Channahon Mexican Restaurant Turns on the Heat

Before I tell you what I  think about the food at , I have to tell you how I feel about spicy food. I am a wimp.

If I get those tingles on my tongue when I bite into salsa at a restaurant, I am likely to give up on the salsa and just eat the chips. At Hacienda Don Villo, I get the spicy tingles on my tongue with the salsa, but the flavor is so good, I keep eating.

What makes the salsa so good is the combination of ingredients and the inclusion of copiuous amounts of cilantro.

I landed at Hacienda Don Villo when they first opened, but had not made my way back until last week when the group organizing the St. Baldrick's event in Channahon gathered to talk about the event.

Channahon-Minooka Patch will be on hand Saturday to paint faces and help raise money for the event. So, there were about 10 people on hand and a variety of foods were ordered. Everyone was so hungry, though, that they all dived into their dishes before I could take pictures.

From sight alone, though, I will tell you I wish I had ordered the ceviche. It looked fantastic. And, it came with these little mini tortillas. What I did order was the Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo. Don't get me wrong, it was very good. It had a great amount of garlic and a good flavor. But, again, my wimpy taste buds thought it was too spicy.

My kids were on hand for dining out this time and one ordered a very American grilled cheese sandwich. Like many of the other diners, he dived into it so quickly that the photo, as you may have noticed, has only half a sandwich.

The other ordered nachos, but he wanted just chips with cheese. When they arrived with beef and cheese, my youngest wanted nothing to do with it. I tried them, however, and I found them very good. These were not spicy, but the beef had a really good flavor.

The menu had the standard desert options including flan.

Overall, I think a trip to Hacienda Don Villa is worthwhile. This is especially true if you enjoy spicy foods. I recommend the Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo as well as the nachos, with the knowledge that most people would have all the fixings.

I cannot recommend the ceviche since I did not eat it, but I can tell you I will go back another day to try it.