Decadence at Dos Locos—A Rehoboth Tradition
As I write, it’s actually Cinco de Mayo and there’s no holiday more fun at Dos Locos than this one!
Ever since Darryl and Joe moved their restaurant to Rehoboth Avenue, added the stonegrill concept, and redecorated the heck out of the space, Dos Locos has been one hot restaurant in Rehoboth. Frankly, with its gold Margaritas and big screen TVs, the Dos Locos bar area is my favorite place to watch Tiger struggle or my Yanks play the Os. Mostly I enjoy the frozen 12 oz. original lime or delightful Mojito Margarita, but there are times when the Grande 25 oz. is appropriate. I admit that I’ve never graduated to the 42 oz. Big Girl, but my posse has certainly enjoyed a 60 oz. pitcher between us! While the Margaritas are legendary, you should really try the Passion fruit Sangria—light but with a real kick!
Along with the fruit and alcohol from that celebrated Blue Agave plant, the seven layer dip ($7.99), all your favorites at once, is a natural. Then again, you can have fun with the Taco Teasers—a dozen mini tacos with shredded chicken or beef, topped with hot Diego sauce ($9.99).
But it’s mealtime at Dos Locos where the kitchen shines bright to give the place its stellar reputation. Have you tried the stonegrill meals? I love the Mexican dishes at Dos, but the stonegrill fish and steak entrees ($13.99-26.99) have won my heart big time.
Your menu selection is served atop a sizzling stonegrill so you can prepare it just the way you like it. Personally, I love my 8-ounce Baseball Steak ($16.99) or filet seared and off! But you can grill chicken, veal, lobster tails(!), shrimp, catfish, and more, any way you like it. The entrees come with your choice of rubs or sauce (Bourbon Street for meat or Lime Ginger for seafood have my vote), a selection from Dos Locos sides or a fresh salad with an amazing ginger vinaigrette dressing. Stone-grilling is healthy and remarkably tasty—not for kids, though, as the grill comes to the table at a fiery 700 degrees. Careful!
Of course, if you are lunching at Dos Locos, which I did just yesterday, you might choose the steak fajita bowl ($13.30), which is a delightfully fresh salad combined with tender steak and fajita fixings—pico and peppers, onions, cheese, etc. The homemade guacamole rivals the best anywhere, along with the house made salsa featuring tomatoes and onions with just the right amount of spicy peppers—accompanied, of course, by crisp and thin chips, made daily in the kitchen.
Or, you could try the Dos Locos Crab Quesadilla, Joe’s favorite and mine, too. There’s a bounty of lump crab with melted cheese, topped with sour cream and dusted with Old Bay seasoning. Really, it’s just about the most heavenly quesadilla ever—not that the pork tomatillo or pollo and black bean are slouches.
If it’s seafood you crave, Dos Locos is famous for its lobster menu—lobster fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, or deep fried chimi. The lobster entrees range from $19.99-$22.99. You can even have appetizer lobster skins—three crispy potato skins filled with lobster and cheese, dusted with Old Bay. For my lunch, I tasted the crab version and my dining companion pronounced them “diabolical” for their remarkable richness.
One of my favorite, most extravagant Dos Locos entrees is their take on the mighty King Crab Legs…you get a little over a pound of the succulent crab. I love being up to my elbows in chipotle butter and Old Bay for Friday night early bird when the King Crab is on special, discounted $10 at $19.99.
As for the traditional burritos, tacos, and enchiladas, Dos Locos makes them special with their slightly spicy red sauce and their hot, hot green sauce. You can mix it up with Christmas sauce (half green, half red, of course) for a medium jolt. I’m partial to the veggie burrito ($11.99) with rice, beans, cheese, lettuce and tomato—always a winner, but then again, the Arizona Burrito ($13.99) with mushrooms and spinach is a delightful alternative.
And no conversation about Dos Locos would be complete without mentioning their fajitas, voted Best of Delaware and offering 19 different varieties. With steak or chicken offered everywhere else, you might try the Barramundi (Australian fish) fajita ($15.99) or the El Presidente fajita (a full 7 ounce steak, shrimp and scallops for $27.99). You can get everything from Aussie lamb to soft shell crab in a fajita with all the fixings.
I have to admit, I don’t usually have room for dessert at Dos Locos, which is probably why Darryl served us a decadent treat called the Cactus Flower – vanilla ice cream atop a deliciously gooey chocolate cake/brownie in an edible bowl, sprinkled with cinnamon and chocolate sauce...OMG...put a fork in her, she was done! Fantastic.
See you at Dos Locos— and if you walk by and see me at one of the open-air window tables (one of the best seats in town, by the way) wave—or better still, stop in for a wonderful dining experience.
Dos Locos, 208 Rehoboth Avenue, is open daily from 11:30 a.m.