La Placita Antojitos

Best Mexican Restaurant in Bowling Green!!! The food is fresh and made in plain sight! The pricing is very reasonable and everything is made from scratch. This is the best Authentic Mexican restaurant, not a chain! Absolutely incredible!!!

This joint has made me question all the “Mexican” joints I’ve tried before this. From the moment I opened the menu, I was lost amongst a list of choices I barely understood... exciting! Luckily, my seasoned foodie friend was just as stoked, so I followed suit with my order. Between the delectable horchata, cheesy papusa with slaw, smashing huarache, and savory flan, my tastebuds felt like they were on a cruise through flavortown. For that reason alone, I give it all the stars.

I think I've found it -- my new favorite restaurant in Bowling Green.

After living in a few big cities, I was a bit worried about the diversity in cuisine I'd find in a smaller locale like Bowling Green, but the city has done a great job of proving that my concerns are unfounded. La Placita is the latest installment in a series of lesser-known hidden gems in BG.

The exterior of La Placita shines bright like a beacon to those who know that the best things don't always come in the prettiest wrapper. After having been to various hispanic eateries in SoCal, I had a feeling that I'd struck gold with La Placita. The outside of the restaurant has a rustic feel, where the bright colors pop, but don't stand manicured like the facades of many modern & trendy restaurants.

There's a picnic table outside for those who'd want to enjoy their meals with a fresh summer breeze, as well as barstool seating along the main stretch of windows and a handful of tables on both sides of the restaurant. Though there aren't a ton of seats, I'd say that unless you happen to hit the highest peak in their daily foot traffic, you'll likely find seating for you and your group.

The staff is polite and friendly, but don't expect them to walk you through the menu. Come prepared to venture out on a limb and try something new! You can get tacos anywhere, but trust me, you need to try the variety of dishes that a Salvadoran restaurant can offer. Speaking of food, let's get into it...

The menu is about as Plain Jane as it gets... it's broken down into a few different sections, but make sure to flip through and evaluate all the options for something that you love (or something you want to experience). Starting the meal with a Horchata turned out to be a great decision, as their Horchata is the perfect combination of sweet and spice, carefully toeing the line without crossing over into the sugar-water region that many restaurants enter. Next up, how can you go to a Salvadoran restaurant without having Pupusas? Personally, I'm a fan of the cheese Pupusa and La Placita did not disappoint! Their cabbage mix is solid, but the Pupusas are just as delicious without it. Additionally, make sure to try out the 3 different sauces that are available; I'm a big fan of the orange sauce, but the green has a great kick and the red sauce also can be useful depending on what you are using it for.

Now for one of the biggest highlights of my experience: ever since my favorite Mexican restaurant closed down 3 years ago, I've been in search of a Huarache (take a look at my photo). Little did I know that I really just needed to go to a Salvadoran restaurant to find one! La Placita does the Huarache slightly different than I'm used to seeing it, but the dish is to die for, do your tastebuds a favor and try it! I had the Chorizo, but I'm convinced there's not a bad meat to try on a Huarache.

Ok so you've read this far -- congrats on finishing your summer reading challenge! :) In all seriousness, if you have made it this far, you've got to be intrigued by this restaurant (couldn't be my writing, that much I know for sure). Take all of that intrigue and curiosity and make the trip out to La Placita!

(Or don't... more Pupusas for me!)