By Mike Rosso
Baldo’s Mexican Restaurant
1100 Park Ave, Monte Vista, CO
(719) 852-0222
Open 11 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., Mon. – Sat.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 pm. Closed Wed.
A wave of hunger after a Monday morning drive over Wolf Creek Pass, which included getting stuck in a cattle drive outside Del Norte, led me to Baldo’s in Monte Vista.
A quick search of reviews on my Smartypants™ phone offered three choices of Mexican cuisine in Monte Vista; I chose this place for its combination of high stars and low dollar signs.
Always a good indicator for a restaurant is the number of locals in the place, and this one was doing a brisk business. To my surprise they offered a lunch buffet priced at $9. After a quick look at the menu, my hunger got the best of me and I opted for the buffet. I gathered up my plate and waited patiently while the fellow in front of me seemed to consider his choices as if it were his last meal. Just as I was about to dodge ahead of him, he shuffled on to the next entree and I slowly began filling my plate with assorted Mexican goodies, giving him time to move on. I skipped the taco bar but rustled up a few pork enchiladas, rice, whole beans, some green salad, pico de gallo and, yum, fried chicken. A kettle of red posole enticed me to grab a bowl and a few chicharrones (fried pork skins), which I rarely confess to anyone that I enjoy, especially my vegetarian friends.
Back at my table, I sat down and contemplated the mass of food in front of me. “If I’m going to eat all this,” I pondered, “I’m going to need a siesta before the drive back to Salida.” I ate and watched as the locals at the tables around me visited and enjoyed their food. The food was tasty, but the posole (which means hominy in Spanish) really stood out, spicy and flavorful. I was almost tempted to go back for more, but thought better of it. The regular menu offers such dishes as Fish Tacos, the Diablo Burrito with rice and beans in a spicy sauce, Huevos Rancheros and other standard Mexican fare, much of it under $10 (word of warning – chips and salsa are extra).
Owner Ubaldo Aguilera has been operating the restaurant in the same location for fifteen years and is originally from Aguascalientes, Mexico. Among his favorite dishes served at the restaurant are the Carnitas.
If you’re passing through Monte Vista and looking for some fast, authentic Mexican food, give them a try but if you go for the buffet, make sure you have a nice quiet spot lined up for a nap afterward.
