Barrio: Mexican with a Pacific Northwest twist

By Matthew Jackson

Barrio, located on Capitol Hill, offers a more traditional Mexican food experience while providing a relaxing environment.

5.0/5.0

At Barrio, Captiol Hill’s newest Mexican restaurant, diners will not find dishes smothered in refried beans or drowned in jarred salsas. The fine dining establishment, which opened Dec. 5, is decidedly not Tex-Mex.

Barrio’s class is reflected in its decor. The imposing wood doors of Capitol Hill’s new Barrio Restaurant open to a chic, dark interior. The bar is a smooth stretch of gray-toned mosaic and dark wooden barstools. The window to one side is lined with tables while the other features booths, lit stylishly with large cream candles. The effect of the back wall, a dark grid of square cutouts holding candles, is striking.

Barrio’s margaritas are simple and amazing, with Damiana orange liqueur and the perfect balance of sweet, sour and salty flavors.

I recommend selecting from each part of the restaurant’s menu and sharing, family-style, with your dining mate.

Barrio’s ceviches — diced, raw seafood tossed with lime juice — are each uniquely arranged and beautifully presented. The ceviche of Mahi Mahi combines tuna with shrimp and pineapple, creating a dish that is sweet and salty, with a fantastic play of textures and delicate seafood meatiness. My personal favorite is the sea scallop ceviche, with tender and sweet shellfish contrasted with spicy serrano chilies, red onion and a garnish of thinly slivered mango.

For an appetizer, order the “Duo of Salsas.” With a wide selection of salsas to choose from, the starter comes with corn, plantain and yucca chips. Fried crispy with a light texture and unique flavor, these are fantastic. The Warm Queso de Cabra is a ball of goat cheese rolled in cranberries and pumpkin seeds and broiled on a banana leaf. These are best eaten with Barrio’s masa cakes.

Barrio also offers a variety of specialty tacos, including the “Flank Steak al Carbón” with grilled onion, tomatillo salsa and cotija cheese and the “Roasted Wild Mushroom” with queso fresco and epazote. Both are hearty, two-bite delights. These tacos are available a la carte or can be ordered as part of the Trio of Tacos from the entrée menu, which comes with delicious drunken beans and coconut cilantro rice.

This rice is also featured in the “Cerveza and Agave Poached Mahi Mahi” dish. The fish sits atop the bed of rice and is fantastically moist and fresh. The complementary papaya salsa adds fruitiness and enhances the lightness of the entree. It is hard to believe you’re at a Mexican restaurant with food this light and fresh.

Barrio’s menu is a built around a medley of ingredients from both Mexico and the Pacific Northwest, with regional fare from the Northwest appearing on a seasonal basis. This makes for an especially fresh and unique set of entrées.

For dessert, the “Churros and Xocalatl Chocolate” is shockingly airy, with a soft, delicate interior and crisp, sweet and powdered outside. Dip them in the rich — though unsweetened — chocolate for a smooth, delicious treat.

In a separate class, though, is the crème brulée. The pleasure of racking the surface with a spoon is reason enough to order dessert.

Though the excellent experience and style is reflected in your bill, Barrio is one of the few places in Seattle for Mexican fine dining.

Reach reporter Matt Jackson at arts@dailyuw.com.

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