Stomach rumbling, I stepped through the doors of Dos Rios Cantina to the welcoming aroma of sizzling Mexican spices. While I was expecting a somewhat upscale Chipotle, what I received was something much more spicy.
Almost everybody familiar with Downtown Binghamton knows that Dos Rios is the new popping Mexican-fusion restaurant in town. Centrally located on Court Street, the restaurant sits next door to The Colonial and is owned by many of the same people.
As we walked in, my photographer and I marveled at the stylish interior, filled with Mexican-inspired artwork and sugar skulls that we continued to admire throughout our meal. The restaurant has a large, open space and encompasses a bar and outside seating.
This Restaurant Week, Dos Rios is offering a $12 lunch and $20 dinner. We went in for dinner, which included a choice of one appetizer, an entree and dessert. After calculating the prices, we figured that, on average, the deal gets you savings for a free dessert. Of course, there are a plethora of add-ons that will also raise the price of your meal, so choose wisely.
If you’re anything like me, then you are always looking for some good-quality chips and guac. Fortunately, that is exactly what Dos Rios provides. With a perfect hint of lime, the chips and guac is a classic appetizer you can’t miss. We also ordered the Mexi Fries, which united waffle fries, chipotle crema, cotija cheese, pico de gallo and jalapeños into a perfectly crunchy assortment. Aside from these, you have a choice of salsa, queso, eloté, buffalo shrimp or chicken tortilla soup.
For entrees, we ordered the Dos Rios spicy cauliflower tacos and garlic mojo habanero shrimp. Be warned, the spicy cauliflower tacos possess a spice that exceeds their name. Never have I tried anything so burning hot; both our mouths were on fire for the rest of the night, and the initial shock was followed shortly after by a stabbing pain. Hereafter, a dull tingle finally receded to a numbness, clearing sinuses we never even knew were blocked.
Both dishes were served with traditional black bean and corn with onions and peppers. While the shrimp was a must-have, be warned that the rice is also hot (nothing that can’t be cured with a side of sour cream, however). For the faint-hearted, I would recommend the regular tacos (with a choice of chicken, steak, fish or carnitas) or the Mexi Caesar Salad.
When choosing what places to try out this Restaurant Week, keep in mind that there are not many vegetarian options on the Dos Rios menu.
Dessert came swiftly and was a welcomed changeover. The only two options were the mezcal banana foster and cinnamon dessert nachos, so we took one of each. While the mezcal banana foster was simply bananas topped with whipped cream, it was the cinnamon dessert nachos that caught our attention. Who would have thought that chips would taste so good with chocolate and ice cream? The burst of flavor was a pleasant surprise, and despite being already stuffed to the brim, we devoured the entire plate.
While our experience was spicier than we had imagined, I cannot applaud Dos Rios enough for its fast service. The service was excellent, and we were in and out of there in under an hour. Overall, we would recommend the Mexi Fries and the cinnamon dessert nachos as Restaurant Week essentials. The rest awaits your decision.