If you are a fan of Mexican food, you already have certain expectations when trying a new Mexican restaurant. You hope for authentic cuisine, a wide variety of dishes, fresh ingredients and a welcoming atmosphere. Of course, if there are other Mexican restaurants nearby and the competition is stiff, this would make it more likely to indicate that it’s good.
Toro Rojo on Shrewsbury Avenue in Red Bank hits all the marks, so we were eager for our recent dinner there, and it did not disappoint. This eatery fills the space formerly occupied by Juanito’s Charcoal Grill and has both indoor and outdoor seating available. The extensive menu has something for everyone, from carnivores to vegetarians.
We started with Chile Rellenos ($18), a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with cheese, coated with a light egg batter, mild ranchero sauce and melted cheese. It was served with rice, beans, sour cream and pico de gallo. We decided not to add optional chicken or beef, and went with the classic. This flavorful dish would have been a meal in itself, so it was a good thing we were sharing appetizers.
Botana Grande ($16) was an assorted platter of chicken taquitos, nachos, steak, chicken quesados, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream. This is a good choice if you are unsure what to order, so you can try a bit of everything.
Flautas de Pollo ($13) are crispy rolled corn tortillas stuffed with chicken, served with avocado sauce, queso fresco, sour cream and pico de gallo. This fried appetizer had just the right amount of crunch. Very addictive!
An appetizer special of the night, Queso Fundido con Camerones ($18), a house blend of cheeses melted in a hot skillet with sautéed shrimp, mushrooms, tomato and spinach, and served with flour tortillas was offered, but we wanted to save room for the entrees. Next time.
We had to have a serving of Chips and Salsa ($8/16 ounces). The corn tortilla chips were served with a generous portion of homemade salsa, typically featuring a blend of tomatoes, onions and cilantro.
As filling as these starters were, we could not resist a few entrees as well. We were not disappointed with the large, juicy portion of Churrasco Chimichurri ($32). Our server said it was one of their most popular dishes and we could see why. Marinated, grilled skirt steak, served medium rare as requested, was accompanied by spicy chimichurri, fried plantains, rice and black beans.
Shrimp Fajitas ($19) arrived on a sizzling skillet with bell peppers and onions, flour tortillas, rice, beans, pico de gallo and sour cream. The shrimp were large and plump and perfectly cooked. This satisfying dish is ideal for diners looking for a lighter entrée.
There were two choices for Fish Tacos ($15), served either beer-battered or grilled, and we opted for beer-battered, another recommendation from our server. The catch of the day was mahi, served with flour tortillas, chipotle-lime sauce, crispy shredded cabbage and pico de gallo, as well as the customary rice and beans. There were three substantial tacos.
There were additional entrees offered as nightly specials, including Cochinita Pibil ($27), slow-roasted pork ribs in Mayan seasonings, served with house pickled onions, black beans, corn tortillas and habanero salsa on the side, as well as Chicken Sarape ($24), a tender chicken breast layered with refried beans, caramelized onions, poblano peppers, salsa verde, salsa roja and melted cheese, and served with Mexican rice, pico de gallo and guacamole.
Toro Rojo is BYO. Mexican food is a challenge for wine, and as a rule, beer works better with this cuisine. However, we opted to try at least one white wine for the purpose of experimentation. A 2020 white German Reisling Trocken from Donnhoff was pleasant and satisfying on its own, but not weighty enough for the rich dishes. Ultimately, we liked a Westmalle Trappist Ale Bubbel far better than the wine as it paired better with the spices and bold flavors of our dinner.
One would expect an excellent flan from a Mexican restaurant. Two different homemade flans were offered for dessert, Regular and Pumpkin Flan ($8 each), on the night we visited. Both were rich and creamy and a great way to end the meal on a cool and soothing note. The pumpkin was made with sweet caramel and whipped cream. Our group was split on which one they liked better, half voting for regular and half for pumpkin. There was also a special on the menu of Cheesecake Chimichanga ($8), a New York Style cheesecake wrapped in a crispy flour tortilla and served with strawberry sauce, but we reluctantly decided to wait for our return visit to try this, if still available.
The service at Toro Rojo was exemplary; our excellent server helped us navigate the large menu and worked with us to ensure we had ordered correctly in regards to number of dishes, portion sizes and sequencing. She stood at the ready to answer any questions graciously.
Toro Rojo is a different take on Mexican restaurants, with a very welcoming and festive feel to the setting, service and food. If you are well-versed in this food, you will surely appreciate the way they present it, and if you are not that familiar with Mexican food, this will be a very good introduction to it. It was muy bueno!
Toro Rojo
191 Shrewsbury Ave.
Red Bank
732-383-8273
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, writes about food, wine and restaurants in this column. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.Â
The article originally appeared in the November 14 – 20, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
