THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 7, 1994 TAG: 9408040072
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F7 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: CHAIN REACTION
TYPE: Restaurant review
SOURCE: BY BROWN H. CARPENTER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
LOOKING FOR big margaritas, something wrapped in a tortilla? Check out Carlos Murphy's, on Military Highway in Norfolk.
You'll also get the traditional chain restaurant ambience: noisy bar, tiffany lamps, eclectic bric-a-brac adorning the walls.
It's OK to bring the kids. Each gets a free helium-filled balloon.
And it's OK to get a little raucous. Carlos Murphy's is a good place to de-stress after the daily grind.
It's not so great, however, if you're looking for a quiet dinner.
The restaurant, once dubbed an Irish-Mexican cafe, today is virtually all Carlos, no Murphy. The only Irish fare on the menu is Murphy's Coffee and Killian's Irish Red beer, both bar items.
But Americans love tacos, fajitas and burritos, and Carlos Murphy's supplies them at prices from $7.99 to $11.99.
All entrees include rice and refried beans. None of the dishes will leave you feeling empty.
No surprises lurk among the appetizers, which feature familiar Mexican-restaurant fare: nachos, guacamole, quesadillas, chips and salsa. The salsa is mild.
In light of recent analyses of Mexican-restaurant food by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, we kept the fat content in mind when ordering.
Most of the meat is charbroiled, which is relatively healthful. But the condiments - sour cream, cheese and guacamole - are neither low-fat nor low-cal. Ditto for the salsa chips.
Nevertheless, we ate fearlessly - and nobody has canceled our life insurance.
The secret to a good tortilla filling is the meat marinade. The zestiest soak at Carlos Murphy's is a concoction of citrus juices, garlic, oregano, chilies, cilantro and beer. It's used to flavor the Carnitas ($8.99), or baked pork.
The pork is removed from the oven, topped on the grill and served with flour tortillas. It received a thumbs-up all around from our party of three.
Grilled Fish Tacos ($7.99), topped with shredded cabbage and tomatillo mayonnaise, delighted us as well. (Fish tacos have disappointed us in other restaurants.)
The Rancho Combo ($9.99) was a sampling of the Pollo Taco (chicken), Carne Asada Taco (sirloin beef) and Chile Relleno.
Both the beef and chicken tacos were bueno. The marinade was subtler than that used on the pork, enabling the meat flavor to come through. The fillings were typically Mexican: shredded cheese, guacamole and salsa.
The Chile Relleno was the sort of thing that drives the calorie counters crazy. Green chilies are filled with grated Jack cheese, and fried. The relleno tasted a little oily.
The Chile Relleno comes with a picante, jalapeno-laden salsa, one of the rare times the restaurant offers something for the heat seeker.
Those with such an inclination should request the house hot sauce - Cholula, a small bottle of dynamite from Mexico. You can douse it on any of the entrees - or the bland appetizer salsa.
Carlos also offers shark fajitas for $10.99 and baby-back ribs in two sizes: $9.99 and $13.99. Less pricey are the burgers and tortas ($4.99 to $5.45), a sort of Mexican sandwich, and the salad entrees (under $7).
Desserts, if you have room, looked rich and sinful. Three of us split a Mexican Mud Pie and it was big enough to make us all feel guilty. Ole. MEMO: Reviews are based on a single, unannounced visit by a party of two or
three, unless otherwise noted. The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star
pay for the reviewer's meal and those of the guests.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ROY A. BAHLS
It's OK to bring the kids and to get a little raucous at Carlos
Murphy's in Norfolk.
Graphic
CHAIN REACTION
Carlos Murphy's: 465 N. Military Highway, Norfolk. 461-0888.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11
p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Prices: Entrees and combos range from about $7.99 to $11.99. A
large order of baby-back ribs is $13.99.
Owned by: Carlos Murphy's Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz. The company
has 18 Murphy's restaurants and also owns the Garcia's and Casa
Lupica Mexican food chains, for a total of 52 stores.
by CNB