Mystery Diner: Salsa Verde provides an authentic Mexican dining treat

It was past noon on a cold yet sunny weekday and the Mystery Diner was hungry and more than ready for another business lunch. The previously agreed upon destination was Salsa Verde, a Mexican restaurant located at 634 W. Veterans Parkway (Route 34) in Yorkville.

Salsa Verde is a family-owned business that opened in Yorkville in 2012 and has – thanks to a growing following of customers – since expanded by opening restaurants in Oswego (also on Route 34), St. Charles, Batavia and Indianapolis, Indiana. Restaurant owners promise their patrons freshly prepared and high quality Mexican food, 100 percent customer satisfaction, and speed and accuracy with every order.

Before we get any farther here, it should be known that the Mystery Diner has been a serious fan of Mexican cuisine since as, a wee youngster, he was introduced to it by his much older brother while attending a White Sox game in the late 1970s at old Comiskey Park. It was there, under the left field grandstand in that historic old ballpark, that the young Mystery Diner dutifully followed his big brother’s instructions to order a soft taco with everything – including the hot sauce. One quick bite into a that fresh, delicious taco prepared by natives of the land south of the Rio Grande and the Mystery Diner was a confirmed fanatic of all foods Mexican. Since that time the Mystery Diner has sought out and enjoyed Mexican food from small mom-and-pop stands on the near east side of Aurora to larger, family-owned places in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Bellingham, Washington.

Upon pulling off Route 34 into the Salsa Verde parking lot, the Mystery Diner was happily contemplating the prospect of enjoying three or four authentically Mexican chicken tacos on soft shells with, of course, hot sauce. But a quick glance at the other tempting fare on the menu board above the counter caused him to – as a football fan might say – call an audible at the line of scrimmage. Instead of ordering those chicken tacos, the Mystery Diner picked the Quesadillas de Camaron, grilled shrimp fajitas inside a large tortilla with melted cheese, backed up with a side salad of lettuce, tomato and sour cream.

The Mystery Diner’s colleague opted for the Enchiladas Mexicanas, enchiladas filled with seasoned ground beef, shredded chicken and shredded cheese, and topped with a variety of sauces, including mole and salsa verde. As a side he ordered the refried beans.

After waiting about five minutes at our table in the cozy dining room, we were summoned to pick up our orders at the counter. On our way we took note of the large salsa bar that offers patrons a wide variety of tempting salsas at all ranges of temperatures. (The Mystery Diner is sure his much older brother would approve!)

Taking our plates back to our table, we were immediately impressed with the quality of the food presentation and the generous size of the servings.

The combination of large, fresh-cut onions and green peppers provided the perfect complement to the shrimp and melted cheese on the Mystery Diner’s quesadilla. The cool sour cream topping on the salad and tomato made it a tasty side treat. The hot sauce proved just the right amount of spice.

The Mystery Diner’s colleague enjoyed his enchilada plate. The large portions of ground beef and shredded chicken and cheese looked very tempting to the Mystery Diner, who privately promised himself to consider the enchiladas upon his next visit.

As we enjoyed our meals, we took note of an outdoor patio off the dining room that would be a perfect spot to enjoy Mexican dining on a summer evening. The friendly, smiling help behind the counter and in the dining room also made our lunchtime meal an enjoyable experience.

As it says on the Salsa Verde website, “Life without Mexican food is like no life at all.” The Mystery Diner strongly agrees and encourages one and all to enjoy a fresh, truly authentic Mexican dining experience at Salsa Verde.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.

If you go

What: Salsa Verde, Mexican restaurant and taqueria

Where: 634 W. Veterans Parkway (Route 34), Yorkville

Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

Information: Call 630-553-6931 or visit salsaverderestaurant.com