Bloomfield Hills, MI — When it comes to food recommendations, I’ll never say no to checking out new tacos! So when my buddy Jim recommended checking out the tacos and new menu items at MEX in Bloomfield Hills, I was down like a clown Charlie Brown.

After mentioning/inquiring about the place to a few coworkers and friends, I learned that MEX is actually a reasonably well-known establishment in the Bloomfield Township area. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s located right off Telegraph Road and Maple Road, two bustling roadways. While the restaurant has been in business for the last eight years, returning patrons will undoubtedly take notice of the entire remodel. In the Fall of ’22, the restaurant temporarily closed its doors for exterior and interior renovations. Months later, it reopened its doors on June 5th, giving customers new and old a real WOW factor to behold upon arriving and walking in.

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When I parked outside on September 13th, I was initially surprised at how massive the restaurant was. I identified several sections: a chic middle-section dining area with greenhouse-style windows, an even larger dining area beyond that, and an enclosed and intimate patio area on the opposite end of the entrance. Not to mention, there was a second-level dining area as well that overlooked the wider dining area below.

After taking several photos and exterior b-roll, I walked in and continued to be pleasantly surprised at the stylish and warm vibes I was reading from the interior. The new floors and designs were really cool; the remodel was definitely a success because the restaurant has the look and feel of an entirely new establishment. Compared to older photos of the interior I viewed on Google Images, I’d say the new look gives a far more enhanced modern vibe and upscale dining experience.

The addition of the plants was also a great decision and something I’ve seen quite more of (especially the hanging variety) in many fine-dining establishments due to their calming presence and lively, bright colors. The colors and tones of the aesthetics gave the dining areas a positive, warm, and upbeat energy from the lighter colors and themes used. The large and numerous windows also provide a brighter dining area, which, in my opinion at least, results in a more enjoyable experience when you let that sun in!

I met up with Aaron Lowen, Managing Partner for Peas and Carrots Hospitality, and we discussed the fresh looks of MEX and its new menu items. Lowen explained that every piece of the restaurant was modified and upgraded, from the bar’s expansion and overall restaurant layout to the patio, chairs, tables, booths, and walls.

Lowen said when it came to revamping the menu, they decided to take a more contemporary approach and added a few upscale items, like the whole branzino and coconut corn tamale, to elevate the dining experience. It’s all about keeping things current with restaurant trends while providing their guests with a familiar yet refined experience.

Lowen said some of the changes and influences were designed to be forward-thinking and nuanced, like the de-boned half-chicken Al pastor. Al pastor is traditionally a pork dish, but the chefs at MEX are serving up a boneless half chicken Al pastor-style with charred pineapple, scallions, and an avocado chimichurri sauce. And while MEX still has your taco and burrito classics, folks will have a few new options, like the duck carnitas or Mahi Mahi.

Lowen and I wrapped up our conversation (see highlights in the video feature above at the top of the story), and I was guided to my table, where my foodie endeavor was about to begin!

The Food

I kicked things off with the staples of any Mexican restaurant: chips and salsa, guac, beans, and rice. The chips and salsas arrived first, along with the classic guacamole.

The first wave really impressed me. Holy guacamole (literally)! The chips with the guac order were massive! And honestly, the chips were very tasty. As Lowen had mentioned, all the chips are made fresh daily in-house, and it shows. These chips had a suitable thickness and could hold hefty amounts of guac, and the light, flaky salt rounded out your taste profile for classic tortilla chips. Or, in this case, amplified tortilla chips!

The guac itself was the real winner. I’m not the craziest about guacamole and usually prefer the salsa route, but this guac was next level. It was freshly made, the secret to any great guacamole, and had a copious amount of lime squeezed in. That bite of lime eased the avocado base flavor and allowed me to enjoy this refreshing side, including the freshly chopped tomatoes and onions.

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The tortilla chips for the salsas were a bit smaller but just as good in their own right and for all the same reasons. I noticed several other tables around me also had chips and salsa orders, all of which were being quickly devoured until nothing remained but empty baskets. If I hadn’t eaten a small breakfast three hours prior, my basket would have also likely been emptied. The delicious chips were divided between three salsa selections: the house salsa, salsa verde (green), and salsa Chile De Arbol (orange). I loved all three of these salsas, especially the Verde and Chile De Arbol. I was worried at first the Chile De Arbol would be really spicy, but both that and the Verde had surprisingly tamed heat levels. Both still brought some spice, but it was all well-regulated. The Chile De Arbol had a great smokiness and back-end heat, while the Verde had refreshing hints of lime that shined through. These heat-conscious salsas are really good and palatable for all audiences as a result.

Next up, the beans and rice arrived. Unfortunately, and it pains me to admit, these three sides were rather underwhelming and really the only part of the meal I wasn’t crazy about. The refried beans (seen in the above photo on the far left) were okay and decent enough in terms of flavor. The menu states there’s bacon mixed within it, but I didn’t really spot that much, if any. The cilantro lime rice (center photo above) was bland in taste, save for the lime. But that’s really the only thing you could taste amid the heaping of dry cilantro. The rice itself seemed a bit overcooked as well. The ‘skinny’ beans (far right photo) brought the most flavor thanks to stewed vegetables being mixed in. But still, the beans themselves were a bit dull and could have been softer. It would have helped the dish flow better and synchronized the textures of the beans and far softer vegetables. Perhaps it was an off day for the rice and beans during this particular serving period. I always offer the benefit of the doubt the first time around!

But have no fear because now, the tacos are here!

Grilled Chicken:

This taco was loaded with more flavor than I anticipated. The chicken was very tender, had a light sear, and was very juicy. The fresh theme persisted for the guac and Pico de Gallo, aiding the flavor journey. I squeezed some lime over this taco, giving that extra tart and acidic bite as it was absorbed into the chicken. This was also quite the hefty taco to boot! The amount of chicken, Pico, and guac make this a worthy adversary. I would definitely order this taco again.

Crispy Shrimp:

When it comes to tacos, I typically order seafood the least, but I’ll still push the envelope from time to time to enjoy new tastes or try something entirely new. This Crispy Shrimp taco also caught me off guard because the shrimp was very delicious. The shrimp pieces were lightly breaded and fried to almost the decimal point of just reaching “crispy.” Which, in my opinion, is great for this because you don’t want over-fried seafood in a taco (or anywhere)! The soft, crispy variety fits this taco far better and went nice with the chipotle aioli, served on a flour tortilla with light lettuce and Pico de Gallo. The only thing I would have loved to add is one more piece of shrimp; for the size of the tortilla, I think we can fit three shrimp pieces in there.

Duck Carnitas:

This duck was downright delectable! Everything was on point, from the presentation, portions, and the flavors. The duck was very moist and prepared confit, similar to the carnitas method of being slow-cooked. Confit is slow-cooking duck meat in its fat to yield exceptionally tender meat. The diced onions and lentils gave it your classic street taco vibe, with the onion enhancing the meat profile even more. What I loved were the orange slices and how they were utilized. Duck is often served or incorporated with oranges in many international dishes, most notably Duck à l’orange, a cuisine of France. Why, you ask? History aside, both flavor contributions are entwined in a marriage that just works. These orange slices gave a nice, sweet and juicy initial explosion across the tastebuds, followed by the savory slow-roasted duck. This menu newcomer is going to be quite the favorite among patrons!

Mahi Mahi:

Another seafood dish that I quite honestly didn’t mind! The fish was noticeably fresh, albeit a bit buried under all of the greens in the photo above. This taco came with a sweet chili sauce that was a solid choice for this tropical fish, known for its mild and natural sweetness. While fish and seafood aren’t my first choices when ordering, I wouldn’t mind rotating something like this taco in on occasion for that different vibe since I know I would enjoy it — after all, got to keep the tastebuds guessing!

I rounded out the meal with a few bites of the Cinco Leches Cake, which caught my eye since usually it’s Tres Leches. Come to find out, the chefs at MEX kick it up a couple of notches and actually use five milks instead of three. The silky and cream-drenched bites of cake essentially melted in my mouth. It wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet and was rather light in its impact. The fresh plethora of berries also added their contributions to the mix. A great dessert to split if you’re on a date night!

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While I can’t say I experienced MEX before the remodeling, the MEX I met on Wednesday was an ambiance and experience I would return for. The food quality met or was well above expectations in most cases. I want to circle back at some point to check out the whole Branzino and Coconut Corn Tamale, so if you beat me to it, let me know what you think! With a fresh look and some marvelous new menu items, I’d say the folks at MEX are off to a great start post-renovations.

For more information about MEX or to check out some of the newer menu additions, click here.