I've driven by it numerous times, but haven't had the opportunity to stop in for a meal. Today I had the time. I wasn't going to be able to go to taekwondo due to some reading I needed to do, so I decided a quick lunch on my way home would be okay.
El Sol Mexican Restaurant is at 4047 Hixson Pike and occupies the building that was once a hamburger place (Backyard Burgers), then it was Hillbilly's for a while. It may have been other things too. El Sol Mexican Restaurant has a FaceBook presence. You can check them out by clicking here.
I am not sure how long El Sol has been there. At least several months, but probably longer.
There were about 4 tables occupied when I went in. Several more people came as I was there.
The chips and salsa were brought out in good time and my drink order was taken. The salsa was very tasty and the texture was just right-- not runny nor too thick. The chips were fresh and crunchy, but not warm.
I enjoyed my meal there. The only downfall for me is that I didn't hear enough Spanish. It was bizarre for me to hear "Sweet Home, Alabama" over the speakers in the restaurant. I don't know if that was from a radio station or other means of providing music. But somehow, I think my brain was expecting Spanish music.
The servers spoke wonderful English, but that meant that I didn't really have that opportunity to speak Spanish either. I still spoke some, here and there, but it didn't seem to catch on.
A group of three guys came in for lunch and sat in the middle of the restaurant. They were speaking Spanish among themselves. So, in the midst of "Sweet Home, Alabama", I could hear Spanish, though I wasn't trying to understand it. It eased the foreign experience for me, though, helping me to feel a tad more at home.
On the way out, I noticed at the register they had posted "sun" in about 7 different languages: French, English, Spanish, Turkish, Korean, Italian, and I forget the others. There were cards taped to the wood. That was pretty cool in my opinion. I enjoy a language learning opportunity.
Overall, the experience at the restaurant was a good one. The food I had was good. I wasn't super hungry, so I took my left overs to my husband at work.
I recommend the restaurant for those in the local area. Don't let my disappointment of the lack of Spanish be an indicator. I imagine most English speaking folks don't mind hearing English music in a Mexican restaurant. Yet, I would hope to hear French in a French restaurant, etc. But, that's me and my language and culture background. It has nothing to do with food.
I think hearing more Spanish, whether through music and/or conversation, would have made today's experience better for me. But, again, that's me.... and it says more about where I am and what I thought I wanted and needed than it says about the restaurant.
So, check out the restaurant. Bon appetit, as they say in French. Buen provecho as they say in Spanish!
~Debra
