Regrettably false, the rumor that an influx of Hispanic people to the New Orleans area following Katrina would bring with it better Mexican restaurants at least had us out there looking for some new coming. But we remain only a marginally good city for the potentially magnificent, unique cuisine of Mexico.
Reason: too many people believe that Mexican food cannot rise above the inexpensive, overfilled combo platters that rule the scene. Anyone attempting to explore the marvels of the cuisine finds rejection from those who don't understand it. The people who do know what Mexican food can be usually cook it for themselves at home. Meanwhile, the most obvious trend is toward those cafeteria-style places (Felipe's is the local exemplar) where you assemble your dishes yourself. Sorry, but you are not likely a very good Mexican chef.
Here are a dozen restaurants that manage to break through the cliches and serve excellent Mexican cookery. Nowhere in here will you find the word "authentic," which has no meaning away from Mexico itself. But you'll see it all over the anonymous faux-reviews on the big food sites, usually from people who have never visited Mexico.
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Pork chops at El Gato Negro.[/caption]
1. 
El Gato Negro. French Quarter: 81 French Market Place. 504-525-9752. ||River Parishes: 3001 Ormond Blvd. 985-307-0460. ||Lakeview: 300 Harrison Ave. 504-488-0107. The three locations of this pleasantly rustic concept come closer to capturing the spirit of Mexico's cuisine than any other. One of the few places serving house-made mole poblano, The Black Cat also comes up with fascinating sauces using pumpkin seeds, achiote, a host of peppers, and other interesting flavors. You can get a combo plate here, but go for the fish, chicken, or pork chops.
2. Santa Fe. Esplanade Ridge: 3201 Esplanade Ave. 504-948-0077. When new owners and a longtime chef moved Santa Fe from its original Marigny location, it was loudly booed by its regulars. Ignore them. This reborn Santa Fe near City Park is better than any previous manifestation, with a fascinating menu and the best salsa in town. The sidewalk tables are very pleasant.
3. El Mesquite Mexican Grill. Gretna: 516 Gretna Blvd. 504-367-1022. In the building that once was Visko's, El Mesquite has the feeling of a top-notch Tex-Mex or Cali-Mex eatery, with a lively environment, live music now and then, and a vast menu ranging from the familiar to the exotic. Molé alert! Here it is, on roast chicken or cheese-onion enchiladas.
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Juaha roll at Juan's.[/caption]
4. Juan's Flying Burrito. Uptown 1: Garden District & Environs: 2018 Magazine. 504-569-0000. Mid-City: 4724 S Carrollton Ave. 504-486-9950. The two locations are very different in look and feel (the Mid-City branch is much more amenable to family units than the well-tattooed Uptown address). But the food is the same, made with excellent ingredients and no fear about going over the top. (Where's the molé?)
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Monterrey-style steak fajitas at La Carreta.[/caption]
5. La Carreta. Mandeville: 1200 W Causeway Approach. 985-624-2990. ||Covington: 812 Hyw 190. 985-400-5202. A small chain headquartered in Hammond but spreading through the North Shore and Baton Rouge, this is the best mainstream Tex-Mex place we have. The ingredients, presentations, sauces and recipes all contribute to an enjoyable, unthreatening cantina. I keep wondering how good it would be if they'd try even a little boldness in their menu. Where's the molé? Note: La Carreta is not to be confused with Carreta's Grill, a different and less impressive outfit.
6. Casa Garcia. Metairie 3: Houma Blvd To Kenner Line: 8814 Veterans Blvd. 504-464-0354. Second in tenure only to the little La Fiesta in Gretna, the Garcia family has operated near the Kenner-Metairie divide for over thirty years. Although the kitchen has more range and better skills than most Mexican places (seafood has always been better here), the flavors have clearly picked up the tastes of the mainstream. Where's the molé?
7. Taqueria Corona. Metairie 2: Orleans Line To Houma Blvd: 3535 Severn. 504-885-5088. ||Harahan: 1827 Hickory Ave. 504-738-6722. || Uptown 3: Napoleon To Audubon: 5932 Magazine St. 504-897-3974. Unless you're from Oaxaca or San Luis Potosi, these are not the tacos you grew up with. No crunchy corn tortillas filled with ground hamburger and salad, the tacos here start with flour tortillas and chunks of meat on a hot grill. Unusual meats like beef tongue and fish add further variety and interest to the menu. It was the boldest move forward New Orleans had ever seen on the Mexican side, and very successful--even though it didn't spawn any imitators until recently.
8. Mizado Cocina. Mid-City: 5080 Pontchartrain Blvd.. 504-885-5555. The latest restaurant concept from the chefs who brought you Copeland's, Semolina, and Zea, Mizado will only ring a bell if you're from Los Angeles, where there are places like this all over. It's clearly Mexican, but you won't recognize many dishes. They menu is deconstructed the reconstructed in a different way. I don't get it yet, but I didn't get Zea at first, either. Packed all the time.
9. Canal Street Bistro. Mid-City: 3903 Canal St. 504-482-1225. Chef Guillermo Peters is the best Mexican chef in New Orleans, but he keeps tripping up his would-be regulars by constantly changing the basics of this pleasant renovated mansion. A few days ago (in May, 2014) a release from him said he was cutting back dinners to Friday and Saturday, with vague language about cooking in season. If this place were run anything like normally, it would be #1 on this list. But you never know what will greet you at the front door. What a waste of brilliance!
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Queso with chorizo at La Noria.[/caption]
10. Taqueria La Noria. Mandeville: 1931 LA 59. 985-727-7917. The name means "the wishing well," and there is one, right in front. A spartan little house whose rooms don't lend themselves well to restaurant service, the better tables are on the deck. The menu is abbreviated but full of offbeat Mexican dishes, all of which are very inexpensive but as pretty as they are good. Slight language barrier.
11. Velvet Cactus. Lakeview: 6300 Argonne Blvd. 504-301-2083. The owners of the Bulldog and Lager's--both hamburger-slinging, beer-flooded hangouts--opened this Americanized, cool-looking, ambitious Mexican place. After you find a place to park (not easy) and get a table (not immediately), you find an enormous menu dominated by grilled food. Different enough from the standard to attract attention. They even had molé when they first opened, but I don't see it anymore. A little careless.
12. Taqueria Guerrero Mexico. Mid-City: 208 N Carrollton Ave. 504-484-6959. This is the kind of place people had in mind when they looked forward to the new era of Mexican cooking in New Orleans post-K. It didn't happen generally, and only barely here. The food is good, but gaps show up in the service and menu. Every time I've been, they were out of at least one item I wanted to try. But it's clearly a family operation, so we can forgive that and take it as it is.
Written by Tom Fitzmorris May 12, 2014 10:01 in
