Saturday Night Taste Test: Coyote Flaco

By Susan Bush
12:00AM / Sunday, August 06, 2006

Coyote Flaco "Nacho Deluxe" appetizer

Williamstown - With barely seven months of operation under their belts, the Coyote Flaco owners and staff have quite a bit to be proud of.

On a Saturday evening at the height of the summer tourist season, the parking lot was full of vehicles that boasted both in-state and out-of-state license plates. This is an excellent indicator that the menu of Mexican and Spanish foods have found favor with local folks and visitors alike.

The restaurant is at the site of the former Captain's Cabin and Captain's Table restaurants, and I had been curious as to how readily people would welcome a Mexican restaurant in place of what had been steak-and-seafood eateries.

"Chorizo Norteno" appetizer

The filled dining room and lounge sections and the constant influx of diners proved people are pleased with the venture.

Arrived Early; Seated Immediately

First impressions count. We arrived about 10 minutes early for a 6:30 p.m. reservation; a table was prepared for us in seconds and we were promptly seated.

Almost immediately, a busperson appeared with a pitcher of water to fill water glasses. We placed a drink order with the busperson, who promptly relayed the request to a server. Beverages were delivered rapidly.

Tasty Salsa, Hot Pepper Dip, And 50 Varieties Of Tequila

Crisp blue, red, and yellow tortilla chips served in an attractive basket were brought to the table accompanied by a chunky salsa and a hot green pepper [chile pepper, maybe?] dip; the salsa was tasty and wasn't overpowering with spicy heat while the green dip - very thin and liquidy- was of the burn-your-mouth quality my husband adores.

This is a restaurant with a nicely varied wine list - and over 50 varieties of tequila are sold on the premises.

Margaritas are the specialty drink and may be purchased by the glass, the half-pitcher, and full pitcher. A half-pitcher of one "house margarita" recipe may be had for $25, and a full pitcher costs $28. A "top shelf margarita" recipe sells at $40 for a full pitcher. Daiquiris, pina coladas, and "coyote mojitos" are sold by the glass; beers including Corona, Corona Light, XX Amber, XX Lager, Bohemia, Budweiser, Budweiser Light, Coors Light, and Samuel Adams are offered.

The appetizer list includes gambas al ajillo [sauteed shrimp in mild garlic sauce and guindilla] for $8, a $7 quesadilla with Monterey Jack cheese and served with guacamole, sour cream, salad and jalapenos, and chile poblano relleno [stuffed poblano pepper topped with saffron and tomatillo sauce, a choice of chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, cheese or sausage and served with a gourmet Mexican salad] for $7.

An Abundance Of Flavors And Flavor In Abundance

I opted for the $7 nacho deluxe with vegetables and my husband ordered a $6 chorizo norteno, a sauteed Spanish sausage served swimming in a mild chipotle sauce with bread.

The main meal was pollo oaxaqueno for me and one of the evening specials, churraasco Argentino, for my husband. My meal was grilled chicken breast served with a mole sauce over a bed of vegetables with Mexican salad, guacamole and corn tortillas. My husband's meal was grilled skirt steak, Spanish sausage topped with chimichurri, red potatoes and black beans.

Portion sizes are very generous. The chicken had a mellow flavor and the vegetables were crisp. My husband was pleased with the size of the steak and the flavor of the black beans.

"Pollo Oaxaqueno" entree

Dessert was an apple chimichanga for me and a slice of a very rich chocolate cake for my husband. The chimichanga was almost a meal in itself; the warm deep-fried pastry wrapped around apple slices proved a delicious, if a bit heavy, dessert. The cake possessed a flavor that kept the fork plunging for more.

Additional dessert choices include a fresh pear tart and a kahlua cake slice. The restaurant also offers a selection of after-dinner cordials, brandy and sherry, as well as coffee, espresso, cappuccino, and other beverages.

The bill for appetizers, entrees, desserts, and beverages totaled $61 before the state meals tax.

Just A Little Fine-Tuning...

The food at Coyote Flaco is very good and the portion sizes are very generous. The staff is eager to please and friendly.

The restaurant needs to fine tune its' serving timing; we had barely been served our appetizers when both entrees arrived. And we did make a second request for coffee with our dessert.

An apple chimichanga dessert at Coyote Flaco restaurant.

But these are things that come together with practice and attention to detail and should in no way deter anyone from enjoying the fine food, lively atmosphere and friendly staff at the Coyote Flaco restaurant.

Coyote Flaco is located at 505 Cold Spring Road, Williamstown. The restaurant is open Tuesday-Thursday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.. Reservations may be made by calling 413-458-4240.

Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 802-823-9367.