A classic Mexican delight can be found in the shopping mall of Village Pointe, which offers a wide variety of delicacies from soups and salads to several street tacos. This location opened up on September 11th, 2023, and it took the place of Pier 1 Imports. It immediately became a hit in the shopping mall, and Ancho and Agave is still thriving today. Over the weekend, a few girls from the sophomore class took a trip to the restaurant and tasted some of their most popular dishes.
Ancho and Agave was founded in 2019 in Illinois, and started by Todd Hovenden. On September 11th, Hovenden expanded his business to Village Point Mall when a space opened up. Since its opening seven months ago, it has been very popular and packed every night.
Other classmates of ours have visited the restaurant and the reviews were spectacular, encouraging us to try it ourselves. Walking in through the big front doors, it immediately had an elegant atmosphere and the building was decorated uniquely, but it was very intriguing to the eye. The staff greeted us warmly and led us to our tall table seated by a brick wall that was near the bar in the middle of the restaurant. The big windows let in lots of natural light which made it feel very welcoming to the outside, and there was a great view of the other shops. The decorations were very bright and calming and lots of hues of blue and grays filled the room.
The highly popular restaurant has an extensive menu featuring a diverse array of dishes to cater to everyone, and had a wide selection of appetizers. When we sat, we were given a basket of fried tortilla chips with salsa, and we later asked for a side of queso. The wait wasn’t too long and the salsa had no signs of spiciness but was filled with more flavor than heat. The queso was served hot and fresh and had some carrots and other vegetables to top it off. For the first dish, we ordered a classic favorite, chicken fajitas. They were served on a steaming hot plate with colorful bell peppers and onions and the wait for the dish wasn’t very long either. It was complemented by a plate of queso, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream on a seperate tray. Used to spread on flour tortillas, they nicely complemented the taste of the dish itself. For the second dish, we ordered a chicken tortilla soup, that was served in a large bowl, topped with chicken and served warm and fresh. It contained chicken, beans, corn, rich broth, sautéed vegetables, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla strips. The dish was seasoned nicely and had a warm, home-made feeling to it.
Overall, the restaurant offered a great selection of foods for the family or anyone looking for a nice meal to enjoy with friends. Ancho and Agave offered a wide variety of drinks and had a selection of desserts as well, plenty of options anybody would enjoy. Our visit was short but enjoyed all thanks to the warm welcoming staff and the warm-served food. The visit was nothing short of delightful, leaving us with a lasting impression and a want to return.
