Carlos Miguel's Mexican Bar & Grill: Frisco, Colorado

While staying in Frisco, Colorado, recently, with Andrew and Sam, we ate at Carlos Miguel's Mexican Bar & Grill, located at 740 N. Summit Blvd (970)-668-4900. It was rated by Trip Advisor as the no. 3 restaurant in Frisco.

We went by it the first night and Sam and Andrew didn't want to go there - we ended up eating at Wendy's instead (big mistake). The second night I talked them into going to Carlos Miguel's - we liked it so much, that we went back the third night to eat there again. Carlos Miguel's has some of the best Mexican food I've ever tasted, some of which was very unusual. To start with, they brought fresh salsa and refried beans with chips. I've never had refried beans brought to the table before along with salsa. Very nice. We ended up getting several more small dishes of beans while we were waiting. For an appetizer, we got the guacamole table side

which was 1 1/2 avocados mixed with chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapenos, with a healthy dolop of a mixture of sea salt, pepper and garlic.

Hands down the best guacamole I've ever eaten.

We liked it so much we got it both nights. It was chunky and flavorful. We did everthing but lick the bowl. The second dish we got both nights and shared, as an appetizer, even though it was a main dish, was chiles poblanos: two poblanos chiles stuffed with Mexican cheese and sauteed with white sliced onions and cream sauce.

Amazingly good and something I've never seen on another menu. The second night we had it the poblanos were a little crisp and I didn't like it as well, but it was still great. The dish also came with rice and black beans. After we ate the peppers, we mixed the rice and beans in with the cream sauce and it was very good by itself or on chips. I had a bistec chihuahua the first night which Sam liked so much he ordered the second night. It was a rare filet mignon, sprinkled with Cotija cheese, on a bed of fried sliced potatoes, garnished with green onions, red bell peppers and a mirasol pepper.

The cheese on the steak was very nice, the potatoes were cooked perfectly and it all came together as a very nice dish. It also came with very good beans and rice.

This was another dish I've never seen before. The second night I ordered a Baja fish taco, a soft flour tortilla filled with breaded tilapia, shredded cabbage with jalapeno-limejuice, onions and tomatoes. I was expecting a tiny taco like you typically get when ording fish tacos. This was a regular size flour tortilla and the fish was extending out the ends.

I ordered it as an additional appetizer just because it sounded good and I wanted to try it. However, it was a main dish that came with two tacos and beans and rice. However, our waiter was willing to break it up and give me just one taco. He charged me only $5.00 although the main dish was $13.95. This was another reason I loved the restaurant. They were willing to do little things like that we asked for. The service was tremendous. They had been willing to also serve us one poblano chile as well, but we ended up getting both when Sam and Andrew decided they wanted some as well. The second night we came, they remembered us and brought us out multiple dishes of refried beans and salsa without our asking - they remembered that we went through it the night before (amazing what hungry appetites can do after spending a day hiking). The second night Andrew got the combo fajitas, a mixture of chicken, steak and shrimp

with grilled onions and green and red bell peppers, as well as avocado and sour cream. This is a typical menu item at a Mexican restaurant, not as unusual as some of the other things we tried.

I only tried one of the shrimp, but it was very good. It was recommended by our waiter as his favorite dish - something he gets two or three times a week. The second night I got the chimichanga Puerto Vallarta, stuffed with shrimp and crab, some spicy inner sauce and topped with a spicy creamy habanero sauce.

It, too, was amazing. The sauce had a pretty good kick to it.

I can't recommend this restaurant more highly. The food was unusual and delicious and the service was fantastic. I wish it was closer so I could go regularly. Amazing that I could find the best Mexican food I've ever tasted in Colorado. The only thing I felt fell short was the salsa. It was fresh and okay, but my regular Mexican food haunts in California do it much better. Other than that, this restaurant left them all in the dust.