Aside from the overly-defensive hostess who snarked at me when I commented on how empty Tico was at 7 p.m., this experience was just short of miraculous. How could it not be when it starts with a sufficiently strong pitcher of margaritas?
So I went a little crazy ordering things off the menu. I wish I could blame the margaritas, but, sadly, I’m just a hungry and enthusiastic eater who can’t say no to chorizo. And speaking of chorizo…
…these were perfectly spicy, meaty bites of perfection topped with herbal chimichurri. In fact, they caused me to basically black out for the middle part of the meal, which arrived all at once about five minutes later.
Clockwise from top left:
- Roasted cauliflower with a chipotle mayo and crispy fried fava beans made me use the spoon to lick mayo sauce from the dish. Yeah, I’m disgusting.
- Smoky potatoes. Not my pick, obviously, but maybe the dark horse dish of the night. Just a crispy, chipotle-y pan of goodness.
- Brussels sprouts are always a go in this family, but bonus points for effort because they were also full of bacon and had a rich citrus flavor too.
- Crabcake tacos. Because I can’t think of a better way to get Grandma to try “Spanish people” food than putting the quintessential Grandma food on top of a tortilla (which she didn’t eat). They were lightly spiced and crabby. The tiny photo doesn’t do justice to the generous size either.
We waited a long time for the last two items. I think the server had forgotten because I had ordered so many things. Understandable. At long last, they arrived.
The corn featured more bacon. It was, obviously, insane. The octopus was our last dish and, frankly, the biggest disappointment of the night. The tentacle was thick and too chewy. There’s no recovering from that. Sorry guys. I don’t care how much grilled endive is on this plate, the octopus tanked (pun delightfully intended!)
Price: $40 per person.
Bottom line: Tico will make your night, with one notable exception.
Ward Five Foodie 