I was surprised by Casa Vallarta, positively. Our party of six was visiting Falmouth. I am not sure about the others, but I had never been to the town, and, for that matter, I had been on Cape Cod maybe twice in my life previously, with a woman I dated circa 1992-1995, on again, off again. I eat Mexican food a fair amount, having live in San Francisco, and my wife (not the aforementioned woman I dated) likes it and wishes we would eat more. So this place was new to us, and I'd say it is unlikely we will patronize it again, because we won't be in the vicinity. If we were, however, I would go there. I write to offer a positive recommendation.
We also were hungry. That renders any meal more utilitarian. Three of us had run a half marathon that morning. But we had a hearty lunch, and we had been snacking, so while we had appetites we were not so ravenous as to accept any sustenance set before us. The comment is more about the portion size, about which in a moment.
When we entered the restaurant, I noticed immediately how full it was. This was early in the evening on a Saturday. It was crowded. It might have been every table was full; if not, just about. It is impossible to discern, with accuracy, who is a local and who is from out of town. I won't attempt to do so. Our group had selected the venue, because we were renting an AirBnB an easy walk away. When I use this platform, I am reminded how important proximity is to everything. I am persuaded by the argument for the fifteen minute city. I am baffled at the suggestion it is totalitarian; it is merely the case for mutual agreement to build our environment in a more sensible manner for the benefit of everyone, and it does not impose any limits on individual autonomy. For the two of us who walked, along a busy road, this was well under fifteen minutes. That also helped us prepare for the amount of food to be presented.
That is what I wish to comment on. I am interested in how merit is judged. I am loathe to call anything "the best." The reason is I also am convinced, based on the research and my own experience, that there are many factors that need to be assessed, together, for any type of measurement of worth, whether it has to do with human beings as prospective employees or the experience dining out. You can have great recall but poor spatial reasoning or vice versa, as you can have terrific food and lousy service. So I favor balance. I am impressed by businesses that deliver a combination, such that while they might not be the best at this or the best at that, if you devised a formula with the weighting that a priori was determined (that is, not to produce a specific outcome), they would show superiority because of a cumulative total.
That is what Casa Vallarta achieved. The quality of the ingredients and the preparation was better than adequate. The margarita pitcher(s) were tasty, with enough alcohol but not too much. The quantities of food were sufficient that two couples each split two dishes, i.e., four people and two plates. The burrito, for example, was the largest my wife had ever seen, and she declared as much. The table split the calamari and the guacamole. The salsa was appropriately spicy. The complimentary refried bean dip was creamy, sprinkled with cojita cheese, and addictive. The husband of the other couple ate that burrito, his half, so fast I was astonished. My wife is always berating me for eating too quickly, which I see as signaling pleasure. I looked over, and the other fellow consumed his whole meal before I had even had two bites. He explained he grew up in a family of six, and he said the mole sauce was rich and savory. My wife often invokes the theme of, were you raised by wolves, which I understand is a website where you can assess that. My wife and I split the vegetarian enchiladas. Spinach was the primary plant. I'd praise the rice. It was especially fluffy. The service was superlative.
Everyone enjoyed themselves at Casa Vallarta. It was an excellent finish to a relaxing day. read more