Last week, I stepped foot into a familiar place. This week, I decided to branch out to the downtown Decatur area for a bite to eat at a restaurant called Paco’s Sol Bistro. A friend joined in my food adventure and highly suggested I try Paco’s shrimp tacos. Of course, I was apprehensive about the shrimp tacos, because the only ones that I’ve had weren’t all that great.

It was a chilly Friday night in downtown Decatur and as I walked past all of the sparkling street lights and saw how packed the restaurant was, I was a little perturbed. Beyond the marble restaurant front, the inside glowed with halogen lights and orange decor. Kids were running around with sticky hands and people were butting in front of and crowding around us. It was a 30-minute wait, which wasn’t too bad, because there was a lot to see around downtown–the stone water fountain, the sparkling storefronts, and all kinds of interesting people.

Paco’s alerted us via cell phone that a table was ready, but only an outdoor table. We agreed, and I’m glad that we did. It was such a nice evening and it was a lot calmer of a space than inside Paco’s. As we approached our table, we were greeted by the menus, and the waiter immediately after. I ordered a Shirley Temple to drink, and unfortunately, it was a bit bland. The free appetizer made up for it, though. It was a pristine plate with two jalapeño cornbread muffins and a side of sweet butter. There were actual pieces of corn inside, which added a yummy crunch. It’s $3.99 for a dozen and I just might go back for that deal. Nothing like a Mexican spin on an American dish.

Now for the main course: Paco’s shrimp tacos. They arrived in a plastic tray on metal taco holders–two soft shell tacos filled with grilled shrimp, chipotle mayo, lettuce shreds, and fresh pico de gallo. I’d never seen such a beautiful shrimp taco. Tortilla chips came on the side, with salsa and no-charge guacamole for dipping.

First, I tried the chips and dip and let me just tell you: I did not want to stop eating them. I may or may not be obsessed with guacamole. My friend had to tell me to stop and also try the shrimp tacos. I think part of me just wasn’t ready for the deliciousness; the perfectly-seared-and-seasoned shrimp, the flavorful chipotle mayo, and all of the fresh flavors from the lettuce and pico de gallo. I was taken to another place, maybe California or Arizona–definitely not Decatur. It was a little messy, but that’s what forks are for!

Other popular items on their menu are the Southwestern egg rolls, “hand rolled crispy tortillas filled with spinach, corn salsa, black beans, jack cheese & chipotle chicken. Served with ranch & chipotle-lime cream sauce” according to their menu; and their white chicken chili that’s made from scratch every day. They also serve salads, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and so much more. Without a doubt, I will be coming back to try more of their food fusions. Aside from the mediocre Shirley Temple and the wait, the service was great and the food was even better. I’ll give them a 9/10.

Paco’s is located on 237 N. Main St. and is open eleven am to eight-thirty pm from Tuesday to Thursday and eleven am to nine pm on Fridays and Saturdays. To learn more about Paco’s, you can visit their website at http://www.solbistro.com/