I recently tried to re-visit Charro for lunch a few days ago only to find out that they had move to a dinner only service. So now with the Charro menu running through my head the only way to satisfy it was to try it out for dinner again. The restaurant was not busy and we were able to be seated right away. Once seated the server was kind enough to point out the menu had recently changed and he took the time to highlight the differences and any specials they were currentlyrunning. Luckily for us that he took the time explain the changes in detail because we were compelled to try items that in my opinion were otherwise overpriced.
To start we tried the Mexican Crab Cake (originally $14, but 1/2 price that night, $7). If it weren't for the special that night I can assure that even as an avid seafood fan my wallet would not open, let alone even leave my back pocket for one crab cake priced at $14. Thank goodness for recession specials I suppose. Once the server brought out the Mexican Crab Cake it already looked like the $7 was well spent. The crab cake consisted of a very generous portion of crab that was extremely lightly breaded, seared and topped with tomato papaya jam on a bed of chiptole vinaigrette with bits of jalapeno to add a very small hint of spice. The crab cake immediately set itself apart from other crab cakes served in Milwaukee simply by the crab and bread filler ratio. This appetizer had absolutely no bread filling that I could find or taste! Very well put together! The slight spiciness of the chipotle vinaigrette and bits of jalapeno paired extremely well with the sweet tomato papaya jam. The only disappointing part of this portion of the meal is when there was nothing left to scrap off the plate! $7 well spent!
For dinner we both wanted to try something new and exciting. We ordered the Pork Tenderloin ($15) and the Zumpano Mole with Chicken ($12). The Pork Tenderloin was chili rubbed and served with jalapeno apple salsa and sweet potatoes. This entree was just as pleasing as the crab cake appetizer. Charro served approximately 6-7 very tender pieces of pork that had just the right amount of chili rub to give it that spicy flavor we were hoping for. Not to mention the jalapeno apple salsa had a similar sweet / spicy combination as the appetizer with a little extra boldness just as an entree should deliver. This pork dish was so good and it needed to be cherished so we made sure only 1/2 of it was eaten. Definitely a meal that needed to be extended into the next day.
The Zumpano Mole is a dish created with Executive Chef Zumpano's signature mole sauce with chihuahua and fresco cheese. I chose the white meat chicken opposed to the dark meat or beef. The dish was very well prepared with an abundance of juicy white meat and very generous sides of Mexican rice and black beans. I've had mole in a few restaurants within Milwaukee and this one had a different flavor than many of the others - but it did not disappoint. With so many variations of Mole I doubt you will ever find two identical flavor combinations. It is all personal preference if you are going for more poblano spice or more sweetness. Chef Zumpano definitely had the right balance of sweet and spice in his creation.
Overall, the experience at Charro was very enjoyable thanks to the server pointing us in the right direction. I can honestly say we would not have experienced the crab cake if it would not have been on special. We can only hope this is going to be an everyday special! The meal did not disappoint and I look forward to my next visit. The only dilemma will be deciding if we order these flavorful combinations again or roll the dice and try something new to potentially fall in love with!
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