Where people once went to get their basic American cuisine, now stands a little taste of Mexico.  There is no longer Hingham’s red Chili’s sign overwhelming the gas station next door on the corner of Pond and Whiting Street .  Instead, the stucco building and Aztec architecture protrude from the normalities on Whiting Street.  Plaza Azteca, a new Mexican restaurant drew in my family’s attention this past Christmas vacation.  With five Mexican food lovers, and few Mexican restaurants in the area, we were pleasantly surprised with the experience.

I do not use the word “experience” coincidentally.  From exterior, to the interior of the restaurant, to the dish in front of you, Plaza Azteca offers more than just a meal.  The restaurant, with golden accents, and native statues welcomes you through the entryway where they have a bar area on the left and a multitude of tables to the right.  Our booth was very private and extremely spacious for our party of five.

Per usual, we ordered our drinks and appetizers, but word of mouth said when you go to Plaza Azteca, you must order the guacamole.  The cart came rolling around the corner, pushed by a stout, Mexican man who spoke little English but made a mouth-watering dip in front of our eyes.  One regret I had was eating so many chips and salsa, followed by chips and guacamole before the main course, placed in front of us, glazed over our eyes and enveloped our nostrils.

I ordered the Fajita Salad with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese, covered lightly with a lime dressing.  The dish would have been the perfect size if it were not for the pre-meal tapas.  My mother ordered the Azteca Salad with grilled shrimp.  The shrimp was gorgeously bronzed on a skewer, cooked to the center.  The shrimp could have been my main dish, with its scares from the grill, and its fresh crunch.  Without stomach of latex, everyone seemed to devour all their stomachs could bare.

Our server was very enjoyable and could put up with my family, which says a lot.  However throughout our dinner there seemed to be a few misunderstandings between the waitress and the man making guacamole.  Whether it was because of the language barrier or other reasons beyond my knowledge, the minor incident between the two employees was not enough to damper our first time dine at Plaza Azteca.  Because we went during the holiday season, the usual Mariachi band was not strumming between tables, playing hand clapping music.

I hope next time I go to dine at Plaza Azteca I will get the full experience, from the stomach to the ears of Mexico.  Although Chili’s was not a common Saturday night for my family, I will not be surprised if the little Mexico on Whiting Street becomes the regular Saturday night getaway.

6 Whiting St, Hingham, MA, 02043

www.plazaazteca.com