Mangos Mexican Cafe and Bakery By Megan Hamilton We visited Mangos Mexican Café and Bakery, located in downtown Mesa, on a beautiful spring afternoon, a perfect day to grab a table outside and munch a taco or two in the fresh air. This would have been doable, since Mangos has a good-size area in front of its restaurant designated for dining, but several other patrons had the same idea that afternoon, so we sat inside. The spring-influenced mood was not dampened, because the décor inside the restaurant is anything but drab. Its aqua green walls are decorated in a tropical theme, with airbrushed images of palm trees, iguanas hanging on the walls, paintings of birds and fruits, and a ceiling onto which puffy dream clouds have been painted. Each glass-topped table had a different brightly colored tablecloth adorning it, adding to a real party atmosphere. The restaurant was packed, with a line from the counter that almost wound out the door. That being said, it was quite easy to find seating for Frank and I and our four-month-old baby in her car seat; the seating turned over rather quickly. To start, Frank ordered a strawberry-mango fresh fruit drink and I ordered a strawberry pineapple fruit drink. Frank then tried the strawberry cantaloupe drink. The chips that arrived with our drinks were warm, thick-cut and crispy, and had a homemade texture to them; the salsa tasted fresh and had a perfect zest of spice to it – fantastic! For lunch Frank tried the Mango Salad, which was comprised of shredded chicken (you can also order beef) in a tortilla bowl with fresh salad, avocado, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream and jalapenos. The salad was filling and the chicken was grilled and tasty. The salad arrived with a good helping of jalapenos. I chose the green corn tamales, which came wrapped in corn husks. Inside was masa with green chiles and corn. The tamales looked homemade and tasted good, especially after I added the salsa that came with the chips. The menu offers items for breakfast, lunch and dinner; a good portion of the menu was dedicated to dishes with grilled shrimp. Prices range from $4 to $7+ for breakfast concoctions, and $6 to $10 for most dinner items; shrimp dishes were slightly more expensive, ranging up to $15 for more complicated dishes such as the Chile Relleno Camaron. So, here’s what to do: Go to Mangos Mexican Café and Bakery, treat yourself to a fresh, zesty meal, then walk it off strolling up and down Mesa’s downtown streets on a warm Arizona afternoon or evening. Check out the statues, pop in to several shops – stimulate the economy. Whatever you do, tell them NearbyNews sent you!