Diners can enjoy meals and drinks on the patio at Acapulco restaurant in downtown Santa Rosa.
The Acapulco chain of Mexican-style restaurants has scattered its 19 units from the far southern reaches of California to Santa Rosa in the north, much like the 21 Franciscan missions stretching from San Diego northward to the town of Sonoma. Our Santa Rosa unit has become such a landmark on Mendocino Avenue that I thought it would be fun to give it a whirl. Lots of fancy mixed drinks include a dozen variations on margaritas, the usual light and dark Mexican beers and a few cheap wines. If I had never traveled in Mexico and sampled the regional cuisines there, I'd say hooray for Acapulco's flavors and value. There might be a schedule of the Mexican national soccer team on the wall, but that's about it.