a new twist on "beach" mexican.... i had heard--and been curious about--bartaco for as long as i had heard about it being open. so finally, on a wednesday night, i had occasion to visit. first off, not related to the restaurant itself, know that the parking in heavily mercenary west hartford sucks! be prepared for parking meters that are heavily monitored until ten pm....parking lots that admit you, ticket in hand, only for you to discover that there are no available parking spaces, leaving you to negotiate your exit with less-than-polite parking attendants (new york city, anyone?). i realize we connecticut suburbanites are spoiled with regard to our parking, but still.....
other than that, bartaco is an ambitious, adventurous endeavor emphasizing "small plates" or "tapas" and creative cocktails. i visited in the winter, where the almost solid-glass, "garage door" type walls, ones that would normally open onto to a balmy summer night on the sidewalks of west hartford, are still appealing. my server was lindsay, a very forthright employee who really seemed to care about my dining experience and who wondered aloud if i would be chilly next to the "garage doors", and who escorted me to the warmer booth area. i had a lot of questions about the menu, a variety of latin-american-themed "small plates", which she willingly answered based on either her own experience or the opinions of her customers.
may i also say that i was impressed by the hardworking manager kevin, who bussed tables, delivered food, and interacted with customers. imparting a "we care" ethic that impressed this solo diner.
i appreciated the fact that the wine list features wines of latin american or spanish origin, including a crisp and lively garnacha rose from spain. also, many of the cocktails are fresh squeezed, as prominently evidenced by the large "squeezer" at the end of the bar; margaritas, mojitos, and the like.
the tacos, priced at $2.50 per, are savory small bites (i sampled the "$7-for-three "red snapper a la plancha"/chicken in smoky adobo sauce/pork al pastor sampler (all very tasty), and also the bartaco chopped salad, very nice with an unusual creamy lime dressing. also appreciated was the almost-authentic grilled corn offering, with lime, cayenne, and "cotija" cheese. an additional "assorted gorditas" plate, 3 tiny deep fried corn meal patties stuffed with a variety of either cheese or meat, was almost more than i could eat. on the table are three salsas: rojo (mild), verde (extremely tasty, some heat) and the yellow habanero sauc (extremely hot!).
i think this place, an offshoot of the ever-popular barcelona restaurant in west hartford center, with its casual, industrial, soho-type vibe, would be an awesome place for a night among friends of drinks and small plates to accompany the socializing. i plan to return to try one of the rice bowls advertised on the menu -with protein choices ranging from chicken to beef to lamb to portobello mushroom to lamb to cactus pad. but maybe i'll take the bus or a taxi.