Dorado is exactly what you would expect from a new restaurant on Park Avenue. Cozy interior perfect for first dates? Check. Quirky decorations and colors? Check. Typical Mexican fare? Well, not so much. Dorado isn't your regular Mexican joint, and it's not meant to be. When I visited, there was some confusion among patrons. No nachos? No free tortillas and salsa? Only four entrees to choose from?

Dorado opened in mid-November, and owner Jon Swan wanted to work with influences from Central America, specifically the Vera Cruz region of Mexico. There, food features fresh flavors, lots of seafood, and is typically healthier and lighter. The menu was also inspired by Swan's mother, Robin, owner of Cibon and Roman Holiday Gelato, and incorporates some of her travel experiences. Swan already has plans to expand the menu in the summer to include a tapas tasting menu, and looks forward to when the liquor license is approved, so he can expand hours as well.

But for now, Dorado's menu is frighteningly compact, not allowing for a lot of alternate choices for groups or finicky eaters. However, since items are prepared to order, there is room for some flexibility. The spiced pumpkin seeds served at the beginning of the meal come with just enough heat to please without requiring that refill on your water. It's a nice change of pace from the chips and salsa normally found at Mexican restaurants. Perusing the menu, the torta, a Cuban sandwich, caught my eye, with visions of a meaty sandwich that could tide me over for the entire evening out. Unfortunately, while the sandwich tasted good and presented a unique interpretation of a Cuban - with lettuce, tomato, chipotle mayo, and avocado - it wasn't as filling as expected. The side salad was nice, with large leafy greens subtly tossed with a vinaigrette. My group also tried the chicken enchilada, which had a nicely molten center of cheese topped with a red chili sauce.

To spice things up, Dorado offers a variety of different sauces to use with your meal. Other menu option include the house specialty of Mexican spicy fish (mahi mahi marinated in a mix of spices with onions, peppers, and chilies), and a tenderloin of beef stuffed with cheese and chilies.

Dorado's atmosphere is fun, the ingredients offer a twist on the expected, and as mentioned earlier, it fits the Park Ave vibe. Service was noticeably slow, and it seemed to be a more laid-back type of place - no rushing in and out here. When the liquor license comes through, there will be even more of a reason to relax and take in the atmosphere, although the Santa Cruz organic sodas do the trick for now.

Dorado is located at 690 Park Avenue, and is open Monday-Wednesday 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m. For more information call 244-8560.

Closings

The restaurant landscape in any city is ever-changing, and the current economy likely isn't helping any. In addition to smaller, local restaurants feeling the pain, chains are feeling the pinch of customers watching pennies and curtailing eating out .

As an example, Lone Star Wings closed the only New York location of the small chain out of Texas late last month, with the phone number disconnected and no other way to contact owner Paul Pryor. This location was convenient for the lunch crowd in the Bay Plaza area.

Cafe Vas' doors have been closed for more than a month, and with no luck in reaching anyone for comment, we are unsure if the Merchants Road venue plans to reopen. This was a great neighborhood cafe, but it was tucked away, making it a bit harder for people to stumble upon. My visit back in September provided a solid experience, so here's hoping that the closure isn't permanent.

Cafe Amenity, another cafe I visited last fall, has changed concepts from a cafe catering to the wifi-and-coffee crowd to a pizza and pasta joint. The menu now focuses on favorite Rochester staples such as plates and wings, along with paninis and wraps.

JP's Authentic Sandwiches had a short run in Penfield, and I will seriously miss its Reuben sandwich. I loved the value, and the fact that the sandwiches were enough for two meals. Co-owner Katie Scalvo explains that the location off Penfield Road was just too hidden, and that the business is currently looking for an alternate venue. One location being discussed is the ever-popular Park Avenue neighborhood.

Casa Azteca was a solid Mexican eatery based in Perinton Square Mall, but has gone out of business after a short year and a half in operation.

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