When considering where to have dinner on a recent Saturday evening, we saw Casa MX listed as "new" on Open Table, and we decided to try it. We often visit Talavera, Koko, Mi Rinconcito Mexicano and even the former Tacos el Carnal in this general area at least monthly, and often search out proper Mexican food when in other cities, so we were excited to find Casa MX.
When we arrived several tables were occupied, but it wasn't full. We asked to sit at the bar and were accommodated right away. I requested a classic margarita, but I was served, and upcharged, for a Casa MX Margarita with salt foam instead. My husband ordered the MX-Calita which was good. We were also given waters and a complimentary order of chips and salsa. We ordered the queso fundido as an appetizer. The menu said "Add green chorizo $3" but the staff explained they were sold out of that, so we just stuck with the standard cheese. We asked for a bit more salsa and the bartender attempted to upsell us to an order of chips with salsa for $5. We declined as we didn't need more chips and just wanted a bit more salsa to go with the queso. Without the green chorizo, the queso on its own was a bit flavorless, and the tortillas it was served with seemed to have a coating of oil on them.
My husband ordered a classic margarita and I the chipotle watermelon without spice from Hansel, the other bartender for our second round. Hansel made him the true classic margarita and it was quite good, as was my watermelon drink. We then ordered our main courses; I requested the whole fish (whole pescado a la talla) and my husband the carne asada, prime 12 Oz NY Strip. The main bartender returned and told me they were out of the whole fish (that likely meant they were out of fish for at least most of Saturday's dinner service and also Sunday - and until they'd get a delivery the following week) so I switched to the pollo arabe kebab which seemed a bit out of place for a Mexican restaurant, as the kebab and the tzatziki were decidedly Greek. We also ordered a bottle of Prado Rey Spanish wine to share. The wine was good, but while most all restaurants have a markup on their wines vs standard retail pricing, the one here at Casa MX was a bit high.
Our meals took some time to arrive to us after ordering, and the steak my husband ordered for his entree arrived undercooked. He requested medium, but it arrived nearly raw (see photo) and had to be sent back for more cooking time. The steak came with a few strips of grilled cactus, and a dish of mole negro that was quite thick, but flavorful. The entree I ordered - the chicken kebab with hummus, cabbage and tzatziki, while more Greek than Mexican, was nicely grilled and served on long wooden-handled skewers and I enjoyed that dish.
It's always great to see new restaurants, especially ethnic ones, open in the Coral Gables area - but based on our experience here they do have some growing pains to work through. They were out of a few things we tried to order, and the kitchen had some definite kinks. Beyond that, the upcharge to the better margarita vs. the one I'd actually ordered and attempted upsell when we simply asked for a bit of additional salsa didn't earn that particular bartender much favor. We'll definitely stop back and visit Casa MX again once this place has been in operation for a few months and I hope they do well here! read more