The interior of the restaurant is extremely bright and colorful but what really gets your attention when your enter Garibaldi’s is the extensive variety of baked goods and desserts all made in house.
I do not have much of a sweet tooth but their techniques for making baked goods and desserts was very impressive to say the least.
I usually have a dining companion or two in tow but this time I was by myself. Before my order, really good tortilla chips and Salva Verde (Green sauce) was brought to the table.
For reasons alluded to below, I mainly used the chips as a spoon to eat this delicious salsa, but the few that I ate were really good.
The first time I was there I tried a couple of things.
The first was a Chicharron taco, followed by a Barbacoa Torta, or slow cooked beef in a soft bun served with fries.
The torta (sandwich) was topped with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocado and jalapenos. Neither dish did not really do it for me. As such, I came back the next day to try a few other things. I ordered, as a starter, was the Carnitas tacos and the beef tostadas.
Having finally surrendered somewhat to carbohydrates, both of these dishes were excellent. The beef tostada was exceptional, and was topped with lettuce, avocado, Queso Fresco, sour cream, salsa and jalapenos. I cannot say enough great things about these two menu items.
It got even better.
I ordered the pork and cactus Gordita. This was fantastic, and the pork and cactus was complemented by copious amounts of cilantro, onions, queso fresco and a chipotle sauce. Absolutely delicious.
The owner, Maria, wanted me at this point to embark on a tasting odyssey of her establishment’s food once she realized what I was doing. I could only embrace her generosity to a limited degree at this point, as I was getting very overloaded with the amazing food Garibaldi’s can offer.
I was treated to tasting portions of their guacamole and their Mole Poblano, which came with rice, beans and in house made tortillas. The guacamole was excellent, but I have always been a fool for mole. What was served here was exceptional and highly recommended. I was suddenly happy I came back for a second visit. Please keep in mind this mole dish was for personal tasting. My server told me a standard portion was 2 or 3 times this.
For the most part, the food at Garibaldi’s is very good to exceptional. I did not try any of the dessert items, but from the look of them, it seemed hard to go wrong. With the variety available here, there is something for everyone. The owner, Maria, invited me back for more sampling and I may take her up on that. If so, look for a dinner at Garibaldi’s II installment.
I have not been to every Mexican restaurant in the area but of those that I have, this is the best one as of this writing. Their Dolce selection is extensive and the food can be exceptional. I hope readers will check Garibaldi’s out.
It’s a wrap for another post on Forks.
Garibaldi’s Restaurant and Bakery
11150 Tamiami Tr. E.
Naples, FL 34113
(239)775-1511
Open:
Sat – Thurs
6am – 10pm
Fri
6am – 11pm
Ample parking; Kids Menu; All Credit Cards accepted
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