GARFIA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT (225 Cherokee Rd., in Winterville, 706-899-0250): With the closing of Wok Star, a longtime hidden gem that was far better than its unassuming looks promised, Winterville could have been left with only a single restaurant serving dinner (the Peach Pit). Thankfully, Garfia’s, a pleasant, family-owned Mexican place, moved into the space speedily and is busy serving Wintervillians and others seven days a week. The building remains a carceral chunk of mostly windowless brick, but the interior has been jazzed up a bit, with a cheerful bar, a fresh coat of paint and better lighting.
The staff is friendly and helpful. The menu packs in a lot: tortas, salads, various “pick two” combos (lunch, dinner, vegetarian), eight (!) different choices on the kids menu, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, an array of appetizers, fajitas, tacos, dinner plates and desserts, plus a bunch of policies, most of which don’t really need to be stated (e.g., no pets). It fits with a restaurant that deeply wants to please, and it succeeds in a number of ways. The chile relleno is as disappointing as it is at most places, but there are things that are tasty at Garfia’s, and it’s not as vanilla as it seems. There’s some heat and some complexity to the habanero-based salsa that comes with a lot of items. The corn tortillas aren’t particularly good, but the fillings are. Al pastor, chorizo and suadero steak are all solid choices, boding well for their inclusion in other dishes, and you can mix and match fillings in your order of three, all showered with chopped onion and cilantro. Flour tortillas are available in some situations (a legitimate choice and one frequently used in northern Mexico) and work better. Slightly hefty tamales are nestled among the a la carta choices and are perhaps worth your time, available in both veggie and pork varieties. Best of all was the plate of carnitas Michoacanas, billed as “our families traditional recipe,” well cooked, well seasoned and generally delightful. There’s plenty more of the menu to explore, and if you live nearby, you should be happy to have another option in your area.
Garfia’s is open 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.–4 p.m. on Sundays. It even serves margaritas, as well as horchata and aguas frescas.
KIQUE’S KITCHEN (18 S. Barnett Shoals Rd., in Watkinsville, 706-705-6066): When Kique’s Kitchen was forced to find a new location due to landlord issues, the change may have been a blessing in disguise. For one thing, it no longer has to share space with a convenience store. It now has significantly more tables, a patio and a parking lot that doesn’t smell like gas. It also took advantage of the opportunity to change the spelling of its name, clarifying the pronunciation (KEE-kay’s) and removing what could have been perceived as an antisemitic slur. The old space was pretty charming considering the circumstances, but the new one is undeniably nicer, with cute little battery-operated fans on each table, brightly colored lamps, an expanded self-serve condiment bar (including ketchup for your children), a lovely covered patio and a neon sign that says “all you need is love and tacos.” TVs screen sports, and you can now get a beer, a glass of wine, a margarita or a zippy michelada with your food. It now feels like a place you want to linger rather than a place more suited to cramming your meal in your face and skedaddling.
The menu has expanded a bit, too, but birria remains the specialty of the house, whether in tacos, served with ramen, made into a pizza with flour tortillas, topping a chimichanga, filling a torta, made into a mulita (a fatter, crispier quesadilla) or strewn across nachos or fries. It can occasionally be a bit richly monotonous, but stock up on pickled jalapenos and they’ll provide the acidic bite necessary to push on through and finish your plate. Watkinsville isn’t as glutted with Mexican restaurants as Athens, either, and Kique’s helps expand the offerings there. Sopes, tacos, burgers, ceviche, kids meals and wings provide more choices for the other members of your party (although not much for vegetarians) who may not do beef.
Kique’s is open 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, closed Sunday.
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