First of all, I want to temper my review with the information that I am not writing it for people who want to eat at La Cocina, but rather with the audience of it's manager in mind. That aside, I hope you understand that I've been a customer and fan of La Cocina for as long as I've been going to restaurants in Casper. La Cocina is, and has always been my favorite mexican-style restaurant. Among my favorites, the fajitas, rellenos and sopapilas are a staple of my visits. You've got a great restaurant, and I feel like you genuinely care about your customers, and perhaps more importantly, your restaurant and your grand vision.
I should add that I have been unable to visit since November because of a work injury, and it was shocking to me when I walked in today and saw the renovations. It looks "classier," I suppose, but at the sacrifice of the more comfortable warmth it seemed to have before. Whoever told you to get rid of your original design? I think you should have defended your "hang loose" chili, the sun design feels based mexican restaurant, sacrificing a bit of your personality to avoid feeling "immature."
Aside from my new first impressions today, I should mention that I did see you, and was happy that you spent a minute to explain your decision- that you are no longer a young man and that other decisions factor into your design changes. I don't agree.
My wife ordered a cheese quesadilia, which was, in her opinion, "Excellent, but $11 for a quesadilla with no meat in it." I ordered a steak fajita, and was disappointed to see that since we had last come in, the 1/2 appetite fajitas were now gone, and in their stead was a fajita that cost roughly $19. I didn't mind that, good steak costs money. I just wish that I had gotten a better one.
Staff attention at 3 o' clock on a weekday was great. You showed up personally with chips when you noticed that your waiter was taking a little time. I'm sure that your time as a manager is constantly stretched thin, but you still make time to assure that your customers are watched. It's one of the reasons I respect you, and also why I bothered to leave a review in the first place; I am interested in the success of La Cocina.
My fajita steak arrived before the rest of my fajita, sizzling on a cast iron skillet plate, already slightly overcooked and underseasoned, but still cooking while I waited for the rest of my fajita to arrive. I miss the days when peopled didn't have to get full on presentation. My fajita arrived on a crammed plate, shortly afterward and the waiter did not bring an empty plate on which to prepare my food. This is a small inconvenience, but heaped on the others, only served to degrade the overall experience.
The beef, either through overcooking (or a change that I can't be sure happened, a possible change in meat that went to a cheaper, less lean beef) was chewy. I cooked for 10 years, and maybe that makes me more critical of how my meat is cooked, but I should also add that I paid nearly 20$ for what is basically a glorified beef burrito: If it's chewy or overcooked, I'm disappointed. Which brings me to the bottom line here: I was disappointed. I'll still eat at La Cocina again, because it's still a favorite, but after visiting today, I can only look at the changes over the last several months and lament.
It seems like a couple of things have probably been changed because the market is volatile. It's hard to make money. People aren't eating out as often. Moreover, people want to experience something fun when they eat out. I hope that you can read this and take a few things away from my review, and not see it as a scathing attempt at burning a restaurant, but rather an attempt to provide useful criticism to a restaurant that I am interested in- You guys should succeed. It also seems like, at face value, La Cocina is trying to rebrand as a more expensive restaurant, which might just alienate your customers and may not bring in the extra revenue, but this entire review is simply an editorial.
If things are more expensive because they need to be, then simply don't make me feel like quality is lacking. The beef I ate in november wasn't dry, overcooked, or underseasoned. It was delicious and cooked just right. I don't care about the presentation of meat if it's cooked well. Cast iron plates? Not neccesary, just give me room to pile ingredients on a tortilla. A small point? I missed the mints at the register when paying for my ticket. It's a small thing, but I noticed it.
Things you guys did right? Attention to customers, your server was great, I gave him a decent tip. Our drink glasses were full, he checked back often and did everything right. Overall, I gave you 4/5 stars. I can't be sure that the meat was really anyone's fault or if anything really even has changed. Maybe I'm just turning into an old man and I hate seeing something familiar change into something that feels cookie-cutter.
Hang loose, man. Don't let people change you. read more
