This Mexican taqueria in
Andersonville (spelled Co-Si-Na Grill on its sign) offers a contemporary and downright snazzy flare for traditional Mexican dishes.
Your most basic Mexican entrees are glorified here: tacos, burritos, fajitas - all are tinkered with and dressed up to bring a little more life to what can sometimes be a drab, dreary meal. Presentation at Cosina is a clear focus of the owners. If nothing else, your eyes will be grabbed by the colors, be it in the varieties of salsa or the charming designs on the silverware.
Start off with an order of co-si-na-chos, served with the chef's special guacamole, Chihuahua cheese, refried beans and ranchero sauce, or just munch on chips and three different kinds of salsas. For dinner, an extensive array of fajitas, tacos, enchiladas and burritos provides plenty of options. Cosina may also garner a reputation for its mole, be it the mole verde or the mole dona esperanza, a dark, thick and spicy sauce concocted with 19 ingredients and topped on pork, steak or chicken.
Room for dessert? Si? You cant go wrong with pay de manzana (apple pie), served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel syrup crisscrossing all over the plate; its just a glorious thing to behold.
The restaurants is dressed in a warm red-orange template, garnished with vases at each table and balanced with multi-colored Mexican paintings. Traditional Spanish music lightly drizzles into the room, not overwhelming your ears, since all your other senses are suitably stimulated. It's a refreshingly relaxed, flexibly upscale taqueria, the kind of place where one can enjoy a dress-up romantic evening or a T-shirt-and-jeans gathering with the guys. And the restaurants is BYOB, so don't forget to grab your own bottle of vino before dropping by.
Centerstage Reviewer: Andy Seifert