There are an increasing number of Mexican restaurants near the main Ohio State campus and Don Patron III — a restaurant that El Gringo recalls as Talita’s three decades ago and as Fiesta Time more recently, though let’s not emphasize El Gringo’s age — continues the Latino flavor streak. Don Patron III is the third installment of the restaurant, which has two other branches in New Albany and Pickerington, and is easily accessible to students living on-campus who wish to expand their culinary horizons by simply hopping on a number two COTA bus towards North High Street. The restaurant is located in between a Mediterranean café and adjacent to a car maintenance shop, and as of the time of this writing there is still a “Fiesta Time” sign along High Street.
You will not find this location on the restaurant’s website as of yet, but you will be able to find the taste of “authentic” Mexican dishes within its doors. Once in, you are welcomed by the folk decorations that adorn not only the walls with their loud colors, but also the tables and chairs, giving the diner a glimpse of the vibrant Mexican personality that is etched into the culture and is melted into the dinning experience. El Gringo was especially interested in the chairs, which were brightly painted in many designs. Don Patron III serves many of the typical dishes you would expect from a Mexican restaurant such as burritos, tacos, carne asada, and enchiladas. Though the menu is typical and there are not very many surprising dishes, the food has the right combinations and portions to satiate the appetite; most importantly, it tastes very good!
Though at the time of the review the restaurant was out of many of the classic Mexican drinks, such as the infamous Jarritos, numerous are typically offered at Don Patron III. Most notably, the restaurant offers a guava smoothie: a blend of guava and ice blended into a refreshing drink that will sweeten your meal and bring back memories of biting into fresh fruit at an open market.
When it comes to main dishes: Cielo, Mar y Tierra (Sky, Sea and Land) ($12.50) harmoniously brings together the meat from each animal the dish’s name implies. You may be familiar with an aptly named “surf & turf” dish, but the addition of “sky” intrigued El Gringo, who had to think about what cielo actually means. For the record, it is not ceiling! What type of food would come off of a ceiling? Though chickens do not fly high in the sky, the grilled chicken breast cooked to tenderness represents the feathered meat; the grilled steak accompanies the chicken smoothly transitioning from the white meat to red meat with the taste of the same grill and seasonings; and the six tiger shrimp, cooked with a sauce made of white wine, lime, a bit of garlic, and tomatoes, certainly adds some zest to the dish. Accompanying the meat is a serving of red rice and a separate small bowl with black beans with melted cheese that are truly part of the taste of Mexico. El Gringo must say that these were some of the best tasting black beans that he has ever sampled. Cielo, Mar y Tierra is a very delicious dish, reasonably priced, and a nice change from the typical taco or burrito often associated with Mexican dining.
For those who are interested in a more typical Mexican (American) dish, the enchiladas suizas ($9.50) can be the optimum choice. One of the most popular dishes on the menu, the three flour tortillas filled with chicken are covered with a green sauce, which is then topped with melted cheese and accompanied by red rice and refried beans. The flavors of these enchiladas are a delight and the portion is more than adequate.
Don Patron III is everything you’d expect from a typical Mexican restaurant in the Midwest and can provide students with the right amount of food to fill those hungry tummies. The Latino flavor is there: well-cooked, well-seasoned, well‑served.
Don Patron
Mexican Restaurant
2977 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43202
(614) 447-9820
Mon. - Sun.
11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
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