Situated in the heart of Peterborough's Cafe District on Hunter Street, La Hacienda is the real deal. It features authentic Mexican food and drink and advertises to "take you on a culinary trip through Mexico". When you first walk into the restaurant, it is clear that La Hacienda has rich ties to Mexican heritage. The walls are painted Calypso Orange and the floor tiled with Terracotta. The lighting creates a warm and welcoming feeling, like you've just walked into Abuela's (grandma) house.
It was a beautiful summer day, so we chose to sit out on the patio, which features around 12 tables, (some covered and shaded). Our waitress was lovely. She greeted us with a smile and allowed us to choose our spot on the patio. She gave us a quick minute to look over the drink menus, before coming back to take our orders. My husband ordered a Dos Equis, because, he was "thirsty, my friends"! To our surprise, they have it ON TAP! So awesome! I ordered a mojito. Seriously, I need to tell you about this mojito! My goodness was it delicious. Served with ice and a hint of sugar at the bottom, it featured fresh, vibrant mint leaves and 1 1/2 ounces of rum. In the hot, summer heat, this drink was a perfect choice.
The menu is filled with lots of authentic sopas, appetizers, and entrees, ranging from $8 to $21. Each dish is described in detail and to our surprise, almost everything on the menu is Gluten free. Of course, I love gluten, so that doesn't really win me over, but for some of you, I know it might. Jason ordered the Pescado Jalisience. I was having a difficult time deciding between the Enchiladas or the Pollo con Mole. I asked our waitress if she was able to recommend one over the other. Her response, "oh, I love the pollo con mole, but you could just Enchiladas con Mole with chicken". BRILLIANT!
After we ordered, the waitress brought us back some freshly made, complimentary tortilla chips and salsa. She offered us the mild rojo salsa. My guess is she didn't think we could handle the spicy option. The salsa tasted homemade and had lots of bright tomato flavours. Jason and I both agreed that we probably could've gone for the spice, as the salsa was very, very mild. Gringo mild, in fact!
It wasn't long before our mains were delivered. I don't love fish, but even I could have eaten Jason's dish. The perfectly two pieces of grilled fish was swimming in a sea of rice and salsa verde and topped with mango salsa. It looked like a piece of culinary art. My plate also looked like a work of art. The enchiladas were smothered in mole sauce and showcased a drizzled design of sour cream. On top, was a fresh garden salad and refried beans and rice on either side. The mole sauce at La Hacienda is a taste to desire. The smokiness of the chilis really shines through, and there is just a faint undertone of chocolate. The enchiladas were packed full of seasoned chicken and cheesy goodness. Eating bites of the salad with the enchilada really helped lighten the richness of the mole sauce. I am still not sure what the flavour in the refried beans was, but it was also delicious.
So here we go...let's rate La Hacienda
Food - 4 Stars - The menu features a variety of authentic food and has gluten free choices. The flavours are amazing and the food is presented like a work of art.
Drink - 4 Stars - Not a ton of variety, but based on the fact that they have Dos Equis on tap and that mojito...definitely a solid 4.
Service - 4 Stars - The waitress was super friendly. She was very knowledgable and was very attentive to our needs.
Atmosphere - 5 Stars - Clean. Super cool vibe.
Entertainment - 3 Stars
There was music playing inside, but we sat out on the patio. The patio is good for people watching!!! No TV.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 4 STARS
We will definitely be going back to La Hacienda. It was a great experience that left us wanting to try more on the menu.
Will this be our home away from home? Probably not. But I can see us going back and eating at La Hacienda at least once a month.
Hasta Luego!
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