Downtown Sioux Falls is rapidly expanding and just added a new Mexican restaurant, BibiSol. They opened their doors on July 19, 2024 and their goal is to serve authentic Mexican food that blends traditional and modern techniques together. BibiSol features a small menu with fresh ingredients from local businesses in South Dakota. I had only heard excellent reviews about it from other people, so my expectations were high.
Immediately as I walked in, the atmosphere was incredible. I felt welcomed by the workers and was seated almost immediately despite the small amount of seats. The interior has a modern look to it and is decorated with paintings and plants that give it a nice aesthetic. But, what I was most excited about was, of course, the food. As I scanned the menu I noticed the small selection of dishes they offer. Almost every dish prepared at BibiSol is made with a traditional technique called nixtamalization. This process is to prepare maize by boiling and soaking it in an alkaline solution of water and salted lime. The maize is then turned into masa which is then used to make tortillas, tostadas and more.
The appetizer I ordered was a special that is only around for a limited time, loaded potato wedges. The wedges are marinated in their salsa macha, a Mexican chili oil, then topped with your choice of meat (carnitas in this case), crema, garlic aioli, cotija cheese and pickled vegetables. I have never had an appetizer blow me away like this one, the salsa macha was incredibly flavorful and provided a hint of spice. Every single topping played its role perfectly, even the pickled radishes helped add some freshness and acidity to balance out the dish. Overall, I cannot express how badly I hope they keep this on the menu, and will definitely be back to get them again. 9.5/10
For the main course, I had a Sope with barbacoa. Sopes are a lesser-known Mexican dish but are my go-to when they are on the menu. A sope consists of fried masa shaped like a flat bowl, filled with whatever ingredients you want. In this case, there was barbacoa, cotija cheese, crema, onions, cilantro and pickled radish. The nixtamal masa was fried perfectly and the barbacoa was super tender despite lacking in the flavor department. The rest of the filling was pretty good, but ultimately, left me wanting more. Honestly, everything worked well together, but I would try a new dish the next time I go. 7.5/10
Finally, I had to try one of their house-made flans. I got the tres leches flan, a delectable dessert to finish off the meal. The flan was extremely sweet and had a nice texture. The notes of caramel and the creaminess from the custard make this a perfect way to end the night. I have nothing bad to say about this dessert and would recommend everyone try it. 9/10
BibiSol is one of the most unique restaurants that I have been to, and I believe everyone should try it at least once. The prices are a bit steep, but it is worth it for the quality of food they provide. BibiSol definitely lived up to my expectations and I can not wait for it to continue to grow as the people of Sioux Falls find out about this hidden gem.
