El Pavo Real
Not everyone knows about El Pavo Real in Broadmoor but many of us who do are quite loyal to it. It is a small, neighborhood Mexican restaurant with a veggie quesadilla I’m obsessed with. Seriously, I love this thing. I once saw a guy on a dating app who said he worked in the kitchen there and I honestly considered swiping right just because he had the inside scoop on how to make this quesadilla even though we had nothing else in common.
Mexican food and I have a challenging relationship - I love the flavors and I also hate onions. I can tolerate onion flavor but the texture of them makes me shudder. This means Mexican restaurants are tricky places for me. So imagine my delight that the veggie quesadilla at El Pavo Real does not have onions! It’s one of my safe foods. A good friend of mine loves their crab and avocado quesadilla. They have a cute little bar and a nice happy hour (I got the lavender lemonade last time I went - great summer drink - lemonade and lavender infused tequila).
The restaurant is small and can fill up quickly. There have been visits that became too loud for me and I felt overwhelmed by the noise. I’ve used my loop earplugs at times which are helpful. I think the tall ceilings can be a challenge for me with noise. If you go at a time it’s not crowded (for example, I just met a friend there for lunch on a Thursday and it was perfect) then it’s a great experience. The decor isn’t kitschy or over the top. It’s clear this is a locally owned labor of love kind of restaurant. Check out the amazing peacock mural on the side of the building. At times there is a bubble machine outside…if you know me you know how delighted I am by bubbles. When the weather isn’t hot as hades they have a cute little outside courtyard on the side that you can hang out in. It’s just a relaxed, fun place to grab a quick and tasty meal or meet a friend for happy hour. Highly recommend if you’re in the Broadmoor area!
Oh! I forgot to take pictures while I was there for lunch- I was too hungry and didn’t think about it until halfway through my meal. Maybe next time I can exercise some self-restraint to snap a photo before I dig in!