By Megan Baxter
The ‘Mex-Mex’ difference
Every time I go to Compadres, I order the same thing – street tacos and guacamole, served with salty, warm chips. It’s the kind of Mexican food I enjoy, light and flavorful (Compadres describes itself as Mex-Mex as opposed to Tex-Mex). The street tacos aren’t drenched in melted cheese, drowned in sour cream, fried, or under-spiced like the tacos I find all too often at standard-fare Tex-Mex joints.
Instead, Compadres street tacos combine the sweetness of a corn tortilla with crispy, chopped chicken; cilantro; and the clean bite of white onion. They are served with two salsas on the side; one is a citrusy green tomatillo and the other is a smoked, spicy tomato-based zinger. Finished with a squeeze of lime, Compadres street tacos are everything I want in a taco.
Megan’s last meal
It was Cinco de Mayo the last time we visited the restaurant, and the place was packed with people drinking frosty margaritas. Our guacamole was mixed fresh by a server who works a mobile guac station, complete with bowls of limes, avocados, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and cilantro. Our street tacos arrived, wrapped in foil, steaming from the flat top. We finished our plates and the last of the chips. We’ve probably spent more time in Compadres talking, sharing stories from our days, than any other place in Greenville besides our home. It always felt warm to us, a place to go when we were hungry for more than just a good taco.
For the tequila lovers
Compadres has more than 56 varieties of tequila and serves multiple Mescal margarita recipes.
What to order
Fresh guacamole / $7.99
Made fresh with diced avocado, tomato, and cilantro. Add jalapenos if you like it spicy.
Poblano Peppers / $10.99
Two stuffed poblano peppers with your choice of one of the following: cheese, spinach, mushroom, chicken, or beef. Served with rice or beans.
Molcajete / $16.99
Served in a hot Molcajete dish with grilled cactus, Angus steak, grilled chicken, shrimp, and queso fresco. Served with black beans and corn tortillas.
Street Tacos / $3.50 per or $10.99 for three with rice or beans
Served with onions, cilantro, lime, three homemade salsas, and your choice of grilled chicken, chorizo, shrimp, fried avocado, poblano w/ cheese, steak, pastor, carnitas, or lengua.
