Chicago-born Arturo Cabral wants his bistro to be more like one of his hometown’s hip Mexican restaurants than the traditional south-of-the-border venues up and down Southwest Boulevard. (“No Mexican flags, no sombreros,” he says.) Setting El Patrón apart are parrilladas — stainless-steel tabletop grills heaped with pork, chicken, steak, roasted chili peppers and cheese. Be careful with starters before ordering these communal dishes; it’s easy to overindulge on the turnover-sized empanadas — light, flaky pastries filled with beef — or thick wedges of a steak-stuffed quesadilla. The kitchen also creates its own version of the classic Cuban sandwich, made with pork, ham, Swiss cheese and turkey. Grilled steaks are topped with peppery pieces of fresh cactus — carne asada con nopales. For dessert, there’s fried ice cream or, even better, tres leches cake. — Charles Ferruzza
Price: $$-$$$
Payment Type: All Major Credit Cards
Parking: Lot Available, Street
Reservations: Accepted
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