Though I tend to be very resistant to change I have a happy update on one of my favorite restaurants. Previously featured on Adventures in Food, Malena’s Mexican Restaurant has moved to a permanent location! While I miss the ambience of the bus (I fully acknowledge the irony of that statement but I was rather attached) many positive changes have resulted.
First the good – Malena’s is now open seven days a week. Breakfast has made the menu (and more importantly there is a menu where everyone can be absolutely sure they are ordering the chicken and not the beef tongue or cow’s head meat). I have also discovered several new dishes which must have existed all along, but I never knew about. Delivery is also a welcome option. Finally food in the university area which isn’t pizza (note however that a minimum order of $20 is required)!
What hasn’t changed is the amazing food. For those trying to find an authentic restaurant I believe this as good as it gets without a passport. For proof I proffer this point – I was the only gringa present in the restaurant on my most recent foray. Prices remain stunningly low. No matter how hard I try (or over-tip) my total rarely breaches $10.
One thing not to be missed is the Horchata, a mix of rice milk and spices that is hard to describe yet has failed to find an enemy among the many friends to whom I have insistently handed a cup. Another must try is a torta– though all the food is amazing this is the one that feels special to me. You can get a quesadilla or burrito almost anywhere, but these amazing sandwiches are a little harder to find. I recommend the pork (carnitas) which is remarkable because I am not a huge pork fan. But in this combination it’s brilliant. New to me on this last trip, and a freebie while I waited for my food, were the homemade tortilla chips and side of pico de gallo.
Service is incredibly friendly. The daughter of the owning family knows me by name and warmly greets me even though my visits grew incredibly rare for one sad year. With a permanent location, table service has been added and the waiters were very friendly and attentive – even though I got my food to go!
The only negative is that the food is incredibly addictive! But given these prices frequent visits can be had on even this grad student’s budget. Malena’s deserves to become a Tampa institution – one which I recommend you wholeheartedly embrace today!
Malena’s
2320 E. Fletcher Ave.
Tampa, FL 33612
(813)-977-6808
Mon.-Thur. 9am-9pm
Fri.-Sat. 9am-10pm
Sun. 9am-8pm
Unless your grandmother is kind enough to provide for my cannoli cravings on demand, I'll have to take what I can get. The ingredients are shipped in from the Big Apple anyways, so that has to count for something. Gino got this amazing half chocolate cake/half cheesecake dipped in more chocolate thing. The big pastries run you about $1.65, which is an ok price for bliss in my book. They also have a full supply of cookies, little pick me ups by the pound, and savory breads.
