By 6:30 every evening, mi Pueblo Mexican Restaurant in the Brickyard Plaza is packed with hungry customers. But not to worry, the fiesta begins outside on the patio where friends and family gather with margaritas in hand. Stars twinkle through the trees. The evening air is alive with strumming guitars and trumpeting energy as the mariachi band, dressed in traditional costume, serenades the crowd.

Inside the cantina, patrons gather under a hand-embossed copper sign, enjoying a beverage until their table is ready. Drinks are served in heavy Mexican glassware rimmed with color. Much of the restaurant’s authentic flavor comes from the many items brought from Mexico.

There are colorful tiles inlaid into the dining tables, bar stools upholstered in pigskin, a fountain surrounded with a mosaic backdrop. Light sparkles through cutouts in metal sconces and chandeliers. Murals inspired by original paintings brought over from the old country decorate the walls.

Heavy wooden planks painted in bright colors lead to the balcony where banquets and special parties are held in this private room. Here, a pueblo (town) has been recreated with a little stucco building facade, complete with a bright blue door, a window box full of flowers and a roof of tejas tiles. Wrought iron rails trailing with verdant greenery surround the area overlooking the dining room below, where a petite Spanish waitress dressed in a white peasant top trimmed in lace serves a warm bowl of tortilla chips and salsa, made daily from scratch with fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro and spices. For a botanita (appetizer), try the pollitos; battered jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and shredded chicken, topped with melted cheese.

For dinner, explore the Plato de Combinaciones section of the menu. You get your choice of any two or three items from a list of eight dishes. I went with the Enchilada Suiza, a marinated shredded breast of chicken rolled in a corn tortilla topped  with  cheese  and  a  delicate  sour cream sauce.
 

I’d never tried a tamale, so that was my second choice. My daughter enjoyed Tacos Al Carbon, soft flour tortillas filled with tender strips of steak, topped with grilled onions and bell peppers and served with pico de gallo, rice and refried beans.

Mi Pueblo offers full, customized catering to make your next party a Mexican fiesta – whether it is an office function or a party at home. What a great way to entertain your family, friends and co-workers and have a Mexican-themed party. If you need help with serving or cleanup, mi Pueblo can even provide you with your own personal server. Bartenders are also available to whip up your favorite flavor of margarita.

The original mi Pueblo opened in 1999 in Sarasota at Palm Plaza on the southeast corner of Bee Ridge Road and McIntosh. This location is cozy and romantic; a great place to take a date, sip a glass of sangria and spice up your life with a sizzling plate of fajitas!

The newest location in north Sarasota at the University Walk shopping plaza on the corner of University Parkway and Tuttle Avenue has been voted Best New Restaurant of 2005. At this restaurant, a mosaic inscribed with the word “Bienvenidos” (welcome) is located over the handcrafted wooden doors. As you walk through these doors, you will feel as if you have left Florida and are walking into Mexico. The warm colors of the building are inspired by a traditional hacienda (Mexican home), and mi Pueblo is filled with imported Mexican furniture, fountains, art and artesian handicrafts. This location is the perfect place to gather with friends and family to experience warm, Mexican hospitality in an authentic hacienda.

With three locations open seven days a week, it’s easy to satisfy your appetite for traditional Mexican food and atmosphere at mi Pueblo.