Wide array of Mexican dishes at Los Dos Hermanos

By Jim Harrington

The area near the intersection of Rengstorff Avenue and Old Middlefield Way in Mountain View is rich with worthwhile burrito joints. But if you are looking for a Mexican restaurant with a more complete menu, you could certainly do worse than Los Dos Hermanos.

I was very impressed with the colorful menu that displays a wide range of dishes. The restaurant offers a goodly amount of breakfast, lunch and dinner items. As at most Mexican restaurants, breakfast means eggs, eggs and more eggs at Los Dos Hermanos. There are eight different breakfast burrito choices as well as such classics as huevos rancheros ($5.80) and huevos con chorizo ($5.80).

Lunch means the wide assortment of standard Mexican dishes such as burritos, tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, nachos and enchiladas, as well as a few less typical meals. Of particular note is the selection of soups like caldo de res (beef shank), albondigas (meat ball) and menudo (tripe).

In a land of big wraps, the burritos here are truly enormous and quite a deal at just $3.50 for a regular offering or $4.99 for a super. The burrito mojado ($5.25) is a "wet" burrito filled with simmered pork, steak or chicken and topped with green or red sauce.

The carne asada tacos ($1 regular; $2 super) are particularly nice and feature loads of chopped, well-done steak on top of two warm, soft corn tortillas. The tostada ($2.25) was high on goo as well as finely shredded cheese and chicken, cilantro and onion, lettuce and pico de gallo. The tamale showed promise, and the sweet corn masa was delicious, but the pork tasted like it might have spent a bit too much time in the freezer.

Shrimp lovers will find plenty to choose from. There's the camaron aguachile ($9.95), jumbo prawns cooked in lemon juice, onions, cucumbers and hot chile; camarones al mojo de ajo ($9.95), jumbo prawns sauteed in garlic and butter; fajitas de camarones ($9.95); and the house specialty, Camarones Los Dos Hermanos ($9.95), jumbo prawns wrapped in bacon with Jack cheese. The restaurant also offers a few fish dishes like the tostada de ceviche ($4), sliced fish with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon and cilantro.

From the dinner menu, I tried one of my favorite Mexican dishes and was disappointed. The Milanesa Mexicana ($8.45) can be a wonderful creation when done correctly: juicy steak lightly breaded and then fried to golden perfection. But this one tasted more of the sea than of the pasture. If I had to wager a guess, I'd bet that the oil--or at least the pan--had been recently used to fry fish. In addition, the accompanying french fries were way undercooked. I had to send the dish back.

Although Los Dos Hermanos's menu is more extensive than that of other nearby restaurants, the owners and staff still need to put more effort and care into the restaurant. The interior design needs an overhaul. A few colorful Mexican blankets hung on the walls does little to hide the fake wood paneling or distract from the distasteful orange booths.

Also, something should be done to spruce up the kitchen and hide the cooking from the eating. Many of the tables were empty on my visit, and the restaurant, which is fairly large, could definitely try harder to attract a loyal following.

Los Dos Hermanos, 2483 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View; (650) 968-3003. Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Credit cards are accepted.