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Mid Rivers Newsmagazine is St. Charles County's
exclusive direct-mailed community newspaper. |
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Restaurant Spotlight Archive |
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El Patron Authentic Mexican Restaurant Focuses On The AuthenticBy Jeannie Seibert
Owner/manager Jesus Casillas grew up in Degollado, Mexico, and when asked if he uses the recipes his mother taught him, Casillas grinned and said, “She even comes in once a week to help us make our tamales.” That’s not the only thing that’s handmade - everything is. As with most Mexican restaurants, El Patron serves complimentary chips and salsa. Casillas changes up that tradition. Not only are both the chips and the salsa made on the premises, customers can help themselves to the salsa bar featuring eight different salsas made with eight different types of peppers ranging from mild to extra hot. El Patron is Casillas’ fourth restaurant in the St. Louis region - the second in St. Charles County – where he has chosen to make his home. His restaurants are like an extension of Casillas’s home. His hospitality is expansive as he has dedicated himself to re-creating the warmth and tastes of his homeland. Casillas loves to share his favorite dishes like the El Patron stuffed chicken. “This one takes a little longer but it’s worth the wait,” Casillas said. “It’s an incredible plate.” The Pork Milause is a pork loin, thinly sliced, specially prepared and served with great pride. “No one else has this,” Casillas said. “I always say, ‘If you don’t like it, I’ll take it back.’ But no one ever does.” Fans of the spicy will enjoy the Pollo Chipotle which is served on a bed of cilantro rice with a side dish of freshly prepared vegetables. Since Casillas is from the Pacific Ocean side of Mexico, he has a lot of fish and shrimp dishes unique to El Patron. The fajitas come in every imaginable form making it hard to determine which one to order. Casillas has anticipated that conundrum and offers either a combo plate or a made-to-order fajita platter. It wouldn’t be hard to make a meal of the appetizers alone but we recommend the El Patron Dip and Chips which is a roasted artichoke heart with spinach dip. But there’s a toss-up between that and the Queso Fundido which is a delightful mixture of Monterey Jack cheese, poblano peppers, choizo (Mexican sausage) and corn served with flour tortillas. There are vegetarian and children’s menus, a lunch selection that doesn’t scrimp on the flavor and the opportunity to try a Mexican desert – like flan, sopapilla, Tres Leches and fried ice cream. “A lot of restaurants call themselves authentic but we really are,” Casillas said. “You won’t find any ground beef where I come from – that’s Tex-Mex. We don’t have any ground beef here. It’s all shredded steak. It’s just better.” The Baby Cantina (the bar) specializes in tequila – 30 different kinds. Casillas is delighted to share his favorites with his customers. Open daily for lunch and dinner, El Patron has already attracted a following in the two months since it opened. Cassilas said, “Once you try it, you’re coming back. I guarantee you’re going to be happy.” Prepare to loosen your belt a notch or two! |
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Just like in the U.S., different regions of Mexico specialize in different styles of cooking. El Patron Authentic Mexican Restaurant, 8600 Veterans Memorial Parkway, O’Fallon, reflects the cuisine of western Mexico.
