Why: Los Dos Compadres in Washougal is among a number of related family-owned-and-operated Mexican restaurants in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Diners may recognize other associated restaurants such as El Tapatio, Casa Tapatia and El Rancho Viejo.
Los Dos Compadres is a family-friendly restaurant offering a wide selection of specialty dishes, combinations and a few American standards.
What I tried: I had a combination that included a chicken taco and a pork tamale with rice and beans. My dining companion had the lamb marinated in a special sauce with cilantro on top. It was served with rice, whole beans and tortillas.
I enjoyed the taco and tamale equally and found the rice and beans comparable with most other Mexican restaurants of the same caliber. A generous amount of tender, shredded chicken filled the taco, and fresh lettuce, cheese, and tomato topped it. The tamale had a homemade quality with a delicious masa de maiz flavor and light texture. The pork filling was tasty, though a bit scant.
My dining companion enjoyed the marinated lamb, which was expertly cooked, and commented that the marinade, which reminded him of chile Colorado sauce, complimented the meat well.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Appetizers include a sampler platter with a selection of quesadillas, chicken taquitos, flautas, chili poppers, chicken wings and cheese nachos. The fajita taco salad sounded delicious, as did the chili relleno burrito. The chimichanga de mariscos, a seafood-filled, deep-fried flour tortilla topped with a special sauce, cheese, guacamole and sour cream, sounded intriguing.
The menu allows numerous combinations of basic favorites. Among the American dishes are burgers, chicken tenders and a grilled cheese sandwich.
Desserts include flan, deep fried ice cream, sopapillas and xangos, which are creamy cheesecake wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried to a flaky, golden brown.
Atmosphere: Dining is sectioned into two main areas, allowing both booth and table seating for small and large parties. The restaurant has an attractive and colorful décor with Aztec influences. The restaurant has a courtyard feel with ceramic tiles, wall murals and stucco features. It is spacious without appearing bare.
Other observations: I was impressed by the cleanliness of the environment: dust was not clinging to fixtures, sills were free of debris, surfaces weren’t cluttered with crumbs, and tabletops were not sticky.
Our selections were served on piping hot plates. Service was friendly and attentive. Prices were comparable to similar establishments and portions were reasonably sized.
Cost: Appetizers are $5.50 to $23.50. Salads cost $6.45 to $10.95. Tostadas, enchiladas and burritos range from $5.95 to $11.50. Quesadillas and fajitas range from $5.50 to $19.95. Daily lunch specials (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday) are $6.45 and $7.25. Other lunch menu items are $6.45 to $7.95. À la carte items are 95 cents to $4.95. Combinations, dinner plates, seafood dishes and chicken dishes range from $10.25 to $17.95. Egg dishes are $8.95. American dishes are $3.95 to $5.95. Desserts are $3.29 and $3.95. Kids menu items are $4.93.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.
Where: 701 E St., Washougal. Los Dos Compadres also has a cantina at 1713 E St., Washougal.
Telephone: 360-335-1706.
Health score: Los Dos Compadres received a score of 10 on Aug. 26. This health score is only for the 701 E. St. location. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
