This week the Taco Travelers headed to Georgetown, Texas where we spotted Dos Salsas. Although, we were in town for the Williamson Museum Chuckwagon Cookoff, we could not pass up the opportunity to try some Mexican food. We drove past Dos Salsas on Main Street several times as we went between San Gabriel Park and our campground. Every time we passed Dos Salsas the parking lot was full and the restaurant was packed. This is always a good sign of a restaurant worth a try, and so Chris and I made plans to visit Dos Salsas for Sunday lunch.
The meal we enjoyed today started with the name sake appetizer – dos salsas or two salsas. We were greeted at our table by a tomatillo salsa and pico de gallo served along crispy light tortilla chips. The tomatillo salsa was flavorful and delicious with a nice amount of spice without being overpowering. The real star of the “dos salsas”, however, was the pico de gallo. The pico had a great mix of rich tomato flavor that contrasted well with bright cilantro and lime flavors. Each bite had heat from the Serrano chilies that was well balanced with sweet from the onions and citrus. As we enjoyed the chips and salsa, I commented to Chris that I was really excited to try the main course – I was excited by the possibilities.
For our meal, Chris ordered the cocktail de camarones and I selected the chicken poblana. The shrimp cocktail was served in a tall and generous margarita glass. The goblet was loaded with small shrimp swimming in a bright red cocktail sauce topped with slices of avocado and accompanied by slices of lime. The shrimp were well cooked and the avocado topping provided the perfect smooth and creamy texture to match the shrimp and balance the saltiness of the cocktail sauce. At first it was a delightful dish. As the avocado disappeared, however, we realized the cocktail sauce was thinly disguised spicy ketchup. The creative and fresh approach to shrimp cocktail that we were hoping for evaporated, leaving a less than satisfying meal.
The chicken poblana arrived at the table topped with grilled poblano peppers, onions, bacon, and jack cheese. The topping on the chicken was creamy, rich and smoky from the melted cheese blended with the poblanos and crispy bacon. The chicken alone was a little surprising. It was well cooked and moist, but lacked seasoning. A delicious lime and cilantro marinade for the chicken or some chili lime seasoning would have improved the flavor a great deal.
Dos Salsas did put a unique spin on the meal we enjoyed today by adding grilled vegetables to the plate instead of beans and rice. While Chris and I both enjoy good refried beans and Spanish rice, the ubiquity of these dishes often leaves us longing for other side dishes. Today we enjoyed a delicious mix of grilled squash, zucchini, and button mushrooms on the side. The vegetables were gently cooked until they were tender with a little vegetable crisp still in tact. The grilled vegetables melted in our mouth and were a beautiful contrast to the typical Tex-Mex accompaniments. We would go back to have a plate of the grilled vegetables alone.
Overall, Dos Salsas is worth a visit if you’re in Georgetown, Texas. It is obviously popular with the locals and has a few unique items that made it worth the visit. The taco travelers give Dos Salsas three tacos out of five.
