#41 Petra's, A Fresh Surprise

May 14, 2013

Petra

McKinney, TX

Like many Mexican restaurants in Collin County, Petra's is located in a non-descript strip center. It is is not a full-service Mexican restaurant, but is a step up in terms of menu diversity and quantity found at the loco taco joints that are sprouting up everywhere.  I had a groupon for the place and 

 decided to celebrate the end of the semester with a colleague. She had been here a number of times with other professors and said the food was consistently good and fresh.

Lowdown: 

chips--thin and salty, just the way I like them.

salsas--one had a smoky flavor (delish) and one was the standard tomato version (bland)

guac--at $7, it's hands down the best value for tableside guac.

drinks--wine, beer, sangria and margaritas

My friend ordered a hibiscus margarita. Kudos for inventiveness, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Hibiscus-flavored syrup swirled in a standard frozen marg.

Main course lowdown:

veggie tacos--spinach, mushrooms, peppers, onions and squash. nothing out of the ordinary but tasty.

chicken flautas--again nothing out of the ordinary, but my friend cleaned her platee.

Each entree comes with a choice of two sides. The tortilla soup is different from standard fare. It had a creamy tomato-based stock with a cheesy finish. Definitely a highlight of the meal.

We passed on dessert. Highlights include fresh ingredients, which was evident in the food quality and not just a marketing ploy. Also the service was friendly and the atmosphere was light and airy with nice  ambience. Again a step up from the quirky taco joints. Price is moderate, but quantity of food made it an excellent value.