Made it over to Antojitos tonight, formerly Latin Quarter.
I'm still a fan of the tie-dyed exterior, especially lit up at night. The bell was ringing constantly as I walked up, which got annoying real quick, but thankfully could not hear it once inside.
The interior is ... not what I was expecting. Same basic layout as Latin Quarter, but that's where the similarities end. More kitschy than I anticipated, lots of neon and murals of mariachis and luchedors. Letters made of light bulbs, as well. Essentially a cross between Splitsville and Chuy's, if you know the tourist area. While the dark wood and generally low lighting hid how big LQ was, the bright lighting calls attention to how cavernous this space is. And I still don't know what to make of the birdcage booths. Music alternated between Spanish takes on classic rock/pop, and American songs about Mexico ("Mexican Radio," "Another Beer in Mexico").
Drinks are incredible. 201 types of tequila, all the juices hand-squeezed. I started with just the house margarita--one of the best I've had, and it packed a whallop. Switched to Dos after that--driving--but I'm curious to try some of the more exotic concoctions on the menu.
Chips and homemade salsa are complimentary. Chips were fine, but the salsa was a thing of beauty, clearly handmade, with bits of tomato, onion and pepper. I also had the combo. Hands down, best black beans and rice I've ever had. An odd thing to rave about, I know, but it was a highlight. Light seasoning on the rice made it delicious. The shredded beef over some sort of cornbread things was even better, and the chicken enchilada in green chili sauce was also far above most everything else in CityWalk. The weakest link was the beef taco, and it was still very good.
If there's a criticism, it's that portions are not huge. I wasn't hungry when I finished, but no trouble cleaning my plate, either, which is rare at, say, Chuy's or Chevy's. The tacos in particular are small--smaller than Taco Bell--which is a little disappointing at $4-$5 a pop. Random guy next to me was upset with the potato-chorizo tacos, which was basically a potato taco with a sprinkling of chorizo bits; he was not happy to pay $14 for three of them. In contrast, I thought drinks were fairly priced at $10-$12--a good 25-30% less than La Cava for comparable quality and size.
Service was top notch, friendly and efficient.
Antojitos is in a weird place. It's cheesy decor and atmosphere make it seem like an ethnic take on Margartaville or NASCAR Cafe. But the food is a couple steps above, comparable to Cantina Laredo or some of the other nice places on Sand Lake Road. If nothing else, a great place to get a post-park or pre-HHN drink.
I'm still a fan of the tie-dyed exterior, especially lit up at night. The bell was ringing constantly as I walked up, which got annoying real quick, but thankfully could not hear it once inside.
The interior is ... not what I was expecting. Same basic layout as Latin Quarter, but that's where the similarities end. More kitschy than I anticipated, lots of neon and murals of mariachis and luchedors. Letters made of light bulbs, as well. Essentially a cross between Splitsville and Chuy's, if you know the tourist area. While the dark wood and generally low lighting hid how big LQ was, the bright lighting calls attention to how cavernous this space is. And I still don't know what to make of the birdcage booths. Music alternated between Spanish takes on classic rock/pop, and American songs about Mexico ("Mexican Radio," "Another Beer in Mexico").
Drinks are incredible. 201 types of tequila, all the juices hand-squeezed. I started with just the house margarita--one of the best I've had, and it packed a whallop. Switched to Dos after that--driving--but I'm curious to try some of the more exotic concoctions on the menu.
Chips and homemade salsa are complimentary. Chips were fine, but the salsa was a thing of beauty, clearly handmade, with bits of tomato, onion and pepper. I also had the combo. Hands down, best black beans and rice I've ever had. An odd thing to rave about, I know, but it was a highlight. Light seasoning on the rice made it delicious. The shredded beef over some sort of cornbread things was even better, and the chicken enchilada in green chili sauce was also far above most everything else in CityWalk. The weakest link was the beef taco, and it was still very good.
If there's a criticism, it's that portions are not huge. I wasn't hungry when I finished, but no trouble cleaning my plate, either, which is rare at, say, Chuy's or Chevy's. The tacos in particular are small--smaller than Taco Bell--which is a little disappointing at $4-$5 a pop. Random guy next to me was upset with the potato-chorizo tacos, which was basically a potato taco with a sprinkling of chorizo bits; he was not happy to pay $14 for three of them. In contrast, I thought drinks were fairly priced at $10-$12--a good 25-30% less than La Cava for comparable quality and size.
Service was top notch, friendly and efficient.
Antojitos is in a weird place. It's cheesy decor and atmosphere make it seem like an ethnic take on Margartaville or NASCAR Cafe. But the food is a couple steps above, comparable to Cantina Laredo or some of the other nice places on Sand Lake Road. If nothing else, a great place to get a post-park or pre-HHN drink.
The exterior suggests nothing about what's inside.
