Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Nuevo Acapulco in Fairview Park, finalist in Best Mexican Restaurant contest

FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- Being absent from the Northeast Ohio food scene nine months for a relocation did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of Nuevo Acapulco loyalists.

As soon as the call went out for nominations for

, our inbox was flooded with dozens of emails extolling the virtues of this cantina that had closed while its owners sought and renovated a new space, moving from North Olmsted to Fairview Park.

Still on Lorain Road, they opened in mid-April. Regulars will be happy to learn they have about four times more space at its new digs.

Nuevo Acapulco is among the 20 finalists in Northeast Ohio's Best Mexican Restaurant contest. Check out the results of our taste test by Cleveland's Best reporters Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez below.

Cain and Rodriguez will name the ultimate winner and Top 20 rankings based on these taste tests. The results will be unveiled Tuesday, May 21 during a surprise visit to the winning establishment. It will be broadcast live on cleveland.com's Facebook page.

And look for lots of superlative winners later in May, including Best Guacamoles, Best Enchiladas, Best Margaritas, and more.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Chips and Salsa

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

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These thin and light chips have tiny air bubbles that make them extra crispy.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

House Salsa

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This salsa tasted a bit more like a mild marinara sauce. It was not one of our favorites.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Mild Salsa

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Fresh tomatoes with large chunks of crisp vegetables and fresh cilantro, which adds a slight kick.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Salsa Verde

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Bright flavor, this salsa is great on lots of dishes. It is the hottest of the three traditional salsas, though not overpowering.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Guacamole

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If you love fresh guacamole, it doesn't get fresher than this. Order up this smooth and creamy condiment and a server will make it table-side for you.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Pico de Gallo

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"Fresh, fresh, fresh," was Cleveland's Best manager Kristen Davis' reaction to the pico. Juicy pieces of tomatoes and firm onions with just the right amount of cilantro and lime juice will make this dance on your tongue.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Queso

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Rodriguez is our queso aficionado, with high standards for one of her favorite starters. Sadly, she was disappointed in the consistency of this cheese dip. She likes it to stick to the chip. She was pleased with the creaminess and the richness of the flavor, though.

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Brenda Cain, ckeveland.com

Queso Fundito

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There is no skimping on the cheese or the chorizo in this dish. There's plenty of meat under a thick layer of cheese and jalapeno slices.

"The cheese is so thick, it stretches out like the cheese on a pizza when you spoon it out," said Rodriguez.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Look at all that chorizo inside the dish.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Nachos Acapulco

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These house nachos come with refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, jalapenos and tomatoes. You can jazz them up with your choice of protein.

Our nachos were a cheese and chicken overload!

The chicken was seared and spiced nicely and tender.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

From the bar...

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Traditional Margarita

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The team was split on this one. Davis thought it was just right and went down smoothly, while the rest of our party felt it was heavy on the sour mix.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Cadillac Margarita

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This is Nuevo Acapulco's top shelf version of the margarita. If you like tequila, this is the drink for you. It is strong, not too sweet, with just the right amount of sour.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Sangria

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A great summer drink...sweet and refreshing. The only thing missing was the chunks of fruit we're accustomed to having in this drink.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

The entrees

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Carne Asada

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A favorite of the team's, with a wonderful presentation. The carne asada was so tender -- with a perfect crispy char on the edges of the meat -- it was simply delicious.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

One Chicken, One Beef...

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Hope you are hungry if you order the chimichangas. These oversized chimis are packed with plenty of tender and moist meats (your choice) and drenched in a creamy queso sauce.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Chori Pollo

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Carnivores unite! This huge dish of grilled chicken with chorizo is covered in queso sauce, and served with rice, beans and tortillas.

You get a huge portion of meat with this one -- spiced and grilled well. It is very cheesy.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Fajitas

We sampled a trio of meats, all grilled with a great char around the edges. Sadly, the veggies were overcooked and a bit soggy.

This is a huge dish, so come hungry, bring a friend, or plan to take home a portion for lunch the next day.

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Enchiladas

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Again, we sampled a trio of different fillings and sauces. All three of the enchiladas offered plenty of meat.

The picadillo (ground beef with chorizo, sauteed in onions, garlic and tomatoes) in verde sauce offered lots of meats in a bright sauce that ramped up the flavor.

The chicken was enhanced by one of the better móle sauces we have had on this journey. It was rich without overpowering the dish.

The ground beef was well seasoned and the salsa ranchera sauce paired well with the meat.

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Tacos you need a fork to eat!

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Tacos at Nuevo Acapulco are so large and overstuffed, they cover your entire plate. The fillings are well spiced and tender. You'll need a fork to eat these.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Sides

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Refried Beans

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The beans are smooth and creamy with plenty of cheese.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Rice

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The rice was well cooked -- light and fluffy -- with a good amount of seasoning. No added veggies.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Sweet endings

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Churros

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Thick and chocolatey, the surprise was the raspberry filling in the center. In spite of it all, they were still a light dessert that is big enough to share.

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Brenda Cain, cleveland.com

Fried Ice Cream

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This is one of two "fried" ice creams we came across that was not fried. Instead, the rich vanilla ice cream is coated in a heavy layer of cinnamon and sugar and then glazed with honey.

It's served with crispy sopapillas.

All in all, a great dessert.

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Follow the journey to find Northeast Ohio's Best Mexican Restaurant

Here are links to all 20 taste test reviews with lots of photos and video:

Casa Del Rio in Wadsworth

Uncle Tito's in Akron

Momocho in Cleveland

Lopez in Cleveland Heights

Tacos Mexicanos in Macedonia

La Mesa in Mentor

Cozumel in Independence

Si Senor in Seven Hills

Fiesta Jalapeños in North Ridgeville

Mucho Buenos in Brunswick

Don Ramon in Lyndhurst

Plaza Nueva in Brooklyn

Zocalo in Cleveland

La Fiesta in Richmond Heights

La Plaza in Cleveland

Luchita's in Cleveland

Villa y Zapata in Cleveland

Blue Habanero in Cleveland

El Rodeo in North Olmsted

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What should you try when you get there?

Our favorite dishes and drinks so far are...

Check out our 17 must-try items from Week 1 after taste tests at Momocho in Cleveland, Lopez in Cleveland Heights, Uncle Tito's in Akron and Casa Del Rio in Wadsworth.

In Week 2, 19 foods and drinks made out must-try list after taste tests at Cozumel in Independence, Tacos Mexicanos in Macedonia, La Mesa in Mentor and Si Senor in Seven Hills.

We visited six of the 20 finalists in Week 3 alone and after comparing notes we compiled a list of 32 dishes and margaritas we highly suggest people taste for themselves. The foods and drinks come from Fiesta Jalapenos in North Ridgeville, Mucho Buenos in Brunswick, Zocalo in Cleveland, Don Ramon in Lyndhurst, Plaza Nueva in Brooklyn and La Fiesta in Richmond Heights.

Coming Monday: The Top 35 dishes and alcoholic beverages we consumed in Weeks 4 and 5 when we visited Cleveland's La Plaza, Luchita's, Villa y Zapata, Blue Habanero, North Olmsted's El Rodeo and Nuevo Acapulco of Fairview Park.

Also: Top moments and observations from our surprise visits to the 20 finalists

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Kristen Davis, cleveland.com

We are now deliberating who will win

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Nuevo Acapulco was the last visit on our 20-stop tour of amazing Mexican restaurants and we have felt welcomed (and a little spoiled) at each spot.

We've met some great people, made new friends, eaten amazing food and shared many, many laughs along the way.

For that, we thank you.

We are now locked in a conference room deliberating which of our 20 finalists will claim the ultimate title -- and who will be named to the Top 10.

Join us on Tuesday, May 21 on cleveland.com's Facebook page for the live announcement at TBD time. It also will be posted at cleveland.com/best the moment we begin the broadcast.