Since 2009, La Caretta Mexican restaurant has been a special favorite for my daughter and me. We’d stop on our way back from school, sit outside and talk about boys. We still do that, though they are no longer boys. I have always called it a mediocre Mexican restaurant, which it is, but I do love their choriqueso better than most others, and I like their tamales. Much time has passed since those early days and the La Caretta brand has become a northshore omnipresence, spreading way past St. Tammany to New Orleans and LaPlace on the southshore, and to three spots in or near Baton Rouge. There is one in Lafayette, and another in Houma.
Owner Saul Rubio is beginning to remind me more of the Creole Cuisine Group now that he has opened other concepts. The base of operations is in Hammond, so the new concepts originate there. A barbecue place called Salty Joe’s is there, and a new place called The Lighthouse, as well as wedding venues. A place that is ideal for young people on dates arrived about eight years ago. It is called One Thirteen. I went once or twice to this unusual place. It is vibrant, glamorously hip and sexy, with only one drawback: incongruous ordinary food.
Such a thing makes me sad. I am all about environments, so if I am jazzed about a space, the shortcomings of the food get a far greater pass than they should. So when I don’t return to a place I would love because of the food, that’s telling. It was exciting to learn that a One Thirteen was opening much closer. It has been many years since my last visit to the one in Hammond. It’s a no-brainer for the second location to be in Mandeville right across the parking lot from our original La Caretta by the bridge. Fat Boy’s Pizza had an unfortunately short tenure here, having spent a ton of money building it out. Saul came in with a complete overhaul to this very large space.
Eager to write about something new and curious about the food, I went in over the weekend, their first days in business. I realize this is anathema to the founder of this operation, but things are very different in the 53 years since he started the business. I have said time and again in the world of social media, anyone opening the doors to a new restaurant without firing on all cylinders is making a serious mistake. Also, there are things that are telling that have nothing to do with early missteps and jitters with new employees. I knew the One Thirteen in Mandeville would be beautiful and interesting, but I wondered if the food would be the same puzzle.
It was the kitchen here that made me curious. The chef has an A-list pedigree, so I have high hopes. The menu currently being served is not the complete one. I had a paper menu with three entrees and two burgers and about six apps, as well as a dizzying array of sides. The regular menu is a wooden binder, very fancy, and apparently full of interesting things. I thumbed through it without getting attached to anything, not wanting to make special requests in these early days. I ate from the menu I was given.
Crabcakes were the first thing that jumped out. $29 for plural? I was intrigued by this, because prices of crabcakes tell the story. I always ask for details. When my questions were satisfactorily answered, I placed the order. Scanning down to the entree section I went with a classic burger, eschewing the complicated one with Bleu cheese and a complicated beef mix. It came with the usual frozen fries, so I chose the garlic and herb potatoes as a side.
The crabcakes were a surprising duo, arriving on the table on a pretty plate, drizzled in Remoulade sauce and generously topped with microgreens. They were indeed pan-seared as promised, and larger than I expected. I wondered, for the price, how much of this would be filler.
I loved these crabcakes. There was definitely filler, which was appropriate for the price, but there was also an appropriate amount of crab, and I didn’t feel at all cheated. What was surprising was the spice level, which was unusually high for a crabcake. Whenever the subject of crabcakes comes up I continually say that our local delicacy is indeed delicate, and its subtle flavor should not be superseded by any other stronger flavor. The spice level in these crabcakes was so high I dissected it. Was it the sauce? Or the crabcake too? The sauce was definitely spicy, but when I took out the middle of the crabcake I found that was also inordinately spicy. Hmmm.
Still, I liked this little duo. Our deviled crab here has a higher spice level, so I just called these deviled crabcakes and enjoyed them for what they were. As for the filler, it was a proper ratio of crabmeat to filler, and was not the least objectionable to me. And the heavy coating of buttery and toasty breadcrumbs was nice.
The hamburger was the very height of ordinary, with a uniform patty and requisite grill marks, the housemade pickles could not rise above its shortcomings. Ordinary bun, ordinary everything. And the little roasted potatoes were fine.
The A-list pedigree of this chef from Charleston intrigues me, but only if he can do his thing. That remains to be seen, and I look forward to another visit to ascertain that. Stay tuned
