I had originally planned to stop at The Red Square Deli but found that it was closed today. Both Kim and I were starving so we stumbled across the street and had the choice of either boring old Davanni’s or a newish Mexican restaurant that opened up this past June. Kim had been hounding me for quesadillas all damn morning so El Parian Mexican Restaurante it was.
After taking some photos of the exterior, we walked up and were immediately taken care of by one of the staff. We were seated near the windows and given two over sized menus which were chock full of Mexican goodies. Everything seemed fairly straight forward and similar to any number of other Mexican restaurants around. The inside is very clean and simple with great lighting. There is a huge LCD screen on the wall that was tuned to the Twins continuing spanking of the A’s. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. They were constantly looking over to make sure our chips and drinks were topped off. I really felt as if it were a family affair but they might just be that good at being great servers. Kim said she was surprised at how nice it was being that it’s in an Eagan strip mall and was reminded of Junior’s in that you don’t expect what’s awaiting you inside when you approach from the parking lot. Inside there are 8 booths and 4 tables for 6. The kitchen is in the back and is outlined with curved terracotta tiles. The walls are adorned with artwork that includes some very romance-novelesque figures that gave both Kim and I a good chuckle.
I had a serious problem choosing something to eat as there was entirely too much to choose from requiring a lot of reading and thinking — something which I don’t do very well when I haven’t eaten all day… There are 15 or so lunch specials priced between $5 and $8, there are 6 vegetarian options priced under $8, 30 combination dinners between $7.50 and $8, and ~30 special dinner entrees that are priced anywhere between $7 and $22 (a meal for two). If you’re looking for your liquor fix, they have beer and an extensive margarita menu which ranges in price from $4 up to their 60oz goblet of drunken goodness for $19.
I finally made my decision and someone came over and took our order. Kim went with a #6 which was enchilada, chalupa, and a quesadilla and I got a #7 which was a tamale and something else that I don’t remember with a choice of beans or rice (I took the beans because I hear they’re good for your heart). Kim wanted beans and ordered a side for $1.80 more. Our orders were up really fast and although there was only one table of 6 ahead of us, I honestly was impressed with the speed. I was starving and this was about as close to fast food as you can get at a sit down place.
The plates were your standard Mexican piles of food and it was abundant as hell. Kim’s $1.80 worth of beans could have fed a small army! But this wasn’t quantity above quality, nope. The meal was fucking awesome. I really, really enjoyed mine and Kim said she was pleased that we finally found a Mexican restaurant we could eat at being that El Patio is pathetically mediocre and I boycott El Loro due to my issues with their requiring the scanning of IDs without notification. After we left she said to me, “well that was a welcome little surprise!” Yup and I didn’t have to hear her bitch that she didn’t get quesadillas for the rest of the day ;)
Our meal came to $13.98 today before tip. Seriously, that’s cheap eats and for this quality and quantity I would have gladly paid twice as much. It is rare that I find Mexican food this fucking good and honestly, I can see Kim and I making this a regular stop for us. I suggest that you do too, in fact, go today, you will not be disappointed. This place comes very highly recommended from both Kim and I.
Have you eaten at El Parian? If so, let us know what you thought.
Address:
El Parian
1960 Cliff Lake Rd
Eagan, MN 55122
Phone:
651-454-3234
See all the pictures from El Parian on Flickr here.
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September 1st, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Excellent! That’s really close to Jeremy’s house, and I’m excited to try something in Eagan that isn’t Doolittles or Houlihan’s; neither of those are bad, I’m just up for something new.
September 1st, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Ang, when you guys do, please let me know how it went. I can’t wait to hear Mr. JP Afterglide talk about how great his shit was the next day because of all the beans ;-)
September 1st, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Bill,
I have been told that the two El Loros (Burnsville), El Azteca (Apple Valley), and El Parian (Eagan) are run by the same crew.
September 1st, 2008 at 5:50 pm
littleben, according to this article (Pioneer Press), the owner used to work at El Loro but doesn’t mention that they are all run by the same people.
September 1st, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Very good to know! I couldn’t take El Loro and the roaming Mariachi Band anymore, although I would have had the same complaint about the ID scanning which is a huge hot button for me. I had no idea they did it until I read it here.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:45 pm
[...] establishment does. There are a couple of other Mexican restaurants around with Teresa’s, El Parian, El Patio, El Loro, and El Etc (heh) but none of them offer anything much different than the [...]
January 24th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Does anyone have their menu? B/c I’ve eaten there before many times, but I always forget to ask if they have a take out menu or one for taking home.
If anyone could send it to me via e-mail that’d be great.
dazeebean03@yahoo.com
Thanks!
January 24th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
We picked up dinner from here tonight and took it home.
I would say thumbs up. The chicken chimichangas were very good. The Fajitas were pretty disappointing. The tacos we got for our little boy were great.
All in all, I still prefer Teresas in Lakeville, but I would certainly stop in here for the chicken chimi again.
March 16th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I stopped back at this place Friday night, and wanted to leave a comment about it.
First the place was packed. Its a small location, but people were standing in line waiting to get in, which is always a good sign imo.
The food was great. I had the chicken chimichanga again, and as before, it was very good.
The reason I wanted to comment, was because the people I saw eating there all acted like it was thier own little hidden gem of a restraunt. The owner chatted frequently with people all around me. He shook hands with many of the people waiting in line to get in, and seemed to know a great number of his patrons. The servers all seemed to know quite of the few people eating in there as well. One guy sitting near me appeared to be wearing an El Parian sweatshirt.
All in all, it was pretty cool. My food was good, and I really enjoyed watching these people work. They seemed to enjoy the fact that they place was busy and while they were working hard, it was an incredibly welcoming experience.
This location has been kind of a relvolving door for restraunts over the last few years. Perhaps through good food, and what I would term world class service, they are going to break the cycle and be there for years to come.
May 27th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Highly recommended!
My wife and I LOVE this place and the people who work there. We are always greeted with a warm handshake and the words; “Amiga! Amigo!” I feel like they really are happy to see us, as friends, not customers. We love the chicken salad and I like the tacos very much.
We go there at least once a week and it is definitely the Mexican restaurant of choice for my wife and me.
July 16th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Aldo is the owner and El Parian is not affiliated with any of the others in the area.
We have been going there since they opened and Aldo and his crew are the best. He has catered parties for us and does an unbelievable job.
Next time you are there look at the back of the menu for the specials in Spanish. Try the shrimp dish, spicy and sweet at the same time, the carnitas are to die for.
For lunch ask for a Mexican sandwich with carne asada and carnitas you will love it..
September 27th, 2010 at 6:29 am
I finally tried this place last night after putting it off for two years, and I’m glad I did. I had a beef taco, an enchilada, and something else I don’t remember the name of, but they were all very good, and the portions as noted earlier are massive — I went there having ate very little all day, and am still stuffed now. Friendly and prompt service too. And I get a kick out of the paintings. :)
The place was packed, too. I think their margaritas are a big hit with people, considering all the ones I saw brought out to the tables.
September 27th, 2010 at 8:54 am
El Parian has good food, and great service. Its decent when busy, and the service is prompt and friendly. If you have a chance to go in at off hours though, its a great experience imho.
The owner and most of the servers are always there and usually the same handful of people. They do a great job of remembering people, and treating them like family.
I often wonder if they have any plans of moving to a biggers space.
September 29th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Forgot to mention — there’s also a new Chinese restaurant called Chan’s that just opened nearby, on the other side of the road next to Ring Mountain. It’s in the space that used to be occupied by the Red Square Deli. Haven’t been there, but will probably try it before too long.
It’s not what I would have expected given that Anna Chungs’s is already adjacent to El Parian, and Hong Wong isn’t too far away either. But then, it seems like there can be a lot of Chinese restaurants in an area, and they all get by.
June 8th, 2012 at 7:02 am
[...] in the fall of 2008 we visited El Parian and raved about their Americanized Mexican fare. It’s been suggested several times in the [...]