Return To A Native Happy Hour

Last Friday, I headed back to Native Foods to check out the new items on their happy hour menu. This time, I dined at the Westwood location, since I was already in the area. The restaurant was fairly crowded shortly before 6 pm as the happy hour specials were coming to a close. I placed my order just in time and felt relieved I was able to take advantage of the great deal.  I opted for the two appetizers I had yet to try, the sweet potato taquitos and the spicy buffalo wings. These were recently added to the menu just a few weeks ago. With the happy hour discount, each dish only cost $3.50, which is quite a steal!

My food came out pretty fast and I couldn't wait to dig in. First, I tried the sweet potato taquitos, which looked delicious.

They were perfectly deep-fried and crispy and the filling was even more scrumptious with a creamy sweet potato filling. It was so luscious and decadent! The sauce covering the taquitos was a little off putting and tasted too bitter and sour. It did not go at all with the dish. I would have preferred a sweeter topping and it would have complemented the taquitos way better. Nevertheless, the dish was really good and I loved the side of smooth guacamole.

Next, I tried the spicy buffalo wings. These were quite a disappointment.

As a kid, I used to love buffalo wings and pretty much ordered them at every restaurant that had them. I was excited to see Native Food's take on this and felt let down these did not come close to the real deal. The sauce was way too spicy and this is saying a lot considering how well I handle spicy food. My mouth was left burning for hours from this sauce and I felt my body dehydrated rather quickly. The inside was also dry and not very crispy and had an odd soapy taste. I had to force myself to finish these as they were so difficult to eat.  I do not recommend this dish and hope they either find a way to improve it dramatically or permanently remove it from their menu.

Overall, I did not have the greatest experience, but I think these dishes, along with many of the dishes at Native Foods have great potential to become amazing. Nevertheless, it cost me less than $8 and I left feeling satisfied. Native Foods is great with offering discounts and really seem to care about their customers. I will be back to their happy hour soon, but will probably stick with my old favorites.