What do an Irish-English pub and a Mexican grill restaurant have in common? Stumped? Why, nachos, of course! Say that again? N-A-C-H-O-S. These wouldn’t be uncommon with a Mexican grill restaurant since nachos have always been associated with Mexican cuisine. But an Irish-English pub that serves nachos as one of their bestselling specialties?

Not only are Tilted Kilt’s founders far from being Mexican, they aren’t Irish or English. Restaurator Mark DiMartino is Italian-American and conceived the concept of a sports pub with a Celtic theme in Las Vegas. Like Hooters, Tilted Kilt’s “X” factor was its beautiful young women serves in plaid, albeit sexy, kilts with matching brassieres. Like a Scottish bikini without the beach or the sand.

Tilted Kilt’s Las Vegas location made it easier for the pub to be noticed by the public. Now based in Tempe, Arizona, Tilted Kilt continues to gain popularity with its new “Hoppy” Hour from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM and again from 9:00 PM until closing time that offers appetizers between $2.00 and $5.00. Here’s a rundown of what you can expect from Tilted Kilt’s Hoppy Hour appetizers:

• Chips and Salsa: house-made tortilla chips served with freshly-made salsa (an addition of guacamole goes for a dollar).
• Classic Nachos: house-made tortilla chips topped with a melted cheese sauce-refried beans-tomatoes-black olives-salsa-jalapeños blend.
• Calamari: tender calamari fried to a crisp with Tilted Kilt’s signature Sweet Burner Sauce.
• Grilled Chicken Quesadilla: salsa, sour cream, and guacamole are served with this cheese-jalapeño tortilla with onions, cheddar cheese, grilled chicken, and jack cheese.
• Mozzarella Sticks: deep-fried mozzarella sticks covered in beer batter and served with marinara sauce.
• Fully Loaded Nachos: house-made tortilla chips smothered in either chicken or ground beef and topped with melted cheeses, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, refried beans, jalapeños, and black olives.
• Tilted Kilt Pretzels: soft-baked Bavarian pretzels served with Tilted Kilt’s signature Cheese Sauce made with Guinness beer.
• Tilted Kilt Onion Stack: a special blend of Tilted Kilt’s seasonings coat onions that have thinly sliced and deep-fried and served with Tilted Kilt Sweet Burner Sauce.
• Roasted Garlic Fries: the ubiquitous French fries tossed in garlic butter and Parmesan cheese.
• Tilted Kilt Irish Nachos: potato chips topped with ground beef, tomatoes, and Tilted Kilt’s signature Guinness Beer Cheese Sauce.

Flatbreads: Tilted Kilt’s Other Signature Specialty

Flatbreads may not technically be Mexican but Tilted Kilt does theirs superbly not only in various flavors but as pizzas to boot:

• Butcher’s Block: a favorite of Tilted Kilt’s patrons, this one has pepperoni, applewood-smoked bacon, sausage, mozzarella cheese, and pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes.
• Garden Isle: sun-dried tomatoes with pesto sauce top garlic, sautéed spinach, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, roasted peppers, and tomatoes.
• BBQ Chicken: mozzarella cheese, diced grilled chicken, cilantro, shaved red onions, and Tilted Kilt’s Guinness BBQ Sauce make this flatbread.
• Five Kinds of cheese: Parmesan, Cheddar, Jack, Mozzarella, and Romano top basil in pesto sauce on this flatbread.
• Roasted Garlic Chicken: artichokes, garlic roasted chicken, and basil in pesto sauce go into this one.
• Margherita: this flavor has fresh basil, sliced fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and mozzarella cheese.

If what you crave for is genuine pub fare, Tilted Kilt is the place to go to for Fish and Chips (hand-dipped cod fillets in batter with Samuel Adams Boston Lager) that go so well with house-made coleslaw, tartar sauce, and French fries. Of course, there’s Shepherd Pie made of ground beef, seasoned and cooked with peas, mushroom gravy, and carrots topped red skin mashed potatoes.

Have a go at Tilted Kilt’s Olde Dublin Irish Stew the way they still make it in the old country: pot roast of beef tenderized to succulent proportions, onions, carrots, red potatoes, celery, and peas in Guinness-spiked beef stock served with garlic bread.

This Mexican Grill Restaurant IS Mexican

Of course, nothing could be more Mexican than a Mexican grill restaurant and Frontera is one of the best there is. The founder, Norberto Sanchez, is Mexican, and he put up Frontera to share his native Mexico’s cuisine with the world. A recipient of numerous “best Mexican food” awards many times over, Frontera has meal combos and specials as well as a gluten-free menu.

And speaking of the menu, Frontera has everything authentically Mexican on its menu except for the token fast-food standbys such as burgers (Mexi-Burger and Frontera Burger) and desserts (gelatin and rice pudding). The rest of the menu’s selection, however, is all-Mexican and is very evident in Frontera’s selection of lunch items:

• Luncheon Fajitas.
• Reynosa.
• Matamoros.
• Huevos con Chorizo.
• Burrito Supreme.
• Crazy Taco.
• Tacos Al Pastor.
• Nachos Supremos.
• Huevos Ranchero.
• Pollo Ranchero.
• My Quesadilla.
• Calexico.
• Huevos a la Mexicana.
• Laredo.

Frontera’s Traditional Mexican Fare

The traditional Mexican fare has always been bestsellers at Frontera:

• Chimichanga.
• Poblano Peppers.
• Flautas.
• Chicken Enchiladas.
• Tamales Norteños.

Get value for your money and take advantage of Frontera’s meal combos and the daily specials: Chicken Chimichanga on Mondays, Chicken Fajitas on Tuesdays, All Combo Meals on Wednesdays, and Chicken Burrito al Carbon on Thursdays are all only $6.99. There are also lunch specials at $4.99 each exclusive of drinks. Take a look at what you get for a meal that’s under five dollars.

• Numero Tres: cheese enchilada, rice, and a bean burrito.
• Nogales: rice or refried beans go with two beef tacos.
• Tijuana: rice or refried beans with two beef enchiladas.
• Tostada Special: refried beans and ground beef are folded into a corn tortilla and topped with sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce.
• Cheese Nachos: fresh nachos topped with jalapeño slices and cheese sauce.
• Bean Nachos: instead of jalapeño slices, refried beans top these nachos but with the same good cheese sauce.
• Super Speedy: refried beans, enchilada, rice, and a taco.
• Rio Grande: refried beans or rice and a choice of either a pork or chicken tamal.
• Order of Tacos: three beef tacos with hard shells.
• Order of Enchiladas: three chicken or beef enchiladas.

If you thought Mexican cuisine was just nachos, view Frontera’s official website and find out what a Tampiqueña Steak is, why Alambre, the Spanish word for “wire,” means grilled beef with chopped bacon, onions, cheese, salsa, bell peppers, and avocado, and how Frontera can help you raise funds for your organization.