By Joanne Dronfield and J.L. Walsh

It was the appetizer sampler that had us rethinking our dining strategy at Amigos. OK, there we were, face to face (or mouth to chalupa, more precisely) with one of the most bountiful starter caches we'd encountered at a Mexican restaurant. Two more courses were on the way; but we were hungry and the spread before us was looking mighty good. Perhaps the food would be”just OK;" we'd nibble a bit and fend off filling our tummies before the all-important entrees arrived. No such luck. This was seriously good Mexican food. Amigos Grill and Cantina, difficult to miss in its location off the elbow of Highway 12, has been a Sonoma Valley favorite for nearly a decade, offering traditional recipes from the Sonoran region of Mexico (just below Arizona), as well as house specialties and other bean-tortilla-cheese inspired creations. And our appetizer sampler was definitely the right introduction to Amigos world of fine Mexican cuisine. It’s hard to go wrong with jalitos (cream cheese stuffed jalapenos) as long as they’re fresh peppers, and these melted perfectly in our mouths--fried just lightly enough to retain the bulk of jalapeno flavor. The plate featured four Inferno Wings, boasted tangy seasoning that, we were relieved, didn't turn our mouths into the ”infernos” promised, but gave our taste—buds a treat nonetheless. The centerpiece of the platter was a mound of Amigos’ nachos, featuring refried beans, cheese, guacamole; sour cream, salsa and jalapenos--and these could have been an entrée unto themselves. Nachos are often hit and miss depending on the restaurant, but Amigos’ fall under the "hit" crisp but light (who needs to fill up on hard shell tortilla?) and the order is served with a balanced spread of flavors (that way you're not running out of guacamole before you’ve even tasted a chip topped with cheese, for instance.) As a testament to the platter, the quesadillas and taquitos were almost an afterthought to their counterparts, but only because they’re staples of Mexican appetizer plates, not because we didn't wolf them down with any less zeal. A sampler platter came with enough food to more than satisfy two adults; we ended up packaging up more than half of ours to take home. At only $12.95, this could be one of the best foods-for-your- money deals in Sonoma. But perhaps our enthusiasm over a simple starter platter was the drinks speaking for us. Probably more than most other Sonoma Valley Mexican eateries, Amigos is known for its margaritas from both a taste and a bang for-your-buck standpoint. Aside from its long as your-arm set menu of margaritas, Amigos often offers seasonal drink specials. From the summer selections, we sampled Veronica’s Acapulco Blue margarita ($8.50), which features Herradura tequila with blue Curacao and proved a refreshing (and quite pleasing to the eye we might add) cocktail on a warm evening. Of course we also had to take a stab at Amigos signature drink, the Cadillac margarita, an amazing mix of Cuervo 1800, Cointreau, Grand Marnier and sweet and sour. And |let's just say it was a good thing one of us had volunteered to be the designated driver for the evening. Fortunately for our taste—buds, neither of us lacked the sobriety to appreciate our impressive entrees. Based on the recommendation of our server; our first order was beef fajitas ($15), which featured tri-tip steak, with a blend of onions, bell peppers sizzling in Amigos' "world famous” marinade. While we question whether the reputation of Amigos' marinade has yet reached the Asian subcontinent, we can attest to the tangy benefit it lent to our meal. For good or bad (depending on how close you got to either of us the following day), we went for the garlic version of the fajitas, which offers a generous supply of fresh garlic in each fajita mix a move that we recommend to all but Dracula. The beef meanwhile, was tender and in generous supply, and the order is accompanied by no small amounts of sour cream, cheddar and jack cheese, Iettuce, jalapenos, brown and black beans and choice of tortillas (we went with flour). For our second entrée, we wanted to test the selection of House Specialties, from which we sampled Camarones Ajillo, a succulent plate of prawns served in a white-wine butter sauce. The prawns were sautéed in garlic butter, giving them a subtle richness that was only magnified by the delicious white-wine sauce. This was perhaps the standout dish from what was already a memorable meal. As satisfied as our appetites were at this point, we managed

To make room for Amigos' signature flan, light custard rendered delectable through its mix of Grand Marnier and brandy. At this point, neither of us could eat another and we still had a doggy bag big enough to make for a nice-sized lunch for two the following .day. Thus we said adios to Amigos for the night. It won't be long before we're making our next hello, we promise you that.