torresm@lopers.unk.edu

The new “Centro America” restaurant just opened earlier this semester on March 7, replacing the previous Komal Mexican Taquería. I went and tried it with my roommate and had an unexpectedly pleasant experience.

First off, the restaurant was very spacious and offered outdoor seating. When we walked in, the customer service was great. We were helped immediately, and it was clear the employee knew her way around the menu.

The menu had a very nice balance of simplicity and variety that made ordering simple.

Our food came out within six to seven minutes of us ordering and it was all incredible. I got three steak tacos with cilantro and red onion, and my roommate got two pork tacos and two pork sopas.

Our tacos were very affordable at $2.75 a piece and the sopas were in the same price range.

In addition to our food, we were given free chips and salsa and free bottled water. In my experience, free bottled water is a rarity when eating out.

It was a beautiful day when we went to eat so we chose the outdoor seating. The restaurant is located right off the highway so it does get a bit noisy, but nothing that was unpleasant.

Our tacos were perfect. They were on handmade tortillas that were cooked to perfection. Both the pork and the steak were seasoned well and had nice flavor to it. We were given a green, milder hot sauce and a red, hotter hot sauce — which our waitress warned us about — yet both tasted great.

 The green sauce had a nice, subtle pepper taste and was very flavorful while the red one had the perfect amount of spice.

In my opinion, this restaurant is the perfect place for college students. It’s located right across campus, it’s easy on your wallet and it is incredibly tasty.

My roommate has been talking about it non-stop. We will definitely be returning to try the rest of the menu, which includes a variety of juices, hamburgers, tacos, burritos and much more.