The Local Flavor Amigo's Cantina

Author: Tamara Hilmes

Na's House of Thai - mediocre excuse for Asian cuisine or spicy ambrosia from the Far East? Sadly, I will never know. If you have seen the sign for Na's House of Thai on Route 7 as you head toward Lake Dunmore, do not be fooled as my friends and I were this past Saturday.

Less than thrilled with the bland offerings at Ross and Atwater, we decided to embark on a mission to find spicy pad Thai without having to drive the full hour to Burlington. We had heard a rumor of a delectable little place just off the highway past Hannaford and decided to give it a try. As we neared the turn for Dunmore, and had still seen no sign of the restaurant, we realized that our dream of Thai food in Middlebury, Vt. was ridiculously optimistic. We accepted defeat, but heading back toward town, my friend Molly shouted in delight. We had found it! A sign near the side of the road read "Na's House of Thai" followed by Thai characters and a phone number. We pulled off only to find that the restaurant was nowhere to be found. Middlebury students that we are, full of ingenuity, we decided to call the number on the sign. Much to our chagrin, the line had been disconnected. So much for finding spicy cuisine on a Saturday night.

As we made our way back to the College, still bitter over our failed attempt to find food with a spicy flair, we passed Amigo's Cantina, the Mexican restaurant on Exchange St. next to Carol's Hungry Mind CafÈ. We all turned to each other and simultaneously shrugged as if to say - why not? Sure it isn't Thai, and okay, it's only about a 10-minute walk from campus, but it's sure to be spicy, right?

While this may be true of most Mexican restaurants, Amigo's is the exception. While you are sure to find Mexican staples such as chimichangas, tacos, burritos and quesadillas on its menu, do not go into the restaurant expecting to find authentic cuisine. Many of the dishes, while tasty enough, do not quite measure up to most south-of-the-border standards. The Mexican Flag platter, for instance, consists of three enchiladas, one with standard red sauce, one with white chipotle and one with green. The plate may be festive, but the flavor - not so much. And at $15.95, my friends and I might settle for taco day in the dining hall instead. The chicken quesadillas, too, lacked authenticity. These grilled tortillas were stuffed with a simple mixture of chicken and red sauce and some cheese, but none of the vegetables or seasonings typically found in quesadillas. Also, the rice served on the side had green peas interspersed with the grains. While they may have added contrasting color to the red-tinted rice, they contributed nothing to the taste.

Those about to make the trek to Amigo's should also consider a few other points before leaving campus. The menu offers very few vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes. My friend had an interesting experience in her attempt to order the taco platter sans sour cream and meat. After a discussion with the waitress about whether the black beans should be put on the side or not, my friend asked for corn tortillas. The waitress kindly informed that her corn tortillas would be "crumbly."

Peas and crumbly tortillas aside, Amigo's offered a nice change from the normal pasta du jour and a fun and friendly atmosphere for chatting with friends over dinner. If you are on a budget, however, you might consider splitting an entrÈe with a friend or ordering an appetizer as a meal to cut the cost as Amigo's dishes average about $12.00 a plate. Also, be wary - guacamole costs an additional 50 cents.