Los Compadres Delivers: A Standout Mexican Dining Experience in Valdese

Editor's Note: Reviews are based on a single, unannounced, and anonymous visit. Your experience may differ from what is presented here.

Burke County residents who have a craving for Hispanic food have no shortage of restaurant options from which to choose. In fact, participants on social media boards often joke about the sheer number of Hispanic restaurants in Burke County.

So, when I announced to my newsroom co-workers that I wanted to visit a Burke County Mexican restaurant for my August Taste Test review, several staff members recommended Los Compadres, a popular eatery located on Main Street in Valdese.

My fellow Paper reporter (who also happens to be my husband) Marty Queen and I headed east out of Morganton for lunch last week and found the restaurant with no trouble.

The Atmosphere

We arrived at Los Compadres at 11:55 a.m. and were pleasantly surprised to see we had beat the lunch rush. We were immediately greeted by a smiling hostess, who would also be our server. She led us to a booth beside a window with a beautiful view of the town’s Village Park mural, which depicts images of the Italian village where the Waldensians lived until they moved to Valdese.

The restaurant was bright and attractively decorated and our table and the surrounding area were spotless. The establishment offers patrons a choice of tables or booths and a full bar dominates the center of the room. As we ate, a lunch crowd filed in, but when we left at 12:50, there were still available tables. Los Compadres also has a covered patio for diners who choose to eat outdoors.

The Service

Our hostess/waitress delivered menus and took our drink order immediately, and upon her return with our sodas, asked if we were ready to order. When I told her this was our first visit to the restaurant, she volunteered to give a few extra minutes to make our choices. That was a good thing, because the Los Compadres menu is extensive, with several pages listing tempting appetizers, entrees and desserts.

During our 55-minute visit, our waitress visited our table several times to ask if we needed anything. Our glasses were never more than half empty, and my request for an additional bowl of the complimentary salsa was honored immediately.

Our Order

When we were ready to order, I chose a selection from the vegetarian section of the menu, a convenient feature for those of us who prefer meatless meals. I had the bean burrito, cheese enchilada and cheese quesadilla combo plate, which was covered with red sauce, with a side serving of rice. ($9.50)

Marty chose the Burrito Fajita Tejano, a burrito filled with chicken, shrimp and grilled steak, bell peppers, onions, rice and beans. It was topped with pico de gallo, sour cream and cheese dip. ($14.50) His meal was delivered to our table on a sizzling skillet. Marty ordered from the entree menu, which meant his meal was a little more expensive than the lunch menu options, but considering he had enough food for two full meals, the price was very reasonable.

I ordered Diet Coke and Marty opted for Coke Zero. ($2.95 each, with free refills).

The Food

Both of our entrees arrived within about 5-7 minutes after we ordered. Both plates of food were piping hot. Marty’s sizzling Burrito Fajita Tejano continued to sizzle and steam for almost four minutes, so he had to wait for the dish to cool a bit before he could dig in.

My meat-free dish was delicious, with the cheese melted just perfectly in each component. I love a good cheese quesadilla, and the one on my plate was delightful, with a nicely-browned flour tortilla and a generous helping of cheese inside.

The bean burrito and cheese enchilada were also very good. I almost asked our waitress to hold the red sauce on my meal, because I typically don’t care for spicy sauces. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t ask, because the sauce added just enough flavor to make the dish zesty and flavorful, without adding too much heat.

Marty loves Mexican food and is often stingy with compliments when it comes to restaurant dishes. He was not stingy at Los Compadres.

After he had eaten about a third of the burrito, Marty said, “I believe this may be the best burrito I’ve ever had.”

He mentioned how fresh the entire dish tasted, and he pointed out the chopped vegetables, some of which were not quite completely separated, a sign, he said, that they were likely chopped in-house and not pre-packaged.

Our lunch portions were so large we asked for to-go boxes and each took home enough food for dinner.

Our waitress asked if we wanted dessert, but both Marty and I were full, so we declined the offer. The menu does have a nice selection of options, including sopapillas, churros, fried ice cream and flan.

The Verdict

As a restaurant reviewer, I look for good and bad elements in the establishments I visit. To be honest, I can whole-heartedly recommend Los Compadres as one of the best Mexican restaurants I’ve patronized.

The setting, courtesy and efficiency of our waitress, the environment and the food were excellent. While a trip to Valdese is a bit out of the way for us, we will most definitely take the time for a return visit to Los Compadres soon.