I don’t know about everyone else, but I was disappointed when the Chinese buffet in Wal-Mart Plaza closed down. It was a good place to go out for a good, cheap, sit down meal. When I found out that Pancho’s had taken over the location, I figured it was a good opportunity for a review.
Pancho’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant is on Hoosick Street in Wal-Mart Plaza. Unlike Bombers, which I reviewed last week, this is a decent sit-down restaurant where you can relax and enjoy a nice meal. When I walked in, the first thing I noticed was how hard they worked to give the place an authentic Mexican feel. One major thing I observed was the soft ethnic music playing in the background, and the mural of Mexican villas painted across all the walls. Oh, and of course, there is the huge bar in the middle of the restaurant. I am definitely going to go back sometime and check that out.
Well, Pancho’s was not busy when we arrived, so before I could say how many there were in our party, we were seated with water poured. The next thing I knew, we had a bowl of tortilla chips and a carafe of homemade salsa being placed on the table. I really like how they left the carafe on the table so we could refill on our own rather than having to ask. It just made things easier. I think Pancho’s found the perfect recipe that just about everyone can enjoy. My friend has never really been a salsa person and I definitely caught him enjoying it, which really says a lot. We all enjoyed the complimentary chips while perusing the menu.
Pancho’s has all the usual entrées you would expect to find at a Mexican restaurant. They have tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and chalupas; you name it, and they’ve got it. I decided to go with one of the house specialties, called Pollo a la Parilla. It consisted of two large chicken breasts charbroiled with tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions served with a plate of guacamole salad, sour cream, Mexican rice, refried beans, and three tortillas. When they brought the food, around 10 minutes after we ordered, the plate with the chicken was still steaming from the grill. I had to move it away from me to keep from getting a steam burn. I thought the meal was delicious. Everything was prepared really well and everything was extremely fresh. All in all, it was a very good meal.
My friend decided to start off with a cup of tortilla soup and a combination platter as his entrée. The combination plate came with one beef burrito, one beef enchilada, and a pork tamale. This was also a huge amount of food. He really enjoyed everything and remarked that he looks forward to going back sometime soon to try out some of the other dishes.
I really liked Pancho’s. It was a nice change of pace to get away from Taco Bell style food and get some real Mexican food. The food is great and it doesn’t cost a ton. The meals cost anywhere from $10-$15. So if you feel like trying something a little different from the typical fast food, give Pancho’s a try. You just might like it. To get to Pancho’s, take Hoosick St. past the Price Chopper. The first entrance into the plaza goes right up to the Pancho’s front. Overall, I give Pancho’s 7 out of 10.
