BROCKPORT, N.Y.- Bright neon signs, tantalizing Mexican music and the smell of fresh salsa greet you as you enter Corona’s II Authentic Mexican Restaurant.
Nestled next to Subway and CVS the small restaurant seems like an unassuming spot, but inside Corona’s is full of life.
I ventured over to Corona’s with my roommate Hannah Endeshaw for an early dinner on a Monday, so it was not very busy. However, the service was exceptional, and the food arrived quickly.
After a long day of classes and preparing for finals, I was very excited to have a nice, flavorful meal. We sat at a large, comfy booth with lots of room to enjoy our dinner. As I opened the menu, I was immediately met with the expansive choice of dishes, and I struggled to decide what I wanted to order as the server brought us complimentary chips and salsa and took our drink orders, two pink lemonades.
Even though the restaurant offers the salsa for free, it is one of my favorite parts about Corona’s. The salsa always tastes fresh and is filled with chopped pieces of tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and cilantro in a zesty tomato sauce. The jalapeños provide a slightly spicy aftertaste, which I enjoyed very much. Needless to say, I devoured most of the salsa.
In between bites of the chips and salsa, I ordered guacamole for an appetizer and Baja Tacos for my entrée. Hannah ordered the cheese dip and the Corona’s Quesadilla.
Shortly after ordering, our appetizers arrived. The guacamole was served in a mortar, decorated with diced tomatoes, cilantro and onions, and adorned with a chip. Unfortunately, my phone did not eat first, and I did not even think of capturing a photo of the presentation of the guacamole before diving in for my first bite.
The guacamole was slightly chunky, but I prefer my guacamole that way, so if you like smoother guacamole, this might not be something for you. A good amount of lime and the diced vegetables gave the dip some substance. Although I probably would have eaten the entire serving of guacamole, I saw my tacos approaching so I had to take a break from my appetizer.
The Baja Tacos are filled with pico de gallo, cheese, chipotle sauce, sliced avocados and a lime wedge, as well as the option of fried or grilled fish or shrimp, which I opted for the grilled shrimp on a flour tortilla. My tacos were placed in front of me on a wooden cutting board, and the serving came with three decent-sized tacos and a side of beans and rice.
Shrimp tacos are one of my favorite foods of all time, so I was hoping that these tacos would live up to my expectations. This time, I remembered to let my phone eat first and snapped a quick picture of the dish before taking my first bite. The tacos were absolutely amazing and packed full of flavor, as well as shrimp, which left me pleasantly surprised.
The rice and beans that were served on the side were excellent also. The beans and rice provided more substance to the meal and were very filling and warm, a perfect side for a cold day.
Overall, I was extremely happy and full as I exited Corona’s II Authentic Mexican Restaurant with some leftovers to spare for a total of about $32. Although the restaurant can look daunting from the outside, the flavor-packed dishes, inviting atmosphere and the notes of Mexican music playing in the background made me want to revisit Corona’s time and time again.
