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GA Benton
The leading contender for the Best New Mexican Restaurant of 2021 will likely defy many diners’ expectations for good local Mexican restaurants.
This business, located near the intersection of Oakland Park Avenue and Maize Road in Linden, doesn’t offer quick service, margaritas or fries and salsa when you sit down. In fact, there’s almost nowhere to sit in the humble little take-out-focused place.
And the red and yellow signage, announcing foods that are not actually available, adorned the facade of the restaurant for several months (still there during my last visit a few weeks ago). It can be confusing for customers entering the place (I have seen this happen) carrying expectations based on said signage stating that the restaurant is called “Bella Pizza”.
But those who know the truth – like you – will know how to ignore any pizza place postings instead of the up-to-date information communicated by a recently erected hanging sign at the edge of the nearby parking lot. This indicates that the business is now called Martha’s Fusion Kitchen and serves “authentic Mexican cuisineâ€.
Then look elsewhere for your stromboli, as Martha’s Fusion Kitchen does indeed prepare authentic Mexican cuisine and Mexican-influenced fusion dishes. And many of them are top notch.
In a possible attempt to capitalize on a trend, birria is so prevalent that I thought of a scene from the movie “Forrest Gump” where Bubba’s character ticks off a dizzying stream of shrimp dishes. Likewise, at Martha’s you can buy: birria fries, birria quesadillas, birria burritos, birria bowls, and birria with ramen noodles.
Yet another item featuring Martha’s birria (think a wonderful roast) will make my year-end must-try list: the Guanajuato Pizzadilla ($ 18.99; served with a top ‘consome’, aka beef soup). Words can’t really do this amazing thing justice.
As it’s never slowed me down before, here it is: Martha’s Pizzadilla, an inspired creation so massive it might require a forklift to haul, is essentially a quesadilla for the whole family presented as a heavy stuffing of meat and cheese pizza. with a crispy exterior that’s nicely decorated with some serious guacamole.
Do you feel less ambitious? Ordering Martha’s Birria in Taco Form ($ 10.99) brings three oversized, consome-dipped corn tortillas, skillfully crispy a la plancha and generously filled with juicy beef, melted cheese, and cilantro toppings and onion. Dip these beauties in the included consome and you have the Mexican answer to a French sandwich.
Good, warm, tender corn tortillas topped with onions and cilantro are the basis of other tacos with delicious, generously portioned toppings. These include the flavor bomb if the fatty carnitas ($ 6 for three); zesty and addicting pork pastor ($ 6 for three); and excellent grilled shrimp ($ 9 for three), including the added bonus of lettuce, pico de gallo, queso fresco and a mayo-based sauce combined to evoke a warm shrimp salad.
Martha’s long menu isn’t the easiest to navigate. If you’re looking for an appetizer, I highly suggest heading to Dona Martha Enchiladas ($ 13.99), a gigantic platter that comes with the best Mexican rice I’ve had in town in a long time and chopped beans on top. . The main players are three tinga-simmered chicken enchiladas rolled in savory corn tortillas topped with spicy salsa verde, queso fresco plus – get this – a steak and egg carne asada.
Tortas ($ 9.99) are offered, but so does a highly recommended and rare extravagant sandwich around these pieces called pambazo ($ 12). It’s basically a torta with a hash of potatoes and chorizo, beans, all the garnishes you’d expect and a special touch: the bun is dipped in a mild guajillo-chile sauce and toasted until that it is crispy.
Churros are probably something you would expect from a good Mexican restaurant. But you probably wouldn’t expect them to be as good or as cheap ($ 2.99) as the dishes you’ll get at Martha’s.
In one look
Or: Martha’s fusion cuisine
Location: 3331 Maize Road, North Linden
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; close on Sunday
Contact: 614-914-8833, www.marthasfusionkitchen.com
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