No, we're at the right place...

At first the host didn't believe me. Asking if there was a wait, he thought I was asking about the establishment next door - Ray's the Steaks. While I gladly would have eaten at Ray's, I was at the right place - I was at Guajillo.



Guajillo Grill (Pronounced wa-hee-yo), located in the same strip as both Ray's and Pho 75, was the venue for a meeting of the blogs - otherwise known as dinner with Farah and Gordon.

The meal started off with your standard chips and salsa, the chips were freshly made, and the salsa was served in a warm stone bowl. They weren't my favorite I've had in the area (that still goes to Guapos), but the warm salsa was a surprisingly nice touch.

Jill and I then split a Ceviche; served in a margarita glass, the flavors were quite good, but this shrimp ceviche was lacking in well...shrimp. If there was another handful or two of shrimp, it would have been perfect. For $11, I found it lacking.

For my entree I decided on the carnitas - marinated pork in onions and garlic - the pork was flavored wonderfully, and served with a nice side of black beans and onions. The dish overall was pretty solid, though the pork could have been hotter (temp. speaking) and I could have used a little rice with the dish.

I can't speak entirely for it, but Jill got some sort of chicken mole dish that smelled incredible - a great mix of sweet and hot, I might give that a try next time I'm there.

The real highlight of this meal was dessert. I had never eaten Sopapillas before, but the fried bread with honey, cinnamon and caramel, served with a side of vanilla ice cream was simply amazing. Fairly light for something fried, it was one of those dishes where if it was healthy, I'd eat it every day.

As our meeting and meal came to a conclusion, there was nothing but smiling faces all around. The service was incredibly gracious, the food, sans a few minor details, was pretty good, and the price, though slightly inflated, was reasonable.

In an area filled with quality restaurants, Guajillo Grill is a welcome addition, and one that warrants another visit in the future.

Guajillo Grill
1727 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
703-807-0840