Mississippi Magazine: Backroad Bistros

The Mexican Kitchen

Driving into Columbus on Hwy 182 there is a sense of what once was as you pass by old, abandoned buildings and faded business signs that line the road. But nearing closer to Main Street, one restaurant still remains open after all of these years.

The Mexican Kitchen first opened its doors in 1964 on 15th street across from the MSCW campus, later moving to its current location on Hwy 182 in 1976. Rodger “Taco” James took the family business over in 1999 when his mother, Mrs. Alicia James, retired. Her secret recipes are still used in the restaurant today as Taco is serving his 4th generation of customers the same delicious food as when the restaurant first opened.

Walking through the door I am instantly greeted with warm smiles and genuine southern hospitality. Taco sits at his normal place by the cash register, talking with customers as they come in to eat. Western saddles line the walls along with beautifully framed paintings of horses and matadors fighting black bulls. The mouthwatering smells of Mexican spices fill the air as I head on over to find an empty table to sit at.

My waitress comes by and I order a cold glass of sweet tea. She sits down a basket of hard taco shells, along with a bottle of hot sauce and a bowl of jalapeños. But this isn’t just any old hot sauce, “the juice” as the regulars call it, is a house made hot sauce that was one of Mrs. Alicia’s recipes. It is a one-of-a-kind sauce that goes well with the crisp taco shells and a slice of jalapeño. The perfect spice combination to start the evening off. They sell the hot sauce in pint and quart mason jars for people to take and enjoy at home.

I order a medium plate, which consists of three beef enchiladas topped with shredded cheddar cheese and diced onions, two beef tacos, and Spanish rice and beans. I add one of their famous hand-rolled tamales to my plate as well.

The homemade tamales are made in house each week. The meat and meal made from scratch is what makes these tamales have that extra special taste. Taco tells me that they hand roll over 1500 tamales a week. Along with the tamales, all of the food is prepared daily using only fresh ingredients with no preservatives, which gives the food that savory flavor that keeps folks coming back week after week.

The waitress sits my plate down in front of me, the beef tacos catch my eye with the crisp lettuce and juicy tomato slices inviting me to take a bite. I can’t help myself as I go for the tacos first and man are they some of the best tacos I have tasted. I unwrap the tamale and douse it with the hot sauce, when I try some, it instantly melts in my mouth. The beef enchiladas are tender; the onion and cheese giving them that little something extra.

The Mexican Kitchen also offers chicken tacos that are made with a cream of mushroom base, which gives them a unique flavor. The tostadas are a local favorite with three round tortillas that can be ordered several different ways including options such as original, bean, beef, and chicken. The locals prefer the original that comes with three crispy round tortillas topped with refried beans, chili, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and of course, cheese.

Taco and his son Taylor have tried introducing new items to the menu over the years, but the customers always come back to the small, medium, and large plates every time. I asked Taco if he would ever consider adding anything new to the menu in the future and he told me it’s like the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

There’s a feeling of eating with family when visiting The Mexican Kitchen as Taco and his crew treat the patrons of their restaurant as part of the family. Taco tells me that he and his family are focused on serving the community with a great food experience along with forming relationships that will last a lifetime.

If you are craving just good ole Mexican food while you are in Columbus, be sure to check out The Mexican Kitchen. Don’t forget to try one of those tamales and meet some great folks while you are at it!

Hours of operation:

Thursday-Sunday 4:30pm-8:30pm

Phone:

662-328-4441

Address:

400 Hwy 182 East

Columbus, MS 39702

Website:

www.themexkitchen.com