It’s been a while since my girlfriend and I had a tasty Mexican dinner, so we wanted to try a new place where we could dip some chips on the guacamole accompanied by margaritas. Guadalupe Inn has long been on my radar since it opened, but its location in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn made it harder to make that trip all the way from Manhattan. On a recent Sunday, after watching a Broadway show, we finally decided to head over to Guadalupe Inn. By the time we arrived at the restaurant, we were both nearly starving to death. Is that why the meal at Guadalupe Inn was extra special? I couldn’t tell, but my girlfriend and I both agreed that the food here was quite legit.

We both love adding spicy elements to dishes, and Mexican cuisine certainly does that quite well. Unlike other run-of-the-mill Mexican restaurants in the city, though, the balance of flavor was quite impressive at Guadalupe Inn. Start with guacamole with habanero pepper. Yes, the pepper made the guacamole spicy but there was no other extra seasoning to threaten the integrity of the dish. I think we could’ve finished the entire guacamole if not for the other dishes that were coming in. Corn masa tostada with avocado puree, pickled cabbage and sea salt chili powder also displayed wonderful complexity of flavor that wasn’t overwhelming to my palate. My girlfriend couldn’t stop raving about the texture of the grilled octopus with dark plum mole beneath, and I couldn’t agree more. The textural beauty from the octopus and the potatoes that accompanied it was quite memorable.

The weakest dish of the night was shredded chicken tacos topped with cabbage and queso fresco. Unlike the other dishes, this one definitely needed to tone down on seasoning. Our mild disappointment, however, was quickly solved with the decadent, show-stopper trompito al pasta dish, a beautiful stack of marinated pork on top of grilled pineapple that you can add to handmade corn tortillas along with onion and cilantro. The pork was beautifully cooked, and the chili used for marinating it was quite tasty as well without being heavy. My girlfriend and I couldn’t stop happily putting together the tortillas and devouring them quickly on bites after bites. For dessert, that childhood favorite churros is the way to go. Unlike the typical churros, though, the one at Guadalupe Inn is filled with goat milk caramel, adding another delightful element to an already delightful dish. I still can’t forget the face of my girlfriend savoring every single bite on the churros.

Getting a reservation at Guadalupe Inn wasn’t too difficult, and the restaurant was not full during our meal on a Sunday evening, so you can perhaps even try walking in. There is a full bar, and the cocktails at the restaurant were rather well made. The shiny dining space, which also features shows like burlesques at some nights, was somewhat at odds with the vibe of Bushwick, and I wish the lighting was adjusted so that my photos of the food came out looking more delicious. In any event, Guadalupe Inn certainly exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend the restaurant to anyone who wants a new place to get their Mexican fix.

KenScale: 8.5/10

• Creativity: 8.0/10
• Execution: 8.5/10
• Ingredients: 8.0/10
• Flavor: 8.5/10
• Texture: 8.5/10

Address: 1 Knickerbocker Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237

Telephone: (718) 366-0500

Website: http://www.guadalupeinnbk.com/