Villa Grande Ranch — Restaurant in Texas

Went to the latest and greatest place to eat in Decatur, TX.  Please be aware that I'm being understanding that the place just opened three days ago.  It looked like they are still working the kinks out and were not able to seat every table and keep up.  I give them kudos for staying within their means the first few days.

Showed up and the place was packed on a Wed night.  Wait for a 2 person table was about 25 minutes which was reasonable.

The ladies up front were polite and very nice with any questions or people that came in.

We were seated in the bar area near the stage and given our menus.

The Mrs got a Frozen House Margarita and it was great.  Sweet, Tangy and Strong.  A really good start!

Ordered Queso Blanco to try it and I was very surprised how good it was.  It wasn't all cheese and no flavor.  It was really good.

MAIN NEGATIVE of the night was that they had a guest musician playing and it was so loud where my wife and I couldn't hear each other.  I started texting her so we could have a conversation.  We could've asked to move but didn't.  They were packed.  Not Grande Villas fault but dang the volume was loud.  Really thought it was tacky that he kept bringing up about tips, his CD for sale and his band for hire.  Again, can't blame Granda Villa but I hope they take notes on that for the next time someone comes.

Ordered the Deep Fried Jalapenos and they were awesome!

Main courses were Brisket Tacos and the Chicken Fajitas.  Both were good with a little bit of a mess up with the staff.  At first they brought out Steak Tacos but replaced them quickly when we mentioned it.  No biggie.  The workers were hustling all night.

The desert was the Hot Apple Pie on the hot skillet.  Good way to top off the meal.

No major complaints because they still need to get into their groove.  They have room to grow and we're hoping that it only gets better.  The meal was good and the ambiance would've been so much better without the loud live music.  When the guy took a break we could chat between ourselves and even talk with the staff easier.

Kudos to the staff and the...

Superb experience. I arrived early afternoon and was seated promptly by a friendly staff member. My server Clemencia, greeted me warmly and brought me chips and a choice of spicy and regular salsa, I asked for both. I liked the spicy salsa better, which was not all that spicy, but both were good. The chips are thick and with a nice corn flavor.

I ordered breaded stuffed Jalapeños as an appetizer. They were served on a bed of lettuce, tomato and onion with Guacamole on the side and a terrific ranch dressing. The jalapeños were a little on the small side which made them ideal for eating with a fork and knife, I cut them each in half. Very tasty filling and just the right amount of breading.

My main meal, a combo plate of beef and chicken fajitas, was served beautifully platted and sizzling as expected. The portion was average to small, but appropriate for the price of the item. As customary, the fajitas were served on grilled onions and pepper. This is the one area where there is obvious room for improvement. The onions should have been grilled more, and the one piece of pepper, a sliced of green pepper, was thick and not cooked much either. It would have been ideal to have some red and green peppers, sliced thinner than the green pepper, and grilled a bit more for texture and flavor. I hope the kitchen can make that adjustment.

For dessert I ordered flan, which was traditional and delicious.

Worth a try if...

I really was looking forward to homemade salsa and fresh chips as my girls friends and I had set a date to meet here a few weeks back, and the night finally arrived! However, the salsa was not great. The chips were okay, didn’t taste fresh. The salsa tasted like a can of off-brand tomato sauce with a few sprigs of cilantro thrown in for the fun of it. Very bland. So we all asked for the spicy salsa. It tasted like pinto beans with a hint of spice. In summary, it tasted like a bunch of old white people complained about too much flavor and this is what they serve now. Disappointing. Not Mexican at all.

On contrast, the birria tacos were a bit better. They actually tasted like they may have been freshly made. I added onions and cilantro to mine for more flavor. The dipping soup was bland, didn’t use it. And the rice was bland.

The service was good. We were seating immediately as we got in right before a whole crowd started. I noticed on our exit the parking lot didn’t have enough spaces, people were circling just waiting for someone to leave. I was thinking WHY? ITS NOT WORTH THIS HYPE! I guess people have never had good Mexican so they have nothing to compare to.

I don’t see myself coming back. If you’re looking for more authentic Mexican, drive to Roanoke’s Los Molcajetes. It’s so...