Stacy Hutto
Managing editor
Anyone who has traveled up and down Main Street in Durant is familiar with Salita’s Mexican Restaurant. In the halls of Southeastern, there is a high probability of hearing students making plans for lunch or dinner at Salita’s.
During the spring semester, a large group of friends had a standing lunch date for Tuesday and Thursday. We would pile in my Suburban and pick a place to eat. One of our favorite places was Salita’s.
A reason Salita’s is a favorite is as soon as you are seated, chips and salsa are brought to your table. For a group of college kids fresh out of class, it’s perfect for taking the edge off. Add queso to that and it is close to perfection.
Salita’s queso is cheesy deliciousness. It has a hint of heat, but not enough to burn your taste buds.
Salita’s has a large selection of entrees. They truly have something for everyone. For those not wanting Mexican food, Salita’s offers a variety of American favorites including sandwiches, burgers, steaks and salads.
While there are a few Mexican restaurants in Durant, they all offer something different. Ceviche has dishes from different regions, and Villegas has home-style dishes.
What sets Salita’s apart is their Tex-Mex offerings. I think they have the best Tex-Mex dishes in the area. Salita’s has original dishes I haven’t seen anywhere else.
A local favorite is the fireman’s special. According to Salita’s menu, the fireman’s special consists of “sliced chicken or beef fajita meat served over a bed of rice and covered with queso.” At $8.99, the fireman’s special is budget-friendly for a college student and very filling.
My favorite thing at Salita’s is the Mexico City nachos with chicken and no jalapenos.
They are different from any nachos I’ve ever had. Instead of the nacho toppings being piled on top of chips, individual tortilla chips have beans and chicken on top with cheese melted over them. The nachos are placed in a circle around the plate surrounding lettuce, tomatoes and olives that are topped with scoops of sour cream and guacamole.
It is upscale finger food that is absolutely delicious. I can pile on the perfect amount of sour cream and guacamole. The first one is as good as the last.
With regular nachos, the chips on top are usually the best because that is where the good stuff is. By the time you get to the bottom, there is hardly any cheese, and any extra toppings are long gone.
At Salita’s this is not the case. For people who don’t want the yummy stuff served in the middle on their nachos, it can be mixed together for an instant salad.
Diners can get either a small or large order of Mexico City nachos. A small order is $9.49 and a large order is $11.49. The small order is very filling for one person. If I am splitting it with a friend or want some to snack on later, I’ll get the large order.
Salita’s is located at 1202 W. Main St. in Durant. They are open Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.