I'm going to blaspheme, if you don't mind. For me, the best Tex-Mex I had ever had at a restaurant I had at a major chain restaurant called Chevy's. Well, Chevy's made some really dumb moves and was forced to close much of their recent expansion. This included my beloved location. For years I wandered, lost in a sea of mediocre, so-called ""Mexican"" restaurants. Ha! If any Mexican walked into these places and sampled what they called Mexican food they'd k ill the cook. I can barely describe how happy I was to find El Tapatio. A gem of traditional cooking hidden in Cranston. When you enter, you're struck by the color of the dining area. Not really Mexico, but close enough for a silly New Englander. The highlight are the hand-carved and painted chairs which give more color to the room than if a gay-pride parade exploded. And if you find yourself loving them, you can buy some. They're pricey, though. You are immediately served some of the best tortilla chips I've ever had. Crisp, warm, and just a little bit salty, they are pure delight. The salsa is just a little sweet and very tasty. Their chile con queso is FANTASTIC. If you go, you must get. Their menu is enormous. I've gone about a dozen times and still haven't sampled everything. Tradtional cooking is combined with some imagination and masterful skill. The chile con carne is dreamy, and their chimichangas are so good I get one almost every time. For dessert, they have the best fried ice cream in the solar system, and an apple chimichanga that's like deep-fried apple pie. So good it has to be illegal. I hesitate in giving it five stars because nothing on the menu made me stop and say ""Wow. This is truly amazing."" The desserts come close. Still, combined with cheap prices, perfect preparation, inventive atmosphere, desserts to die for, and prompt service, El Tapatio should get 4.5 stars, but Citysearch doesn't support that. El Tapatio: They built it. You should go. I sure do. At least once a month.
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