Andre's Tortillery

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Andre’s Tortillery: Restaurant & Tequila Bar

10317 Pacific Street, Ralson, NE

Where we went:

With Christmas just right around the corner, it has been a busy month for everyone. Today we went out to brunch with two of our friends, who chose Andre’s Tortillery, a Mexican restaurant located in One Pacific Place. Andre’s is located right next to Wheatfields a restaurant we had already reviewed on this blog. While dining we noticed that caterers from both Wheatfields and Andre’s were loading up trays into the same catering van. Come to find out that both restaurants are owned by the same people. Wheatfields specializes in more the American and comfort style foods, along with a great bakery, wile Andre’s is their bar and Mexican side of their business.

What we Eat:

Like Wheatfields, Andre’s has a very large menu, so it was difficult for all four of us to decide on what we wanted. Eric started his brunch with the Boozy Orange Julius, a pineapple, mango and Orange Julius cocktail. Eric got the Chicken Enchilada Verde while Kyle went with the Andre’s Fajita Quesadilla. Our friends chose to try the Seafood Enchilada and the Steak Burrito. Kyle was considering the Seafood Enchilada, as he has had a very good one at another restaurant, but chose against it because it can be a bit spicy for him. We ended the meal with three scoops of Andre’s homemade ice cream of the day that we shared as a group.

The Food:

Eric’s Boozy Orange Julius was really good. In fact, it was so good, that his mouth is watering for another one right now as we type this. It tasted just like the name would imply, and was a very refreshing start to brunch.

Though we each had very different meals, we all agreed that the food was excellent. Kyle’s Fajita Quesadilla was excellent because it combined the best of both the fajita and quesadilla worlds: delicious sizzling ingredients in an easily held tortilla wrap. The seasoning was just perfect. Eric was also very impressed with his enchilada. He can’t put his finger on it, but there was something about it that just made it stand out and above a lot of the other Mexican place enchilada’s he’s had over the course of this blog. Maybe it was the salsa verde that complimented the chicken well and gave it a stand out flavor.

One strange thing we noticed was that Kyle’s meal was accompanied by traditional Spanish rice, while Eric’s meal came with “green rice”. Both kinds were very good, but there was some confusion as the menu lists both quesadillas and enchiladas as both coming with a side of green rice. The meals also both came with Charro beans. Eric didn’t touch his, but Kyle enjoyed them well enough. They differed a bit from most Mexican restaurants in that they were almost like a bean soup rather than bean “cream,” and they had a bit of a smoky flavor to them.

And finally, the ice cream was the perfect way to complete the meal. The three flavors of the day were Mango, Dulce de Leche, and Strawberry, and each flavor was simply radiant in our mouths. The strawberry flavor tasted just like fresh strawberries, and the Dulce de Leche was creamy and sweet in all the right ways. Everyone was hard pressed to decide on a favorite between the three because they were all so good. Despite the deliciousness of the ice cream, however, the portion sizes were surprisingly smaller than you’d expect for the price of the dessert. The smaller portion was still satisfying, and all four managed to satiate their sweet tooths.

The Atmosphere:

Andre’s is a very green restaurant. Not green as in environmentally friendly (though they might be, we didn’t look into that) but the ceilings, walls and bar were all painted green. One accent wall was a large mural of fields, giving the restaurant a bit of a country vibe, but the ornamental chandeliers, pendants over the bar, and little white lights at the tables kept the atmosphere classier than a simple country dinner. The curved bar is quite large with quite a selection of alcohols to choose from. There weren’t many in for brunch today, as we got there shortly after opening, but we could sure see that they could accommodate a large crowd on busy nights. Being located on the corner of One Pacific Place, Andre’s has two walls full of windows that drenched the restaurant in bright natural light, very refreshing on these cold winter days.

The Service:

Our service was very good. Our waitress was prompt, but a little distracted, despite there not being many others dining while we were there. However, we can give her a pass, as she was quite heavily pregnant, so I’m sure waiting tables in that state can’t be easy. Overall it wasn’t the most outstanding service we have ever had, but we also have no reason to complain.

In the End:

Andre’s is a bit more upscale than some of the other Mexican restaurants on this blog so far. The prices are all a small bump upwards from most, but the quality of the food is also a bit higher than many places as well. The menu is nearly as large and sprawling as the next-door neighbor, Wheatfield’s. The portion sizes aren’t as generous as most, but that means you’ll have plenty of room left over for some of the most delicious ice cream in the city. Just make sure your wallet is prepared for the hit, as you may want more than a single order.