice, the service very courteous and they make you feel as if you were at home. Highly recommended.