There’s something special to the promise of a happy hour at a Mexican restaurant. Perfectly oily chips, far too many bowls of (free) salsa, and margaritas in oversized cups that could double as bowls. Everyone knows the feeling of that experience and Florida especially does it quite right. To be fair, Mexican is not a food that’s easy to mess up. Cheese, sauces, seasoned meats, sauteed vegetables stuffed into some sort of carb- what could go wrong?
Unfortunately, I’ve found a place that somehow fails to deliver on the promise of Mexican cuisine’s deliciousness and that Marg Happy Hour Feeling^TM. Enter El Rancho Grande in Miami Beach. And I’d like to prime the rest of this post with a quick brief of the Peak-End rule.
The Peak End Rule states that “due to memory bias and recency bias, we are most likely to recall the most intense moment of stimuli during an event, and the final moment. These two points form a snapshot that characterizes our recollection of the experience.” And in a meal, the most intense part and (since there was no dessert) the final moment, were the main. With this in mind, we continue,
We started with the most intriguing appetizer, Platanos Machos.
Plantains, chicken, picadillo, shredded beef, queso, cream, and cilantro make up this most intriguing version of plantains I’ve ever seen. All of these ingredients were not in each. Rather, each of 1 chicken, 1 picadillo, and 1 shredded beef is topped with queso, cream, and cilantro. You can see the shredded beef overflowing on the one to the far left.
It’s an intriguing concept: the comforting heft of a fried plantain serving as the base for what might otherwise be classic taco or tostada toppings. The result is both familiar and surprising- a fusion of Cuban and Mexican sensibilities that somehow works. The chicken was tender, the picadillo warmly spiced, the beef flavorful if a bit dry. The toppings I loved. That queso and crema combination that you can scoop up with each bite.
I really expected a lot to be honest, and the taste was not bad at all. If anything, I found myself wanting a bit more. A deeper caramelization on the plantains, a sharper hit of lime or heat to tie it all together. Still, this dish shows a creative hand in the kitchen and a willingness to push a traditional idea into new territory. A good start.
And to add something crisp and fresh, we figured the Ceviche Veracruzano would be worth a shot.
Ceviche Veracruzano is a regional Mexican take on ceviche inspired by the coastal city of Veracruz, which sits along the Gulf of Mexico. On paper, it reads beautifully: local wild snapper cured in leche de tigre, layered with cilantro, avocado, tomato, and shaved red onion. This Ceviche Veracruzano at El Rancho Grande has good intentions but a bit of an awkward execution.
The fish comes in large chunks. I mean almost demanding a knife when ceviche should be a spoonful of effortless freshness. The portion, too, is surprisingly small, served in a way that feels precious rather than generous. It’s a curious misstep, especially in a restaurant whose other dishes lean toward heartiness and shareability.
Disappointed but still hopeful, I ordered the Plato Mixto. Why not try a little bit of everything?!
From left to right: chimichanga picadillo, enchilada pollo, and burrito casero steak. Let’s break each down.
Chimichanga picadillo
How it should taste: A chimichanga ought to crackle. The tortilla should be blistered and brittle at the corners, giving way to a juicy picadillo that is deeply browned, lightly sweet from tomato, warm with cumin and oregano, and punctuated by onions and a hint of chile. Crema and pico de gallo should cool and brighten, not weigh it down.
What arrived: On a good note, the fry was perfection and the tortilla shell crispy without being too oily. The filling read as gentle rather than savory, more steam than sear, and the pico’s juices bled into the shell. A pinch more salt and a brighter chile backbone would go a long way. But overall, not bad.
Enchilada pollo
How it should taste: Classic red enchiladas depend on sauce with grip and character. Think toasted dried chiles blended smooth, acidity from tomato, a little garlic, and enough heat to linger. Corn tortillas should stay tender, not gummy, and the chicken should be well seasoned and moist. Cheese is a complement, not a blanket.
What arrived: The sauce leaned one-note, closer to a thin tomato gravy than a chile-forward enchilada rojo, with shredded cheese on top feeling like an afternote. Inside, the chicken inside was dry and a sharper chile blend and a lighter hand with dairy would restore definition.
Burrito casero steak
How it should taste: A house burrito should feel generous, warm from the plancha with light char on the flour tortilla. Steak needs a firm sear, salt, and pepper, then balance from beans, a little rice, maybe a splash of salsa and lime for acidity. Each bite should shift between beef, starch, and heat.
What arrived: The burrito was petite and subdued, short on steak and shorter on sear. The cheese was plentiful, but in a way where it was too much. More griddle time, a squeeze of citrus, and a spoon of a brighter salsa would give it structure and lift.
And we end with the irony. For a restaurant with Grande in the name, to offer this sampler as a feast is a choice. Really something. I mean, this is just sad:
