Disappointing Meal at La Verdad-Does this reflect Oringer?

[foodymom]

So, on one of our few nights out, my husband and I went to La Verdad. Based on a number of good recs on this board, we expected decent Mexican. Overall, it was pretty poor. My "Sweet Heat" drink was so sour that I asked the waitress if something was wrong with the passion fruit puree. She said it was fine, but for $12.00, I am still surprised that it was so off-tasting. Our corn was the highlight-great grilling, delicious cheese, the right amount of spice. But my carnitas and al pastor tacos were so salty that I could barely eat them. My shrimp taco (all were highly recommended by the waitress) was not only salty but it was slimy and tasted too fishy to be very fresh. Finally, despite the quality of the meal, I had heard so much about the "Churros" that I thought I would try them. The waitress promised they were fried to order. Needless to say they reeked of old oil and the middle was raw. For the record, my husband and I are rarely so critical nor do we typically send food back. By this point in the meal, we returned the Churros.

I am wondering

A) Is this quality (or lack-thereof) typical of Verdad?
B) We had also thought about going to Toro but the wait was too long. Is Toro as over-rated as this was?

[yummy2184]

for some reason I always find that I like both the churros and corn at Toro better than at La Verdad...

[ScubaSteve]

just curious but was this on a Monday night?

[MC Slim JB]

I don't imagine Oringer spends much time in that kitchen, but it's his place, his name, his reputation; he ought to be working to uphold quality there. My last experience at La Verdad was very good, a busy evening just prior to a Sox game. Sometimes service and food are better when a place is jamming than when it's slow.

[jgg13]

A friend of mine used to work there and they said that KO was rarely on site.

[hotoynoodle]

ditto. it's the red-headed stepchild in his growing empire. fenway season more than covers the bills and he got a killer deal on the rent from patrick lyons.

[Carty]

I am on a perpetual quest for the Holy Grail of good Boston carnitas, found that at Verdad to be bland stewed pork, not really carnitas at all. No free chips. I suppose it all depends on what one expects but I found La Verdad to be a disappointing, poor value, 'real Mexican' poseur.

Seems like many of the restaurants in the immediate Fenway Park area enjoy too much tourist traffic, don't need to work it.

[egc]

Carty, I am also a carnitas fanatic. Can you tell me what you've found?

[Carty]

Hi egc. I have little good news to report. I travel frequently to the SF Bay area and indulge my cravings there. I live downtown and will consume the carnitas plate at Maria's on Tremont St in the Theater District for a quick fix. More like broasted pork than real carnitas, but tasty.

There are Boston carnitas threads here:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/494686
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/523006

[Bostonbob3]

Romano's Pizza (yes, Romano's Pizza) in Roslindale has the best carnitas I've found in the area.

[StriperGuy]

With a meal that bad I would contact management.

[bostonbroad]

My experiences at Veradad have always been mixed - I have meals there that are very good and others (I grant, before games) where the service, food, and atmo combine to make me think I must have been crazy to like it.

However, at the risk of being labeled a freak - I've never gotten the Oringer thing, with the exception of Toro. In all honestly, I think Clio is the most over-rated, over-priced restaurant in the city. It certainly has never screamed genius to me. Veradad has been too inconsistent. But, again, I love Toro. Point being, if there is one, I find Oringer inconsistent to begin with and think your Veradad experience is within the range. I would, however, give Toro a try. Just go early.

[bakerboyz]

I have never been to Clio so I have no opinion about it, but Chronicle did a very interesting piece last night that featured a 30 course meal that Oringer and staff prepared for a Spanish chef who many have proclaimed the best chef in the world. It was just an interesting piece.

[bostonbroad]

I saw that they were going to do that - who was the Spanish chef, do you remember?

[hotoynoodle]

ferran adria from el bulli.

[bostonbelle]

Ferran Adria of the famed El Bulli near Barcelona. He is a leader in the molecular gastronomy movement, if you choose to subscribe to that term. A while back, I posted a link to an article detailing the menu over on the media and news board.

Clio may be expensive, but Oringer plays it closer to the cutting edge than do many other Boston chefs.

[bostonbroad]

I had a feeling it would be Adria - he's been in town a lot lately working with Harvard.

FWIW - I don't have a problem with Clio's prices per se - I just don't think the food or the experience has ever come close to justifying them. Clio has never delivered, for me. Believe me, if I thought Clio put out food that justified it, I would be there often despite the price.

[bostonbelle]

that's certainly saying something, these days.

[BostonCharles]

I agree with this - all of Oringers restaurants. I think Toro is fine, but my gf won't even go anymore. Clio was simply so not worth it last time I won't go back.

La Verdad approaches good sometimes, but I certainly wouldn't rave about it. Its probably the best place to eat on landsdowne street, to damn with faint praise...

[joebloe]

I finally tried the highly-rated Uni along with Clio and was disappointed. For the ridiculous stratospheric price they charge, I expected to be WOWED...but whatever.

Mexican food is best ordered from "Albierto" and "Alierto" rundown 24-hrs drivethrough places or roach coaches in southern Cali. Otherwise, you'll be disappointed here in Boston as I've been most of the time.

[MC Slim JB]

Chris Chung, Uni's highly-regarded, long-time sashimi chef, left a few months ago to run his own private dining business. I haven't been back since this change, but there's bound to be some differences if not a drop-off in quality.

[9lives]

I've been a guest at a Chris Chung private dining. I'd highly recommend it..617 331 1935...www.chrischung18.com

http://flickr.com/photos/61246842@N00...

[limster]

Chris Chung left at least a year and a half ago, if not more. It wasn't him behind the bar the last few times I ate there before I left Boston nor on my couple of trips back. He moved to LA iirc, but only returned to Boston not so long ago.

[Bostonbob3]

I ate there yesterday evening. Had the "Mexico City" taco plate. Four tacos. Tongue, tripe, chorizo and carnitas. Quite excellent. The tripe was the standout. Tender, sweet and spicy.

[lypp]

I've eaten at most of Oringer's restaurants and I thought La Verdad was AWFUL but Toro is probably my favorite restaurant in Boston. I don't know what happens at LV but his food at Toro is well worth any wait. Clio is amazing too but totally different vibe.

[hsquare2southend]

I'm glad you came out and said this. I've been twice and had incredibly mediocre food and drinks both times. I adore Toro. I also have had some wonderful meals at Clio, so I guess you could call me a KO fan. I fact, I've had great chow at KO Prime, as well. So I have no idea what the deal is with LaVerdad. The last time I was there was on their "Taco Tuesday" night, and the place was pretty jammed. Still, the tacos were "eh" at best. I'm betting Tremont 647's "Taco Tuesday" is better. Has anyone tried it?

[yumyum]

I have done Taco Tuesday at Tremont 647. It was fine, not super memorable. The best tacos for my money are at Tacos Lupita and/or Taco Loco in Somerville.

[MC Slim JB]

Best taco I've had lately is Salvadoran, at Pupuseria Mama Blanca in Eastie, on Maverick St at Jeffries St, near that Eastie-residents-only back entrance to Logan Airport (which I never would have found if not for my friend who lives nearby).

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[yumyum]

Now that Angela's has fish tacos, I got to get over to Eastie quick like in a hurry. Maybe I'll double down and try the Pupuseria ... what filling did you have?

[MC Slim JB]

Chicken, beef, and beef tongue, though they don't have tongue every day. In general, there's a lot of stuff that won't be on Mama Blanca's menu every day; it's a little chef/owner operation, and he appears to be making everything fresh. Love the idea of fish tacos at Angela's, though: very exciting!

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[joebloe]

Is it grill fish or battered fried fish?

[yumyum]

Dunno --haven't' tried yet. Just noticed in Fredid's latest post about Angela's that they now have fish tacos.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/602090

[joebloe]

Tried a couple tacos at Mama Blanca and was somewhat disappointed. The tacos were drowned with wet salsa and came apart dripping wet as you grab it. Menu prices overall is the same or more expensive than everywhere else nearby but do not include free chips and salsa like most places. Many items on the menus were not available when ordered. The place has the rundown feeling of a third world roadside foodshack. My central american buddy and I agree the place is decent but definitely not a place worth seeking out nor returning.

[MC Slim JB]

Sorry to hear about that. I've had better experiences -- never an overly-wet, falling-apart taco there over multiple visits. I did think the tacos were noteworthy for being generously filled, but I did find many menu items unavailable every day. I agree that it's not the spankingest-looking place, though I think it's perfectly clean. In my bood, the homey ambience is part of its charm. Nice people running the place, too.

I'd welcome some recs on other Salvadoran places with worthy $2 tacos.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[foodymom]

Thanks to the advice of CHers, we went back and had a meal that, while moderately better, was still not great. My husband loved the cola soaked skirt steak and the corn was caramelized and delicious. But the churros were still inedible and, as a number of posters noted, it is a far cry from authentic Mexican tacos. It is also is just not worth the parking or the Landsdowne atmosphere. However, my recent meal at Toro reaffirmed the Ken Oringer name. It was fantastic and well worth the money. Even the corn was far better than Verdad's. The reality is that both places reflect the quality of the chef and Jamie Bissonnette is a great chef.

http://foodiemommy.blogspot.com

[moremojo]

you cannot compare toro and la verdad, any more than you can compare o ya and east coast grill. they are entirely different concepts. toro, the high end spanish tapas restaurant (catering to a sophisticated urban crowd) and la verdad, the inexpensive authentic taco joint with a significant tequila menu (catering to the masses on lansdowne).

i've eaten at both numerous times and i think they're both fantastic..... for what they are.
the grilled corn alone at toro is worth the wait, and the fish taco's at la verdad are as good as you can get, ANYWHERE. my 2 cents.

sure, there's a miss every now and then, but that happens anywhere.

[MC Slim JB]

I don't know: given how much Oringer's organization promotes him as a celebrity chef, it's reasonable to expect a certain Oringer Seal of Quality at any restaurant with his name on the marquee.

Obviously there's no confusing La Verdad with Clio and what they're aiming for, but I think the OP and others here are justified in complaining about consistency and service problems at La Verdad. I've felt their pain, though my last few experiences have been quite good. (Better service has made a huge difference, for one thing.)

You can't have it both ways: if you relentlessly promote your brand and you disappoint people at any level, they have reason to wonder about your organization's other restaurants. No question in my mind that La Verdad is the weakest link in that chain, though I still like it better than most Fenway-proximate restaurants. (I haven't been back to the more loosely-affiliated KO Prime since Bissonnette's move to Toro.)

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[nightsky]

Tried La Verdad tonight and was very disappointed. They were out of several items: no fish tacos, no lengua, and something else too i can't recall. Maybe because it was 7 ish on a sunday following an afternoon baseball game. I find it hard to believe Bon Appetit called this the best mexican food in the country (or so a sign claims at the restaurant). It reminds me of the Pour House or Whiskey's. It's basically a bar with tables scattered around the outskirts, with noisy TVs and classic rock blaring. More Landsdowne then Oringer, in the hackneyed House of Blues mode only with a different theme. I won't be returning anytime soon. Guac was dull, served with greasy flour (not corn,i'm pretty sure) tortilla chips. Tacos were ok but not memorable. Maybe at a buck each they are more enjoyable.

[joebloe]

Bon Appetit needs to face same path as the Boston Globe. They need to drastically paycut all salaries and fire some people because they have no journalistic integrity whatsoever if they declare it among the best mexican food in the country. There are plenty of ghetto shacks in America can I show them that'll put this LV to shame.

[MC Slim JB]

I don't know; I suspect a lot of Bon Appetit readers are looking for exactly this kind of advice. Want tacos? Go to the glam celeb-chef / nightclub impresario partnership next to Fenway with the $4/taco menu.

Nobody who's ever had a real taco reads this crap without laughing, but it's about knowing your audience. Whether food magazines in general can survive an era in which daily newspapers are rapidly going extinct is another question, but chowhounds read, well, Chowhound, while Bon Appetit cultivates a rather different readership, one I think it knows pretty well. I don't really think your typical Bon Appetit reader would bother or dare to take a trip to residential Waltham to enjoy the earthier charms of a Taqueria El Amigo.

In my mind, La Verdad is still one of the best casual dining options close to Fenway. But until it gets past the single-tortilla blunder, it will remain tough for me to discuss it seriously in the same breath as authentic taquerias, even in Boston's limited universe of such.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[ScubaSteve]

BA is (imo) an 'also ran' with Food and Wine. they both started strong but went too predictable too soon.

i like Gourmet and Love Saveur (but i'll admit there have been some off issues).

i'm planning a Fish Taco crawl ad LV is on the list.

[rknrll]

I don't know, dude.
I mean - I like two tortillas as well...but I ate here tonight and nothing fell apart, so I didn't feel like I was missing anything.

But yeah...got there early, it was quiet. Crowd got annoying near game time so that's when I split to head into the park, but definitely one of the more solid options when there is a game. Boston Beer Works had a handful of people waiting to get inside at 4:15, where La Verdad had a beer in front of me within a minute of walking up to the place.

[MC Slim JB]

Mine fall apart, and for $4, I want that extra tortilla. But as I said, I agree: one of the best options immediately outside of Fenway.

I beat this drum a lot, but I have noticed on $2 Taco Night at Tremont 647 that they get away with a single layer, using a more substantial tortilla, a bit thicker, that manages to maintain its integrity for more than a bite or two. So I guess it's doable, but I'd rather most of the fancier places doing tacos would just take a page from real taquerias and use two. Something to be said for the added starch heft and corn flavor, too.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[joebloe]

The Wall Street Journal probably have the same audience as BA but they don't give such pretensious crappy advice nor simply suck up to the trendiest celebrity chef. They do actual work and actually find hidden gems in the ghetto such as Ms. Ann Burger shack in Atlanta and Speedy's Hot Dog truck in Dorchester. Just because it cost $4 buck doesn't mean it's any better in quality or quantity than a $1 taco. If anything, that's a ridiculous price to pay for a taco.

[MC Slim JB]

Kudos to the Journal, whose food and wine writing has a very different audience in mind than Bon Appetit, I think: comparatively sophisticated (read: relatively chowish) businesspeople with money who travel, rather than BA's armchair "foodies" who rarely venture outside of tourist areas when choosing restaurants. The Journal's Life & Style section is terrific; Tastings is my favorite wine column, a model of practical advice based on discovering what you enjoy and continually trying new wines rather than aping the tastes of a particular critic. A good recent feature on gourmet food trucks http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204456604574201934018170554.html is typical of the quality of its coverage.

But I think you go a little too far on La Verdad, verging on reverse snobbery: the notion that unless it's authentic, it stinks. That's not the most Chowish attitude. Sure, we need to be suspicious of celebrity -- heaven knows I've had a lot of fun here pointing out the shortcomings of our most famous chefs -- but the basis of the opinion still has to be food and value. Nobody is advancing the idea here that La Verdad's taco is better because it's $4; that's crazy-talk in Chowhound terms. But it would be equally foolish to suggest that no taco can ever be worth that amount, particularly when you figure in things like location, amenities, service, ambience, ingredients, etc.

To recap my longstanding review of LV: pretty good, but really should use two tortillas. It's got a fine patio and solid-enough bartending. Kitchen and service can be slow, but both have improved significantly since it opened. In all, still a sight better than most options close to Fenway Park. There's no confusing it with Taqueria El Amigo, Trini's, Mama Blanca, or Tacos Lupita, but it's on Lansdowne Street, and if you're looking for a bite before the game, you might be willing to pay that premium for the convenience, the ability to knock back a decent Margarita with it, and the fact that there's little worthy competition nearby.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[cochon21]

La Verdad is pretty good. It can be hit or miss, but I still like it.