New doors open to good dining in Valley

From the healthy fare of Fresh to the elegance of the Social Club, new restauarants around the Rio Grande Valley are widening the options for those who enjoy a good meal out.

Fresh Mexican Grill sparkles. From the lime green chairs to the wooden tables to the iced salsa bar, Fresh has an aura of cleanliness that sets it apart from other restaurants. The restaurant’s layout makes it an easy place for people in wheelchairs to visit and the long booth along the back of the restaurant provides an ideal place to sit a car seat. The restaurant serves a variety of burritos, soups, fajitas, tacos and quesadillas that arrive quickly and at reasonable prices. Service comes with a smile as the owners of the restaurant walk among the tables to ensure that guests enjoy their meals.

Unlike many other restaurants serving Mexican fare, Fresh’s menu offers healthier alternatives like whole wheat tortillas and vegetarian choices.

One of them is the Veggie Treat quesadilla ($6.99). The quesadilla is chock full of jack and cheddar cheese, black beans, sautéed portabella mushrooms, corn and chopped tomatoes. The ingredients, sandwiched between two large wheat tortillas, provide a healthy and filling meal.

The Texas Taco salad ($6.99) provides a feast for the eyes and a delight for the palate. Served with either ground beef or chicken, this salad of iceburg lettuce, black beans, corn, carrots, shredded cheese, pico de gallo and an avocado dressing is tasty. The dressing is rich and creamy and adds an unusual twist to the typical taco salad. The portion is also large enough that one can take some of it home.

Café d’Paris shines with European elegance. Diners eat at granite-topped tables with chairs made of ornate iron with a gold patina. Tall stone walls with decorative lamps reach toward a blue ceiling painted with clouds.

The menu, although not very large, is nevertheless tantalizing. The list of appetizers includes grilled croissant or biscuit, chicken crepes (sautéed chicken breast with Asian spices and parsley in a crunchy peanut sauce) and crab cakes. Entrees include the chicken cordon bleu and the Sienne river tilapia. The buffet features a number of dishes including Salisbury steak and fried chicken with mushrooms. There are also shelves filled with all sorts of breads and pastries.

Suteki Sushi Bar and Japanese Cuisine provides tranquility for the harried diner. Black tables with their metallic finish glitter in the soft lighting. Water gurgles in a huge aquarium and enticing entrees excite the palate.

The menu offers shrimp tempura, lobster rolls, crab meat rolls (crab stuff with cream cheese) and salmon sushi. Behind the sushi bar, fresh cuts of white fish, white tuna, mackerel, salmon, crab, fresh water eel and octopus waited to be converted into delicious meals. Appetizers include three egg rolls for $5.50, yakitori (grilled skewered teriyaki chicken) also for $5.50, and shrimp cocktail. The restaurant also has a fine selection under the heading Sutekis Salad, with exciting names like the ebi kani salad with shrimp and crab; and the sunomono salad with fish and cucumbers.

The Social Club provides a dining experience with its up-scale elegance. The restaurant’s menu offers a variety of well crafted selections like Cajun chicken breast with cayenne pecan lemon butter sauce for $11.95; the shrimp and tenderloin Dijonaise - sautéed gulf shrimp and tenderloin tips with wild mushrooms, garlic, Dijon mustard and red wine, $17.95; and salmon filet with lemon pepper and Chardonnay lemon butter sauce for $12.95. The restauarant also features appetizers like chicken quesadillas with jack cheese, pico de gallo, corona beer salsa, guacamole and sour cream for $7.50 and poblano cream soup or chicken tortilla soup ($5.50). Salads include the classic caesar, taco or house salad or the exotic chicken mandarin with mixed greens with grilled teriyaki chicken breast, sliced apples, orange mandarin and toasted almonds.

Wild Olive Café offers an eclectic array of food from all over the world. There are hints of Japan, the Mediterranean, Mexico and the Mediterranean in the menu. The menu includes paella, a Spanish dish, shrimp enchiladas wrapped in blue corn tortillas, apple and pecan salad, Tom Kha Goong (a spicy Thai shrimp soup in a coconut broth), and veggie tempura — vegetables battered and breaded in Japanese breadcrumbs.

Paige Lauren Deiner covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4425. For this and other local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.