Provecho in Vancouver a gem of Mexican cuisine

Why: If you are a longtime resident of Clark County who likes Mexican cuisine and appreciates the authentic touch of a small, specialty restaurant that doesn’t start cooking until you place your order, chances are you are a regular at Provecho. This little gem just celebrated its 12th anniversary and continues to deliver excellence, a testament to its longevity. The menu offers just a few basics with your choice of protein.

Atmosphere: If you blink, you could pass right by Provecho’s understated exterior. Located on the street-side end on the bottom floor of a two-story building that has a touch of Southern flair, the quaint little restaurant is warm and welcoming. It has a homey appeal with walls painted in bold, festive colors and an eclectic assortment of lighting that brings a pleasant glow. The space consists of two main dining areas. The bar occupies one, with bar seating as well as tables and chairs. The kitchen and family dining occupies the other room.

What I tried: We started our meal with chips and fresh, house-made salsa. I settled on the el grande carne asada burrito, and my dining companions tried the Mexican quinoa salad and the carne asada steak tacos.

The chips are made in-house and deep fried in peanut oil. The salsa is mildly chunky and pairs deliciously with the chips for a Provecho exclusive.

The burrito combined marinated beef skirt steak wrapped in a warm, lightly browned flour tortilla along with whole beans, lettuce, cheddar and jack cheese and pico de gallo. Diners may opt for either black beans or pinto beans. I chose black beans. The combination of ingredients were well balanced and the steak was deliciously seasoned, tender and lean.

My dining companion enjoyed the carne asada tacos, which were served street taco-style with pico de gallo and a wedge of lime, each on two corn tortillas.

The Mexican quinoa salad consists of a blend of quinoa, rice, a lot of fresh garlic, black beans, tomatoes, parsley and onions served on a bed of lettuce and corn chips around the edge. The salad had more flavor than I expected. My dining companion found it needed a little something to up the moisture content, so she squeezed some lime over it and said that was just what it needed, a bit of juice and citrus flavor.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The chicken tostada combines all-white meat, marinated and grilled chicken, sour cream, whole beans, lettuce, cheddar and jack cheese, and pico de gallo atop a crispy corn tortilla. The el grande Roger ritto burrito made with whole pinto and black beans, pico de gallo, jack and cheddar cheese and lettuce sounded tasty. Tacos are available in chicken, carne asada, Angus ground beef, pork asada, black bean and calabacitas (grilled zucchini, onions and tomatoes, sprinkled with Oaxaca cheese).

Other observations: The service is friendly and the food is a nice departure from other Mexican restaurants’ bean-and-rice combo meals. The atmosphere is very comfortable. Provecho offers orders to go for an additional 50 cents.

Cost: Chips and salsa cost $6.50. Fresh, hand-mashed guacamole with corn chips is $10.50 and if you want to add it to chips and salsa the cost would be $17 total. House-made soup comes in 16-ounce and 22-ounce sizes and varies by kind and cost per the day. Tostadas are $9.75 and $10. Quesadillas are $6.75 to $9.75. Burritos are $9.75 and $10. Nachos are served entree-style and made with ground beef for two people for $19.50. Chicken or carne asada may be substituted for an additional $6. The quinoa salad is $9. Tacos may be ordered in one-, two- or three-taco portions for $4.75, $9.50, and $14.25. Coffee, iced tea and soda cost $3.