Short Story: another great meal and wonderful dining experience…read more
Long winded version.
We arrived around 4:30 or 5:00 on a Thursday in October. A few tables were occupied (including my favorite seat by the street). We were seated swiftly and warmly welcomed by both Cesar and Jose Manuel. Water was served almost instantly and we were attended to with conversation, grace and warm smiles throughout the evening.
We loved charcuterie boards in the US and had found a great place near our home in Temecula, CA. When the house was up for sale, we'd often go there to pass the hours during open houses and showings and found that we could linger over a nice charcuterie board for an hour. We ordered the charcuterie board at Alex's and did linger over it for close to an hour, chatting and sipping wine (well, Gary had a martini). The meats and cheeses on the board were tasty and of good quality, but overall, I think this dish could use a little revamping. Maybe a nice bit of spicy fig jam, a few nuts, a stinky cheese, maybe a few quarters of fresh fig with some drizzle of sauce...I know TIM (this is Mexico) and I'm applying my tastes from NOB (North of Border) here, but it is my palette after all.
They brought the standard bread basket (half toasted, half fresh...all fresh baked bread) with a small tomato/onion/herb salsa to create your own bruschetta knock-off. We used that bread to accompany the charcuterie selections.
We shared a Caesar salad; Alex's always delivers this dish well. The portion size may have gone down a little, and I'm not saying that's a bad thing, just an observation. Their Caesar dressing is excellent!
I ordered the octopus as my entrée. It was served with a pesto sauce and also with some heavenly guacamole. The octopus was perfectly prepared! I couldn't pick out the marinade or rub by taste, but the octopus had a mild flavor and just a tiny bit of char from those few moments on the grill. I had enough leftover for a light lunch the next day (it heated up nicely in the oven and remained the perfect texture). Texture is really important with octopus; this was tender (not the least bit chewy or mushy), so I know it was treated well prior to and during the cooking process. YUM! Since octopus has a mild flavor, the accompanying sauces and garnish are especially important. I really liked the mixture with the pesto and guacamole and would never have even thought to pair guacamole with octopus served this way. Brilliant menu item.
Gary ordered the pasta with meatballs. He was not the least bit disappointed. The meatballs were good, and the pasta was perfectly prepared. The sauce with this dish is a concentrated tomato sauce. I LOVE tomatoes, so when I tasted this, it really appealed to me. Seasonings were spot on.
We skipped dessert this time, but the Gorgonzola ice cream is a must try! We had it once before and it was fantastic.
They have some new menu items (pictured in the photos). These include several additional tortellinis. They were completely out of the duck confit because it has been such a hit. Also a new ribeye steak on the menu.
If you get a chance to enjoy a meal at Alex's, I'm pretty sure you are going to love it. It may be a little pricier than some other places, but we love the experience so much and the quality of the food is so good, that we feel the price is a great value.
Great job, Cesar, Jose Manuel and LuLu. Please pass along our appreciation to your great chefs in the kitchen!
