Las Palmas (3814 N. Duke St.) is apparently the second Las Palmas (the first is at 3801 Wake Forest Hwy. and I have never been). This one is pretty decent though.
I have to admit I wasn’t expecting much (something along the lines of a Torero’s or El Rodeo, which I’ve never been very excited about). The first pleasant surprise was the drink specials board at the entrance, which listed such deliciousness as Jumbo Top Shelf Margaritas for $7 on Friday Nights and $1.60 draft beers on Mondays. I’m pretty sure they have the cheapest Dos Equis in town!
The menu was large, with a lot of what you’d expect and a couple of things I’d never had before. We started with a chile relleno.
So it was a little bit overwhelmed with cheese. But once we worked our way around some of that, the chile underneath was quite good. A little bit sweet (in a good way).
We also had a tamale. I’ve certainly had better tamales (at Tacostumbras, for example), but this one was plenty enjoyable, if a bit doughy. I definitely liked the sauce in which it is drenched.
The highlight of the meal by far was the Pio Pio, a breakfast-y dish that included grilled chicken, peppers and onions, chilaquiles (tortilla chips and pulled chicken covered in red sauce) and an egg. I loved the sauce, the grilled things were grilled just right, and I can’t get enough of the soggy/crispy combo that is chips in lots of warm sauce.
This place is probably somewhere between El Rodeo and Los Comales on the authenticity scale, with the prices closer to the former (the Pio Pio was $10, but that and the two sides for about $2 each was more than enough for two of us). The decor, atmosphere, and cheap drinks help make it easily somewhere I plan to go often (especially once I find a designated driver who will work for Mexican food).
“somewhere between El Rodeo and Los Comales on the authenticity scale”
You mean it’s somewhere between utterly unauthentic and authentic? Well done
LOL
Do check out the Las Palmas on WF Hyw. I have been eating there for many years. Great staff, many have been there for years also. My favorite lunch is the beef steak and eggs, which I order over-light.
Taquerias are great, but sometimes there’s no substitute for saucy, extra-cheesy hot plates o’ Mexican with a side of bean-flavored lard. I pass by this place every day and have been curious about it. Thanks for the writeup.
I love Las Palmas. The people who run it are very friendly. I go often enough that they know who I am and what I like. They are so nice and wonderful. The food is consistent, and I think they have the best tacos in town. It’s worth going to.
[...] time I went I had the chilaquiles (much less flavorful than the Las Palmas version but still [...]
[...] often–not even when I have cravings for ridiculously cheesy enchiladas (those times, I go to Las Palmas and Don Cecilio’s). But I recently checked out Torero’s because I had heard they have [...]
My wife and I finally ventured over to Las Palmas on Wake Forrest highway (our neighbor runs the place) and were EXTREMELY SATISFIED. We had a favorite Mexican spot in Illinois for years that was very authentic and Las Palmas finally satisfied our spoiled tastes and far out does all the others in Durham. Our only regret is not trying it earlier, how dumb could we be?