The recently opened Ocho Kitchen and Cocktails invited the press to try out some of their Tex-Mex food and drinks. Downstairs, the restaurant seats families and quieter clients both indoors and outdoors. The candlelit upstairs section features balcony seating, a bar, what looks like a private room and a more club-like vibe.
The appetizers alone might be worth a special outing to Ocho. The chips, which are brought out before meals, come with some spicy and some sweet salsas and sauces. Mexican grill bread can be dipped in the house guacamole ($9) and the the ancho roasted chicken flautas ($8) arrive resting in a tomatillo lime salsa. The tostada of Mexican white shrimp ceviche ($12) is topped with shrimp, avocado, cucumber, baby radish and a jalepeño yuzu lime marinade, but the black sesame honey white shrimp tempura ($13) kind of changed my life. I was living under the impression that I dislike horseradish sauce until I tasted the tempura dipped in some. If you’re still not ready for a shock like that, the dish also comes with pineapple sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Entree prices range from $9-$20. The shrimp pancake dinner special, which will soon be added to the menu, is an unusual and tasty combination of shrimp, pancakes, avocado slices and a chipotle butter sauce. From what I understood, it will be $20 per plate. As far as tacos go, Ocho offers tacos al pastor ($14) and a massive Navajo taco ($13) that fills a plate. The Ocho Mac & Cheese ($9) is a Southwestern twist on the American favorite: the shells are combined with hatch green chile, cilantro and a mix of Mexican cheeses.
The drinks are creative and aplenty, including a jalepeño margarita ($11) and a hatch chile smoke, which mixes tequila, lemon juice, agave nectar and green chile powder ($10). Drink prices start at $4.25.
Ocho opened Sept. 24 and is located at 8411 Preston, suite 132. You can see the full menus on Ocho’s website and pictures of the restaurant and food in the slideshow below.
