The three-taco platter from 3 Amigos.
Reminder Publishing photo by Ryan Feyre
AMHERST — Looking at the menu of 3 Amigos in Amherst is like being the general manager lucky enough to land that one five-tool baseball player who can do everything on the field.
Calling itself a “Latin American Gastronomy” is fitting because the restaurant, which is located in The Mill District on 68 Cowls Rd., indeed encompasses the flavorful trifecta of Chilean, Mexican and Puerto Rican cuisine, but I think the most impressive aspect of the eatery is how much ground it covers within those realms.
I mean, heck, they have it all. There are signature dishes, egg dishes, tacos, burgers, Latin breakfast items, breakfast burritos, sweet breakfast, breakfast sandwiches, appetizers sides and salads. It was hard for me to decide what I wanted when I ventured to the restaurant because there are so many enticing options. It’s a great problem to have in this business.
With that in mind, I was initially annoyed with myself for going with the three-taco platter over a much bolder choice like the Pastel de Choclo, which is an oven baked pie that features a savory ground beef filling with olives, onion, hard boiled eggs and basil, topped with a corn souffle. I felt like I hit for contact when I probably should have gone for the power swing.
I was overthinking this though because once I walked into the restaurant, I knew the tacos would be good, and I figured I was going to be back to try another platter anyway.
There is a very sprightly and welcoming authenticity inside 3 Amigos that is reflected in the elegant and colorful artwork gracing the walls and the pulsating Latin music echoing throughout the eatery.
It’s very easy to see from the get-go that the versatility in the menu also manifests in the ambience: anyone from a group of friends, a romantic couple or a jumble of however many family members can come and grab a bite to eat and enjoy the experience.
It’s too bad I couldn’t hang around and eat inside when I went on a mid-August afternoon. I was in a bit of a time crunch since I was driving about 40 minutes to play softball, so I had to take my tacos for the road.
Whether or not I ate in the car that day didn’t matter, though, because the tacos I consumed were a flavorful delight. The cool aspect about the taco section of the 3 Amigos menu is you can choose either a three-taco platter or a five-taco platter, and then you can mix and match which tacos you want, whether that’s pastor, carne asada, birria, a fluffy taco, shrimp or fish, portobello, papa and asparagus. A whole trip can be based on the taco selections!
I went with the carne asada and the fluffy taco for my visit. The former is a succulent blend of thinly sliced grilled beef, frijoles de la olla, guacamole and fresh tomato salsa while the latter contains ground beef, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and Monterey jack cheese. The meal is also served with a side of classic Mexican rice and beans.
The tacos feature a hearty concoction of flavor, especially the carne asada ones, where the earthy tones of the guacamole and frijoles de la olla meld perfectly with the mouth-watering tenderness of the grilled beef. The portions are sizable yet not overwhelming, and the meal’s nourishing qualities make it a nice source of strength and energy. It’s honestly an ideal food item for a pre-workout or a post workout because of those qualities.
When I arrived at the softball game, I wasn’t bloated or tired; I was ready to go after my taco experience. I’m no five-tool player, but I hit my first ball to the outfield in years. Thank you, 3 Amigos; I will be back for more.
