Eating Out in Norfolk: Jessy’s Taco Bistro

By Deb Markham Correspondent   –   The Virginian-Pilot

My boyfriend’s parents treated us to a mid-week celebration at Jessy’s Taco Bistro.

They had just returned from a cruise and I just broke the news I had landed a full-time job after freelancing for several months.

We were seated promptly and offered any open seat in the main dining room. We noted about three other families surrounding us. Not bad, we agreed, for a Wednesday in a small Ghent restaurant.

We started with queso — white cheese dip with jalapeño — and chips, $6; something to munch as we decided on another starter and drinks. The chips were thick and very lightly salted, if at all.

James and his father settled on a mojito, $7, and large margarita, $11, on the rocks. His mother and I went the non-alcoholic, low calorie and boring route with water.

After some discussion, we decided we were in the mood for more chips. This time, we ordered the guacamole sampler, $12. You can choose from four types of guacamole: jalapeño, chipotle, queso and regular. We ordered jalapeño, chipotle and regular. The guac tasted fresh and the jalapeño had a small kick, a happy medium for a table of pepper lightweights.

For the main dish, James and his father both ordered the carne asada, $20. It’s a plate of grilled arrachera steak and chorizo link, with side of pico, avocado, elote, fried cactus, Vidalia onion and fire-roasted jalapeño. If that doesn’t sound like enough, the dish also comes with a choice of an additional side, ranging from esquite (corn kernels topped with queso fresco) to chori-bean (chorizo and refried beans).

James and his father opted for two other choices, fries and rice and beans. When their plates arrived, we were all impressed with the sheer amount of food. And both men extolled the steak’s melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

His mother and I went the boring route again. I ordered a sopes, $3.50, a corn tortilla stuffed with refried beans, Mexican slaw, queso fresco, avocado and a stuffing of your choice. My choice ended up being the arrachera steak, which I found tender, well-seasoned and filling enough. (I confess I didn’t feel much like eating, so it’s probably not filling enough for someone looking for a real meal.)

The sopes are listed on the menu under antojitos (cravings), which also include tacos and tostadas. Unlike me, you can order three plus a side for $11.99 or two and one side for $9.99. The stuffing includes arrachera steak, chicken tinga (white chicken breast sautéed in chipotle, onion and tomato sauce), Al pastor (adobo marinated pork, sautéed with grilled onions and pineapple bits), choripollo (grilled chicken sautéed in chorizo and topped with queso dip), a veggie medley or the week’s special.

For my side, I chose something brand new to me, elotes. It’s corn on the cob with mayo, shredded queso fresco and a little aioli. The corn was juicy and the mayo and cheese, which were warm, were a sweeter, creamier topping than just butter.

James’ mother went with the vegetable quesadilla, $10. A tortilla filled with queso Oaxaca (a semi-hard cheese), squash, mushrooms and epazote, a Mexican herb. As a vegetarian, she finds it difficult to find pleasing dishes outside of salads. This was a true main dish — a large tortilla with a savory filling and a side of beans and rice.

We ordered one caramel and one chocolate-topped slice of pastel de tres leches cake from the case sitting across from the bar.

The cake was moist. The whipped cream icing was thick, creamy and sweet.