El Patron Restaurante Mexicano

FOOD

El Patron’s weekday lunch buffet has enough Mexican specialties to make choosing a single restaurant entrée seem unnecessarily restrictive. Chicken mole, chile relleno, tri-tip and three kinds of fajitas give the spread substantial variety, with filled tortillas, taco makings and desserts adding plenty more to explore. Selections vary, but the breadth is the attraction: you can enjoy a meal built around prepared dishes, make your own tacos, or do a little of both.

Beef chimichangas, chicken flautas, beef burritos and quesadillas make a useful starting point for anyone who enjoys filled tortilla specialties. Chile relleno adds another familiar Mexican dish to the selection. A modest serving of several favorites is part of the pleasure here, especially if your usual restaurant order means choosing between flautas and a burrito. At this lunch, that particular dilemma is easily resolved.

Chicken gets more attention than a single tray. Roast chicken, chicken mole and shredded chicken tinga give poultry fans several dishes to try before they reach the fajita chicken. Mole is worth including when you want a sauced main alongside the filled tortillas, while tinga works neatly with tortillas and toppings. That range makes chicken a substantial part of the Mexican selection in its own right.

Carnitas, shredded beef and taco meat join tortillas and a toppings bar of cheeses, sauces and vegetables. You can keep a taco simple or add the garnishes you enjoy, with enough different meats to make another small one tempting. Nacho chips and hot queso offer another option. If lunch happens to begin with chips and melted cheese while you consider the rest, there are certainly less appealing ways to make a decision.

Tri-tip adds a separate beef choice alongside fajita steak, with chicken and shrimp completing the fajita trio. Sautéed vegetables are available too. The shrimp give seafood enthusiasts something to enjoy among the beef, chicken and pork dishes, while BBQ pork ribs broaden the prepared-meat selection further. There is quite a difference between a plate of ribs and one of carnitas with tortillas, and both have a place in this spread.

Mexican rice, refried beans and black beans provide familiar accompaniments for the mains. Chicken tenders, fries and spaghetti widen the choices for families whose appetites do not all run in the same direction. Someone can have mole and chile relleno while a companion sticks with tenders, without either person needing to make a separate lunch plan.

Dessert offers two rather different pleasures. Individual frozen treats, including ice cream drumsticks and ice cream sandwiches, make an easy, nostalgic finish. Dulce de leche-filled churros can also arrive at the table, bringing a little table-service generosity to the buffet meal. The ice cream sandwich has its charms, but a filled churro brought over just as you settle back into your seat is a tempting alternative.