This week our search for the best tacos in Chatt town brought us to El Matador Mexican Restaurant.
This place is a mid-sized Mexican Restaurant with a huge menu featuring all the usual suspects in a friendly and quiet atmosphere located off Lafayette Road in Fort Oglethorpe.
It’s one of my brother’s go-to spot for Mexican food and we’ve also dined here together with mom during our get-togethers for birthdays or Mother’s Day.
They have specialty tacos on their menu, like their Tacos Rancheros, steak tacos marinated in their red sauce topped with lettuce and served with rice, beans and pico-de-gallo. Their Tacos El Sombrero are three tacos made with shredded beef, cooked with onions and tomatoes and served with rice, a side of onions, cilantro and tomatillo sauce. Their Tacos Los Compadres are three shrimp or Tilapia tacos served with lettuce and tomatoes, rice and pico-de-gallo.
I typically order shrimp tacos off their a La Carte menu and you get three to an order. They offer American style tacos where you get three in an order, or you can get one beef or chicken taco off their side item menu.
Their shrimp tacos are like a hybrid taco, half American Style, half Mexican Street style. It’s served in a soft tortilla shell with grilled onions and topped with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese.
I stopped in and got the shrimp tacos a few days ago. They are always delicious. And I can order a half-sized cheese dip or guacamole which, for me, is the perfect size when eating alone.
But I must admit, I like going to El Matador for their Speedy Gonzales lunch special. Mind you, this isn’t the only restaurant that offers a Speedy Gonzales (one American Style beef taco, one enchilada served with rice and beans).
Most other places serve the enchilada covered in the red enchilada sauce. At El Matador, the enchilada is smothered in their cheese dip sauce. That luscious sauce tends to cover the whole plate enhancing the flavor of the beans and rice. It sticks to the taco shell adding another layer of goodness. It’s honestly my favorite Speedy Gonzales plate.
El Matador has a beer, wine, and adult beverages and 13 different vegetarian plates if you don’t eat meat. In fact, this place offers a variety of non-Mexican food items for anyone in your dinner party who might not be inclined to have a burrito, taco, chimichanga and the entire litany of other Mexican food on their menu. Have a Patty melt or chicken melt. Order a cheeseburger or order their stir-fry chicken or stir-fry steak.
Or try their steak, chicken or pork kebabs. Your protein choice cooked with skewered onions, lime, tomatoes, peppers served on a bed of rice and cooked zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and mushrooms. It’s served with beans, lettuce and sour cream.
But I’ll stick to the Mexican ensemble of tortas, enchiladas, nachos, fajitas, tamales, quesadillas, lunch combos, dinner specials, everything else I mentioned above and so much more.
Hit them up for happy hour or on the weekend. Order a Strawberry Daiquiri along with that Steak Mexicano. A Ribeye steak topped with Cooked Onions, Bell Peppers, and Tomatoes and served with rice, beans, and salad.
Save some room for their fried ice cream, or flan, or sopapillas, or deep-fried apple burrito. I’m telling you; your tastebuds will be delighted.
El Matador
- 2233 Lafayette Road
- Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742
- (706) 861-4898
- https://www.facebook.com/elmatadorforto
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com