Maybe my taste buds took a day off, I don’t know. Somehow though, I wasn’t able to detect some of the spices used in the food I tried recently at Peppo’s Urban Cafe in McAllen.
The cuisine isn’t quite Italian, Latin, French or American, rather it’s a combination of all four.
I try not to make snap judgments based on appearance, so I ignored that the restaurant is a part of a strip mall. As soon as I passed over the door’s threshold, I felt at ease. The warm tones in the tile, art and other decor were lovely and welcoming. There’s nothing pretentious about Peppo’s.
Also, the menu is really affordable, and the lunch specials at Peppo’s are extra affordable ($6.99). In fact, my appetizer cost more than my meal.
After my roommate Adam and I sat down, a server greeted us, asked if we had been before and when we answered no, she said she’d be back with samples.
She quickly returned with small cups of cucumber mint lemonade and strawberry lemonade. Both fresh squeezed drinks were delicious. 
We placed an order for an appetizer and lunch. Here’s one of the awesome things about our server: she timed everything perfectly. From app to lunch to drink refills, everything was staggered well. Pretty sure she watched us like hawk throughout our meal, but I never felt like her eyes were on us.
So the fish tacos recipe must have changed over the year because what we were served was not at all what I expected from the menu’s description (fried fish, shredded cabbage, special sauce). The tilapia filets were marinated in something that was subtle and tasted great and it was served with a side of shredded lettuce, a tomato slice (what was I supposed to do with that anyway?) and cheese (as a garnish, perhaps?). Two sauces were served on the side. The mayo-based one tasted slightly smoky and earthy. The salsa was savory with a little tomato flavor, but mostly the peppers came through, and it was spicy.
Adam was in the mood for a classic American dish, with a twist, so he chose the Mexican burger. It came piled high with ham, bits of bacon, cheese, avocado and chipotle mayonnaise (and lettuce, tomato and onion). While the meat was full of flavor, it was also a bit dried out. Serving it with avocado and mayo seems redundant — I’d prefer one or the other. (The fries are just fries.)
I chose the Chipotle Chicken panini lunch special. It came with a side of Caesar’s salad and a cup of soup. The half of a sandwich is a messy ordeal. Slices of chicken slathered in chipotle mayo slide out of the top, bottom and sides of the toasted bread. I ended up eating most of the chicken with my fork. That said, it was tasty.
My soup was supposed to be the tomato bisque, but instead I was given the soup du jour, which was beef and cheddar. I was fine with that. Two small meatballs floated in a creamy, thick and 
cheesy soup. To me though, the soup tasted like, well, kind of like a B.L.T. in liquid form. That is to say it was awesome. A bit rich though.
Our server brought us a sample of the tomato bisque later, and I could absolutely eat a whole bowl of it, if served with a big piece of crusty bread. Imagine tomato soup elevated by fresh Parmesan, bits of pancetta (I’m guessing here, but I could swear I tasted it), fresh basil and olive oil. There’s also a touch of cream or a roux in the soup, I think, which adds even more richness.
In fact, most of what we ate had that common thread — richness. Whether it was cream in the soup or mayo on seemingly everything, the menu is rich. I’d like to swap the chipotle mayo for a chipotle sour cream or something. The mayo sort of weighed everything down.
I think I’ll try Peppo’s for dinner sometime, and I’ll be sure to save room for dessert — especially when panna cotta is on the menu!
(Peppo’s Urban Cafe, 3503 N. Ware Road, McAllen; (956) 800-1158)
