My cousin Kevin and I ate here 10 days ago. Both of us enjoy Mexican food immensely and we've had a tradition of getting together regularly and trying new Mexican restaurants when we hear about them.
Kevin is also a Margarita aficionado and this adds an extra dimension to dining with Kevin because we can also comment on the "alcohol" factor at some of these places.
We tried Mission Taco Joint on the recommendation of another cousin who had never been there but had heard great things about it.
The restaurant is long and narrow, house in what appears to be a former garage or perhaps a machine shop.
The garage door appears that it could still be opened in good weather. I don't know if they do that.
The decor is brick. There's no attempt to make this restaurant appear to be citchey Mexican nor to reflect any Mexican architectural influence.
The margaritas are homemade from house made fruit juices. They are not served by the pitcher the way my cousin likes them and apparently quite expensive based on our lunch bill for two.
The food is excellent, but definitely overpriced. Everything is sold ala carte. The chips and salsa were extra unlike most Mexican restaurants. Although the sauces look the same, there are two choices served with the chips. One is a rather mild traditional salsa and the other is a delicious smoked salsa. Considering that the chips and salsa cost extra, I was pleased with the smoked salsa and the warm chips, but it wasn't worth the extra price ($3.00).
There are no side dishes with entrees unless one wants to pay extra for them.
I had the The Brah'rito ($12), which is a burrito containing Carne asada, chipotle bacon, black beans, crema, chile-crusted potato fries, Chihuahua cheese, ancho sauce, topped with guacamol and pico do gillo. No sides.
It was very good, but overpriced, and I think I would get something just as good and more reasonable at Tower Tacos, inauthentic, locally owned Mexican restaurant on Cherokee.
I also couldn't resist trying a Roasted Duck Taco ($3.50): Chile roasted duck, crisp pork belly carnitas, avocado serrano sauce.
It was excellent although mostly pork belly. The menu says these are served family style on homemade tortillas, but since the taco is only enough for one, I'm not sure where family style comes in unless a group ordered a bunch of them which could get very pricey very quickly.
My cousin ordered the South Beach Burrito ($9.00), Grilled chicken, Chihuahua cheese, cilantro rice, smashed black beans, chipotle aioli, topped with guacamole.
He said it was excellent, but without sides was overpriced.
Our total lunch bill was $85, which included 4 margaritas, served individually. Most of that bill went to the margaritas, which, as my cousin says, " were good, not great and not worth that kind of money."
This was not fine dining like Cafe Provence or the old Chez Leon in the Central West End before it moved to Clayton and closed.
This is one of those trendy places that will have its time, but I don't expect thay Kevin or I will go back. read more