The Mexican from Dennis Max, in Boca????

[erica]

Any reports on this new restaurant?

[freakerdude]

We hit The Mexican last night. It was packed, with young kids on the patio listening to the DJ blare techno dance music (ugh). And the music bled loudly inside to where we were sitting (ugh). It's a really cool and festive place inside. The young manager was making his rounds checking on everyone.

Happy hour in the bar area 1/2 price apps, beers, and well drinks I think. Guacamole was good but not as good as what I can do. The waiter asked if we wanted hot sauce with it and I said yes. What they bring you is straight pureed habanero, so eater beware. One small taste and you know it's blazing hot.

I had Del Mar enchiladas crab and shrimp with mole, although a very little and very mild mole as it should be for seafood. It was topped with cream poblano and was very good. My friends chicken tacos were said to be good and they were lime marinated chicken, onions, poblano, pepian sauce, cilantro, and cabbage. Service was excellent even though every table was packed and some had very large parties.

I was surprised how many restaurants there were in this area south of Palmetto Park Road around Royal Palm Plaza. There's a ton of very nice looking places that I have never even heard of. We were going to see a band play at the Funky Biscuit, which is a really cool place, and it was easily within walking distance.

[CFByrne]

"Dennis Max and Fred Stampone have sold their interest in The Mexican to the remaining partner, Mitch Kaminski, and are no longer involved with the restaurant."

Bill Citara has the deets...

http://www.bocamag.com/blog/2013/02/2...

[shishar]

I went there. If you are a connoisseur, you'll be disappointed. The chef takes some creative license. Not bad, but definitely not authentic

[Linda VH]

We went for happy hour and had GREAT guac but....have to agree about authentic - mushrooms in the quesadilla?

[freakerdude]

It's intention is to be California-Mex and not authentic Mexican

[erica]

I'd like to try it sometime. I'm not sure that there is an "authentic Mexican" anyway....the country is just too vast, and the cuisines too varied. And to be nitpickety, I've had plenty of quesadillas with huitlacoche, which is a type of fungus, so mushrooms in that dish are not so off-track.

[freakerdude]

I have it on my list. This place looks really cool and has a street scene decor and a VW bus inside. Check out the write up on The Mexican with pics.

http://tinyurl.com/a3h8sq7

[erica]

I did see that write-up, thanks, but oddly there is very little else online post-opening except on Yelp..I may try it in the next two weeks, and if so, will report back.

[CFByrne]

I hope you are planning to still check out Tacos Al Carbon.

And certainly also El Jefe Lucador.

Those should be at the head of your list, IMO.

[erica]

Just after I posted this, in anticipation of dinner with friends, one of those friends told me that she had had a very poor experience (especially service, but I did not get details) at The Mexican in December, and was not interested in returning.

So al Carbon remains on the very short possibles list, joined now by El Luchador. Of the two, any feeling which is better, or should I let geography dictate?

[CFByrne]

Well ,The Mexican only just opened in late-December? IIRC, so a glitch with service *might* be forgiven.

TAC is an authentic Mexican restaurant owned, operated and patronized primarily by what appear to be Mexicans or Hispanics. Many look to be agricultural workers based on clothing and vehicles. (Yet you also see folks from Boca and Palm Beach pulling up in BMW's and Beemers on Saturday night).

EJL is none of those. It's more of a Foodie's Amazing Gourmet Adventures In Mexican Street Food. You can go fairly plain and stay close to "authentic. Or you can dial it up and test the outer limits with some of their daily specials. If pork belly is on the menu, be sure to get that. Fried chix tacos are another big winner IMO.

[freakerdude]

I would not let a single reported service issue ever deter me from visiting a resto, especially a new one. For atmosphere, The Mexican looks really cool but TAC is not by any means, it is the exact opposite.

[erica]

Thanks for the clarification...both TAC and EJL sound very much worth a visit. Will do so and report back.

Agree about the service issue on TheMexican. Personally, I will always accept "service issues" as long as food is superior, but not all others are of the same mind.