Diego's dining room reopens, featuring new menu items and weekend lunch

A “husband” restaurant to Frida’s, Diego’s offers inspired takes on Mexican classics.

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A crackly tostada arrives bearing curly shrimp, grassy-green avocado, neon cilantro, pink pickled onion, and a zigzag of beige crema. Even in the subdued lighting of Diego’s, the colors are vibrant. Again and again, the word “bright” comes to mind as dishes arrive. Even before the first bite, you think: This food looks beautiful.

Diego’s, located next door to Frida’s in University City, is run by the same owners. It’s an obvious nod to the famous romance of Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Frida’s boasts a plant-based menu; Diego’s incorporates chicken and seafood into dishes that display the best of several regional Mexican classics with an inspired twist. Much of the menu is devoted to creations meant for sharing. Prices are modest enough that a table of four can drink and dine sumptuously for less than the cost of a speeding ticket.

A warm orange scheme dominates the interior. Hanging greenery provides a patio-like feel. Tables and booths are close but not claustrophobically so. A cement floor adds to the usual loud high school gym–level acoustics expected in today’s dining. Mexican masks festoon the wall behind the Day of the Dead–themed bar, which is bonsai-sized and cozy, both hallmarks of a proper neighborhood establishment.

On the subject of neighborhoods, what contributes significantly to Diego’s charm is its location in a quiet, leafy residential corner of U. City. Never underestimate the allure of a place to which locals can walk that also offers convenient street parking.

Diego’s tacos alone are worth a visit. Lavishly decorated and generously loaded, they come two per order. Instead of a basic formula, Diego’s personalizes each version. Barramundi (the next big fin in sustainable fisheries) is sweet, buttery, and firm when grilled. It’s lovely dressed with onion, cilantro, and tomato; spritzed with lime; and folded into tortillas. Carnitas tacos have a mildly spicy seasoning, with the sprinkling of crumbly cotija cheese providing excellent flavor. Shrimp-stuffed tortillas get their own kick with a fresh, citrusy salsa verde. The balance of a good taco is subtle: Overwhelm the taco’s main tasty with too much, salsa-wise, and each bite’s a disappointment; too little, and the results are bland and one-dimensional. Study the compositions here. Diego’s has them down masterfully.

Instead of “Opa!” “Olé!” seems appropriate when the queso flameado appears. (Don’t actually say that. That’s ridiculous.) It’s a combustible pool of white and house cheeses that’s ignited tableside. Creamy and goopy, it’s delightful scooped up with chips or smeared onto tortillas served alongside.

The structural integrity of a sheet pan is tested with a weighty load of nachos that only needs some candles to look like a cake that might be served on Cinco de Mayo. Layers of chips and cheese are combined with radish slices, cilantro, and chopped tomato; either come with friends or expect to share with every table around you. It’s a massive appetizer. The best starter, however, is the chicharrones, not the expected pork skins. A sheet of fried cheese is rolled around roasted chilies into an aromatic burrito with a texture that’s delectably oily, with a crunchy crust and a smooth, elastic interior.

Don’t miss the esquites or escabeche. The first is charred corn, mixed with poblano chili, onion, cilantro sprigs, tomato, and cotija cheese, that’s served cold. There’s something mouthwatering about grilled corn; this salsa exploits that. Escabeche is the Mexican equivalent of your Aunt Maud’s piccalilli, a sweet and piquant salad of pickled vegetables that cuts the spice and heat of other dishes. You’ll find yourself nibbling even when you’ve sworn you’re done. The guacamole is soft but chunky. If you’re an aficionado of smooth versions, try this one; you’ll likely convert. The secret is avocados as perfectly ripe as they are here. It’s a nice touch.

Those with a cane sugar monkey on their backs can feed it with Mexican soft drinks; for those who get their kicks with a little more octane, Diego’s features a whole pueblo’s worth of agave spirits, the better ones housed in tile-lined cubbies. Espolòn tequila gets big billing here, and Montelobos supplies the mezcal. Overall, the drink menu offers mid- to high-end options. If you’re feeling expansive, go with the Clase Azul Blanco. The cocktails and margaritas all have south-of-the-border accents, so expect pineapple, jalapeño, a “habanero-serrano tincture,” and other such ingredients. 

Just remember: Don’t yell “Olé!” when the flaming cheese shows up. Your family and friends already think you’re weird.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Diego's

630 north and south road, St Louis, Missouri 63130

314-553-9906

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Tue - Thu: 4 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.; Fri - Sat: 12 p.m. - 9 p.m. Patio and indoor dining.

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