I had lunch at this Mexican restaurant in College Park on Wednesday. I had the Chicken Soup and the Enchiladas Lunch. The soup was a tomato based broth with vegetables and shredded chicken. It came in a tiny cup (the same one they use for salsa) but was mostly chicken. It was only $3. The enchiladas (2) were full of chicken and covered in melted cheese. It came with beans (black or refried) and rice. It was $7. They seem to be trying for a nuevo-Mexican feel. The place is hipsterish and the prices reflect that sensibility. I ordered off the lunch menu. Most of their entrees are in the mid-teens. Appetizers can reach near double digits. I wouldn't flinch at those prices if the experience was vastly superior. However, the place looks hastily constructed (bad caulking and paint). It's not terribly clean for a new place (the ceiling already looks worn and the floors were dirty). There is a bar and a lounge on the right. The place is done in burnt oranges and muted reds. The floor is black. There are walls that break up the dining area into two sections. The service (2) was good. The chips were not greasy and plentiful. They were served in a funky cone. The salsa was mild. Still don't get how you are ok giving what is basically an appetizer away for free yet go on to expect one to order say a $9 tostada. Why would one do that? But, I'm not complaining.
I would advise them to sweat the details. It's so easy to go from upscale to average if you aren't meticulous. The food was good. The outside was good. But, if you want to charge big boy prices for peasant food, make sure I'm eating it in a fastidious setting. Get a toothbrush and start scrubbing. You want to be better than Don Pablo's, right? The place has to be the draw if you serve this food at those prices. It's tortillas and cheap cuts chicken and beef for christ sake.
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