El Mundo Brings Mexican Flavors to Provincetown

Ben offers us a taste of the deep-fried calamari and the pulled pork enchilada.

El Mundo, starting their 3rd season here, brings their take on Mexican cuisine to PTown, and I am personally grateful. I stopped in the other night for their opening party where well-wishers were treated to tastes from all corners of El Mundo's menu, like tortilla chips with a spicy black bean & chipotle dip, pulled pork enchiladas (the mole gives it just a little sweetness) and their very tasty barbecued shrimp on a skewer. There was a cheviche made with squid and octopus. Their wonderful green chili enchilada (vegetarian, stuffed with jack cheese, spinach, corn-off-the-cob and poblano chilies) is one of my favorite dishes here, and I was happy to find it at the party as well. The crispy, lightly battered calamari was especially good. I hope it turns up as a special periodically because it isn't on the regular menu.
I'll be here often this summer for favorite seafood dishes like the fish tacos and the shrimp and goat cheese burrito. as well as more traditional choices like Carnitas (slow roasted pork,) soft or crispy tacos, black beans, rice and a variety of homemade salsas and hot sauces. Their Smokey Chipotle and their Red Hot Mama (habañero) sauces are now available to take home, too, to help us get through the long winters when El Mundo closes up for the season.
My favorite dish from their 1st season wasn't on the menu last year, and I lobbied hard to get it back. Bea tells me the fabulous pan-fried oysters will indeed be back on the menu this year. With a unique flavor, a little spice and a bit of a crunch, there's nothing like them anywhere else in Provincetown.
El Mundo has a full bar serving several Mexican beers, craft beers and specialty cocktails, including a dozen different margaritas. They stock 22 different tequilas, including four aged varieties, so they take their margaritas pretty seriously. And even dessert is done with a Mexican twist. The Pot du Creme is a dense, smooth sort of dark chocolate mousse with a bit of chili to give it a little kick. Delish!
El Mundo has two dining rooms, one with a water view and one with a view of bustling Commercial Street. Outdoor seating looks out over the beach and the harbor. Service is good, the staff is friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed. Prices are reasonable, too. Last August I wrote about the lunch special in a blog post about inexpensive, great food in Provincetown. Click on this link to read that post and to find three great meals for under $35 for the day. I hope they bring their lunch special back this summer. Last year it won TheYearRounder's Best Bite award for outstanding value for a great meal.
You'll find El Mundo at 269 Commercial Street, right across from Town Hall. We miss them over the winter, and we're happy to welcome back Bea and Shelby and the gang for their 3rd season.