Category Archives: Mexican

Fiesta Restaurant and Lounge

Posted on by Hungry in DC

Location: Dupont Circle

Price: $$

Rating 3 out of 5

Summary: Surprisingly delicious Tex-Mex is a boost to a place best suited for happy hour drinks

We visited Fiesta Restaurant and Lounge fully expecting it to be just another hole in the wall Tex-Mex place. There is no shortage of them in DC (Banana Café) and it so happened that one evening the mood struck us for cheap drinks and tacos. Armed with a Groupon, we sought out Dupont Circle and made our way up the front stairs of Fiesta to be seated near the bar window overlooking Connecticut Ave. Arriving near the end of happy hour, we swiftly ordered our drinks.

It’s important to note first that the drinks at Fiesta are strong. Where some restaurants’ margarita slushy machines spit out more sour mix than tequila, Fiesta is very generous with the alcohol that’s mixed in, a kindness boosted by happy hour prices ($3.50 for a single, $18.95 for a pitcher). Their mojito wasn’t anything to frown on either ($4.50). The beers on tap and by the bottle are limited, but the price makes for a good deal ($2.25 draft, $2.75 bottle).

Our first order of the night was the Bacon-wrapped Dates, dates first wrapped in bacon before being battered and fried. Although sweet on the inside with hints of savory meat flavor, the overly thick batter kept the morsel from achieving that melt in your mouth texture. Tasting more like a sweet fritter or hushpuppy, these were not the best version we have seen of the dish, but are still worth ordering. Fiesta’s happy hour special of “buy one tapa, get one free” makes ordering the bacon-wrapped dates with another appetizing tapa really worth your while.

Our next appetizer was the Mango Gazpacho, a classic summer chilled soup with an infused mango flavor. A small amount of herbs and diced veggies make up what is otherwise a bowl of pureed mangos, far from the usual light and refreshing balance of the typical gazpacho. Without any balance or spice, this was just a mango smoothie served in a bowl, a disappointing interpretation of the tropical flavor that could have given an interesting take on this classic dish. Order yourself a Mango Margarita instead and be thankful you’re at least getting tequila out of the deal.

Per the advice of our server, who swore Fiesta had the best fajitas in town, we ordered the Steak Fajitas, slices of steak served alongside sliced peppers, onions and tomatoes on a sizzling plate. The cut of meat was surprisingly flavorful, exhibiting all the features of a well cooked medium-well steak. The nice variety of grilled vegetables extended the life of the savory juices, wonderfully softened in the grease and fat of the steak. The paired Spanish rice was nicely mixed with chopped cilantro while the black beans were typical serving. The quality in this dish was an unexpected delight that we wouldn’t have expect from the usual Tex-Mex restaurant, but were happy to enjoy.

Our second main course was a combination platter of a Chicken and Beef Taco with a Chicken Tamale. Both tacos were wrapped in soft, flour tortilla shells, our server informing us that hard shells were not an option. The sliced chicken was fair, but the steak was again a treat, following the same delicious trend as the fajitas. Still the bigger surprise of the combination platter was the chicken tamale, the same chicken as the taco shredded, wrapped with cheese and baked in a corn tortilla. Easy to cut and even easier to eat, the tamale is extremely soft and flavorful. While it could have done with more chicken, it was nonetheless the best item on the plate.

Just about everything at Fiesta took us by surprise. Whether it was the well made drinks, the disappointing gazpacho or the savory steak, what we were served was not what we had expected when first entering. While we wouldn’t recommend this restaurant for a full dinner out, it hits the mark as a great place to start your night during their happy hour. Grab a margarita and few tapas at Fiesta Restaurant and Lounge before heading out into the rest of Dupont and you won’t be disappointed.

Banana Café

Posted on by Hungry in DC

Location: Eastern Market/Barracks Row

Price: $$

Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary: En algún lugar entre terrible y magnífica

There is no shortage of Tex-Mex places in DC. Empanada stores, Salvadorean holesin the walls, and Latin cafes dot across the city. They range from the terrible (Tortilla Coast) to the decent (Lauriol Plaza Restaurant). Banana Café fits somewhere in the middle. Sticking out on Barracks Row for its bright, yellow building, one can’t help but be drawn to it.

The typical chips and salsa welcomed us after being seated, a usually good barometer to the merit of a Mexican/Cuban/Tex-Mex place (Banana café is all of the above). The chips though lightly salted, were hard bordering on stale and flavorless. The salsa tasted better than something out of a jar. This “better than the average Tex-Mex dive” theme is what carries over for most of the meal, made even better by generously sized mango margarita.

One of the main dishes ordered was the day’s special, Vaca Frita. Shredded flank steak is cooked with onion, garlic and lime juice, accompanied with the usual beans and rice. The shredded steak was slowly cooked, tender and retaining the entire flavor of the fat. Although some of it was drier than other parts, a mixing of the meat and an extra squeeze of a lime awoken the flavor of the dish, wonderfully combining with sautéed onions and minced garlic. It was honestly surprised by the quality of the dish and speaks to the daily specialties of the kitchen.

Our second dish wasthe Beef Burrito, Large flour tortilla, stuffed with beef chicken, baked and topped with ranchero sauce. Served with yellow rice & refried beans, this burrito is exactly what one would expect. Hot, comforting, and satisfying. The ranchero sauce however offered a glimmer of disappointment in what could have been. The amount of sauce was so minimal, that when the plate arrived, the sauce was dry and had been absorbed into the tortilla. The result was a missed opportunity for the tastebuds.

Our third plate was a Carnitas Sandwich, which is not pictured in this review because it was simply terrible. Think something along the lines of sautéed pork on an Italian hoagie (oh the mayo). Just trust your instinct, know you shouldn’t order this and get something like a quesadilla.

Banana Café really shines at night as the second floor turns into a piano bar. The basic bar menu is relatively cheap, along with the drinks (pitcher of house margarita is your best bet). It’s one of the better places on Eastern Market to grab an evening or late drink while getting some free entertainment. As any true DCist knows, if you’re looking for an amazing Mexican culinary experience you should look beyond the city limits. Banana Café fits the niche of decent, reasonably priced tex-mex that offers something to do into the night.