Summary: Different (worth going), and a mix of quality taste (some good, some average).
Like a magnet, this colorful Mexican Taco restaurant with a green duck logo drew me in. I think it was the blue-painted wrought-iron fence around it. I figured that if they needed that kind of security, the food and décor must be good.
OK, it's a chain (5 other). And some of that shows, in the marketing material, wall ads for plates, table ad for specials, and, I think, in some of the food. For example, the guacamole on my flautas seemed mass-made, too smooth and an unnaturally bright green color.
The facility is in a good clean looks-new condition. As with many of these places in this category, there are plastic numbers in a chrome holder on tables. The sound of the TV with the soap opera is just too loud, so I sit far away (lots of tables here) by the Pancho Villa era photos on the wall. I wish there were more of those.
The Menu has nice pictures of the plates ('Cu dos' to them... that means 'Kudeauxs' for you Cajuns). Yes, there is an English menu. Note that there are specials of the day, and several out-of-the-ordinary interesting menu items (i.e. tailored more for the Hispanic customer base).
Before ordering, the waitress brings a bowl of baracho bean soup (muy delicioso, grade A), and three bowls of accompaniments: lime slices, chopped cilantro, and chopped onions. But there were no serving spoons. Hmmm. I wonder if people use their eating utensils(?).
Also on the table are two squeeze bottles, one with green and the other with red hot sauces.
The bad news: No chips y salsa
Argggghh! So, I squeeze some hot sauce from each bottle on my knife (what else?) to taste. Yummm! Very hot and flavorful. In some countries, this good of a hot sauce with no chips is considered torture.
I order the Tuesday $7.50 special, since it has three items.
It arrives with a very hot plate, but just barely warm chicken enchiladas, hot flautas, and warm soft tacos (only with marinated meat inside... you fill with the accompaniments).
Enchiladas with crumbled white cheese on top were tasty, but a bit dry. Enough chicken was inside for your protein allotment. I give these a B+ grade.
Flautas were on the greasy side, and topped with the green splot of guacamole (barely a taste) and sour cream. The flautas, too, were tasty. I give these a B+.
The soft tacos were way too greasy. I decided to scrape the meat off of the folded round grease pad. The marinated chicken inside (not very much) was OK, but not great, until you add a bunch of lettuce, hot sauce, onions and cilantro). Judging from the pictures on the menu, all tacos are served with that kind of tortilla, though. I grade it D.
Service was good, up to the point of getting the check. There were only a few other customers at this lunch hour.
OK, green duckie, there were enough positives that I will be back to try another dish to break my routine of typical Tex-Mex. read more