Pelon's Baja Grill - (Ghent), Norfolk, Virginia

Pelon's in Ghent is a relaxed, no frills spot for fresh Baja style Mexican food . I have been once before and last night had the pleasure of going again. I prefer it for outside dining or take-out. There are quite a few inside tables, but the patio is much more enjoyable.

Pelon's has counter service, whereby you order and pay at the register and you are handed your beverages. The Pelon's staff will bring the food to your table or pack up your take-out while you wait.  There are domestic and imported beers, wine and Margaritas. We have only had beers, but a Margarita is on the docket for our next visit. We will report back with a rating. Pacifico beer has been the choice thus far.

The Trio Dip and Chips is a must to start. A single serving and a size that serve 2-4 people are available. Trust me, get the 2-4 unless it really is only you. All homemade, the guacamole is available in chunky or smooth, the queso is mild and the salsa has a sweet side to it to balance out the spices. Anyone who likes Mexican will like the trio, even those who live in great fear of anything spicy. I am not one of these people, but I know a few of them quite well and try to remember a little heat can go a long way with their palettes.

Thus far, we have tried the soft tacos and a couple of the burritos and have been extremely pleased. The Grass Hut burrito ($7.75) is my favorite thus far and with so many ingredients, you experience a slightly different taste with every bite. This vegan entree has sauteed red, green and yellow bell peppers, green onions, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, cheddar and jack cheese, shredded green cabbage, Baja rice, black beans, salsa fresca and guacamole. I have never had a burrito with so many elements. For someone who loves cheese, I did not even miss it in the Grass Hut. If you order the Trio, you always have some queso to add to your Grass Hut. The Hawaiian Pipeline, another vegan item, looks appealing and while it will be hard to forgo the Grass Hut, I will do so for the sake of diners everywhere. The Dude burrito, with marinated grilled steak, Baja rice, refried beans, cilantro, onions, guacamole and salsa fresca, was a hit for the carnivore. The burritos are a good size and with the Trio, I have had leftovers both times. Last but not least, let's talk about the soft tacos. The Carne Asada and Chicken were on our menu last night and were well received. Our only mishap was not seeing the special, two tacos with rice and beans for $7.25, but the other Wednesday deal is $2 tacos, so we still made out well. Apparently, our hunger was blinding and next time we will pay attention to the sign that was right in front of us. Pelon's has a different daily special and all are listed on their website if you, like us, often experience eyes wide shut.

For your next casual meal, try Pelon's. We could not have been happier with both of our visits. There is also a Virginia Beach location near the oceanfront. The Ghent location is open Monday-Saturday 9am-9pm and the oceanfront location is open Monday-Sunday 9am-9pm.

[As mentioned, we were famished last night and therefore, I forgot to take photos. Those will be added after the next visit.]

~Alex

Pelon's
http://www.pelonsbajagrill.com

738 W. 22nd St. Suite 15
Norfolk, VA 23517

Machismo Burrito Bar-College Place, Norfolk VA

I know, I am a bit obsessed with Machismo. I was so excited today when I walked out of The Market at lunchtime and came face to face with a Machismo sign. It isn't what you might think. Machismo is NOT leaving the insanity of York Street construction. They are expanding with a new restaurant on the corner of Boush Street and College Place. This makes me happy. I can still take a nice stroll to York Street on days I feel like a walk, or take a quick jaunt to College Place on the days I need a quick Burrito fix.
They are scheduled to open Thursday of this week (8/6) and I have a feeling they will be swamped. All you downtowners who didn't have it in you to trek to York Street no longer have an excuse not to try them out. Suddenvalues.com has a coupon for FREE FOUNTAIN DRINK & CHIPS OR COOKIE with select entrees. Grab a few of your office buddies and check it out!

For more information visit their website at http://www.machismoburritobar.com or see our full review here.

_Laine


*Note-This location is just as good as York Street. It has a bit more urban feel to the interior decor with a lot more available setting. Lunch lines can get a bit long, but it is well worth the wait. You always get a big bang for your buck! Let me know what you think!_Laine

Machismo Burrito Bar, Norfolk

One of the things Alex and I enjoy about working downtown is that you can walk just about everywhere you need to go. On days we are up for bit a longer lunchtime stroll, we find ourselves heading out to Machismo Burrito Bar, located at 409 W. York Street. This is a stripped down joint with one purpose, getting a burrito in your hand as quickly as possible. No one greets you when you walk in (thank goodness). There are only six tables and 4 window seats inside. The patio, which is essentially in a parking lot, has three more tables and a door that opens the wrong way. So why bother walking out there? I love this place! Definitely makes my list of top 5 lunchtime favorites. The food is consistent. I always get a burrito. I love that they have pork as a meat option. The chips are just OK, so I usually pass, but who needs them? These burritos are big! Lunch is under $10 for a big burrito, adding guacamole and a soda. I am a spice wimp, but for fans of the burn, they boast stocking 100's of Hot Sauces from around the globe. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available too, like vegan cheese and vegan sour cream. My only complaint is that they are a mess to eat. Most of the toppings are sitting in pans with sauces which tend to make the end product watery. DO NOT UNWRAP THE BURRITO! It will fall apart and end up all over your lap, making you the butt of co-worker jokes for the remainder of the day. Other than that...chow down!

Laine


I second Laine's review. I enjoy the walk. It gets us slightly out of downtown and gives us a new 'crew' to people-watch, which is half of the enjoyment of eating out. I always order a 'bowl' at Machismo. You can choose chicken, beef or pork or just go vegetarian. I am not a vegetarian, but I enjoy just the vegetables. I ordered the chicken one time (at band camp). It had a slightly odd taste, so I abandoned that going forward. You can then choose your type of rice (brown or white) and your type of beans (black and some other varieties). I forgo both because guess what, I don't like rice or beans. That is the best part of Machismo. You can customize it down to the type of salsa. For someone who is like Sally from 'When Harry Met Sally', this is super important. I then ask them to LOAD this bowl up with 'my' stuff, corn, sprouts, guacamole, sour cream, mushrooms, peppers, chunky salsa, olives, lettuce and spinach. Sodas are only $1.50 - a deal around this town, where restaurants like to sock it to you with the drink cost (not even an alcohol drink, I'm talking a soda or tea). This is our field trip for the week usually. We tend to go on Fridays and look forward to it. Machismo is the spot-yo. Try it out.
~Alex