Review: Ted's Cafe Escondido Mexican Restaraunt

Word of mouth in the Oklahoma City area dictates that Ted's Cafe Escondido is one of the best, if not the best place for Mexican. In general I agree, but I think one has to be careful in not allowing the free chips, salsa, queso, warm tortillas, (*inhale*) and sopapillas detract from the actual quality of the food. It may be the case that free food tastes better, but not everything is free at Ted's. In fact, if you don't order an entree, there is a $5.99 charge for the you-didn't-order-so-these-are-no-longer-complimentary items. But I admit they make the entree that much better.
I ordered the Plato Gordo which is a three course dinner feast. At $15.99, the meal consisted of enough food to last a couple of days, much less one sitting. First course, a taco with your choice of hard or soft shell, chicken or beef. This comes with a generous portion of sour cream and guacamole, no extra charge. Second course, enchilada with your choice of filling (chicken, beef or cheese) and then a stuffed bell pepper called Chile Relleno, with you guessed it, your choice of filling. The food was great and I feel they put a bit more attention to detail into the food than other Mexican places in the area.

The staff was awesome, period. I never asked for a refill on drinks and as long as we were waiting for our meal, we never saw the bottom of the tortilla chip basket. Tables looked about 75% capacity, though I have seen them at 100% and when that happens, expect a 45-60 minute wait, which is every weekend.
Overall, a cozy, friendly, above average Mexican joint. And yes, they do birthdays.

Rating: ****1/2