Steve's or Beans - Tipp Hill's secret Mexican Restaurant - part one

Would you guess there was a Mexican Restaurant in there?

Last spring I went to a small get-together down the street from my house. We all lived in Tipp Hill and the talk turned to local eateries. Someone said there was a Mexican restaurant down the street. What? Yes, in a sports bar on Milton Street there is a secret Mexican restaurant and it's great. Wow.

So we went there the next Saturday. There's a bar and next to it is another door that looks more like a restaurant entrance. So we went in. Place was pretty deserted. "Can I help you?" says a man. We told him we were looking for the Mexican Restaurant. He is the owner and cook, named David. The restaurant is still there but only open on Thursday and Friday nights. He is nice enough to bring us a few samples of food while we have a drink at the sports bar.

Flash forward a couple of months and we go there with my friend Adina. First I called for reservations, as David recommended. We get there and sit down, the waitress is pleasant. We get our menus and order margaritas. They were good, not great on the rocks style margaritas. I'm not much of a margarita drinker so I just had one.

David (the cook) walks around the restaurant and he heard my friend Adina talking about vegetarian food. There's no vegetarian entrees on the menu except for quesadillas (grilled cheese sandwiches made with tortillas!) and he said he has a vegetarian special. So she got that. (Why is it not on the menu?) I can't remember what Dave and I had but it was good. Sorry, it's several months ago! But I did take some photos.Looking at these photos the food looks kind of terrible! But it was great.
You know you're in Syracuse when the Margarhitas come in Bud Light glasses!

My friend's vegetarian platter was tofu strips with tortillas, beans, rice etc. She really liked it.

Part 2

So it's August and we decide to try it again, just me and my husband. I called and asked if they had room for two people. Yes! Do we need to make a reservation? No! So we ambled on over there. We are seated right away. Then two large parties show up!

I'm a huge avocado fan, being a transplanted Califronian and all. I ws disapppointed they had just run out of guacamole. Oh well. I was super hungry so I ordered a quesadilla ($2.50) with just cheese, no meat. All the entrees come with your choice of pork or chicken or (secret) fried tofu which is not on the menu.

Since I'm not that into margaritas I got a glass of Pino Grigio and my husband got a glass of house red, which he said was exactly the kind of wine he wants as house red, not too sweet or dry.

The quesadillas came pretty quick. They were filled with a generous amount of mild cheddar and some type of spiciness- maybe a little chili powder. They came with a cup of salsa and a little scoop of sour cream, and they were pretty tasty. They disappeared pretty fast at any rate, and my husband doesn't eat cheese!

Steve's (Bean's) Mexican Cantina is in the back of a sports bar. The walls are fake wood panneling with numerous pictures - southweatern art, 1920s wedding photo, Mexican blanket, and photos of chili peppers. You basically know that you are in a New York State sportsbar from the Yankee game televised on the wall opposite, and the fact that everyone yells when the Yankees score or something happens in the game.

I got chicken enchilladas with a side of beans and corn. It comes with a salad bar too but the waitress didn't mention it to us and I forgot to ask until I was too full to have the salad bar so I guess we didn't need it anyway. It's not the greatest salad bar, lettuce, tomatoes and dressing in bottles from the supermarket. It would be easier just to do side salads.

Anyhow, back to our orders, my husband doesn't eat cheese or tomatoes. He asked for a burrito with only rice, beans, and pork, with a side order of salsa (yes I know salsa has tomatoes my husband is crazy). He asked for no sides or sauce. When his order came it was a regular burrito covered with red sauce and cheese. But it was no problem to send it back and his replacement came within a few minutes and the waitress could not have been nicer about it.

He was very happy and gave it high marks.

I enjoyed my enchiladas. I also liked the beans. But the corn and peppers side dish was canned corn, not my favorite. I still ate it though and enjoyed it.

The beans remind me of New Mexico Mexican food. They are pinto beans and have different spices than the beans I am used to from California.

I do miss Mexican food from California! This somewhat fills the need. The closest thing I have found to what I am used to is still Alto Cinco.

But I am really glad to have this place within walking distance to my house and will continue to go there.This is our dinner
(Quesadillas not available because I ate them before I remembered to take a photo!)

PS
I guess I should explain about BEANS. When I've told people about this place, some of them have corrected me. "Oh, you mean BEANS Mexican restaurant." And it does say BEANS on one of the walls. Several people have told me in no uncertain terms that the name of it is BEANS. But the menu says Steve's Cantina & Grill!