Several years ago, my family and I gathered with friends for an engagement party at Abuelo’s. Given I was a child when we dined, I don’t remember what the food tasted like or the quality of service, but the name stuck with me from that moment on. When I got an email mentioning the restaurant’s menu items a few months ago I decided to give it another shot.
Given the name, I expected some sort of Mexican cuisine but I didn’t expect it to be as upscale as it was. On a sunny afternoon I made my way to the Abuelo’s location in Carmel and was greeted by the host. The lights were dim, similar to the atmosphere of a romantic date and overall it seemed pretty relaxing. Although the décor gave away its upscale charm, many of the customers sported jeans and tennis shoes.
My server welcomed me and proceeded to place three types of salsas, mild, sweet and hot, and a basket of tortilla chips on the table.
As I glanced over the menu, I noticed there were some traditional Mexican favorites like fajitas, enchiladas, and tacos. Abuelo’s offers seven types of fajitas including Classic Chicken Fajitas, Steak Fajitas, Pork Tenderloin Fajitas and the most surprising to me, Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp Fajitas. The dish includes bacon-wrapped stuffed shrimp fajitas, which are fire-grilled and stuffed with jalapeño and blended cheeses.
I was also surprised to see a variety of soups and sandwiches on the menu because I normally don’t notice them at most Mexican restaurants, but their choices were front and center. The Reynosa Salad with ground beef or shredded chicken, mixed cheeses, chile con queso, Charro beans, tomatoes and guacamole seemed most interesting of them all.
After all of my searching, I finally stumbled upon the Firecracker Shrimp Tacos listed under the Tex Mex section of the menu. The description read “Spicy shrimp, Napa cabbage, shaved carrot, cilantro, mango relish and spicy peanut dressing, served in a handmade flour tortilla.”
While waiting for my order, I entertained myself by checking out the handheld tablet on each table. Each one provides games, an option for customers to page their server and quick ways to view, split and pay their bill when needed.
Shortly after ordering, two shrimp tacos arrived with the peanut dressing on the side as I asked and rice and refried beans were also served. The first bite was a combination of sweetness from the mango relish and a bit of spice from the firecracker shrimp, which I also learned is sold as an appetizer. Actually, I wished it was a little spicier so I poured some of the hot salsa on top and I was in heaven.
The menu also included a wide variety of signature alcoholic beverages, 10 out of 12 of them being margaritas. On my next visit, I am tempted to try the Sangria Swirl, which mimicked a peppermint in appearance and is a mix of frozen Sangria swirled with La Grandeza Margarita.
Indy has a lot of restaurants around the city which offer Mexican cuisine, but if you’d like to truly taste the flavors of Mexico in an upscale environment, check out Abuelo’s two locations in the city.
Abuelo’s Carmel
14480 Lowes Way
Carmel, Ind. 46033
(317) 815-8175
Indianapolis – Traders Point
5910 W. 86th St.
Indianapolis, Ind. 46278
(317) 876-0250
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Abuelos.com
