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| - Cilantro is the newest Mexican restaurant on Madison's west side. It attempts to define a different experience than most Mexican restaurants in town, elevating Mexican cuisine to a fine-dining standard. Nothing is slathered in cheese here, and each entree is unique. If you're used to standard traditional Mexican, such as what's available at Pedro's or Laredo's, you'll be in for an entirely new experience here. However, as with all new restaurants, there were several problems with the food, the decor, and the service.
When we arrived, the place was packed and we were among several groups who arrived at the same time. Before dinner, we had what is apparently the 'signature' margarita - a mixture of cilantro leaves and mango nectar with tequila, served in a small rocks glass with cubed ice. For $7, the drink was disappointingly small, and one of my companions noted a textural issue. The mango juice was really thick and made the cocktail one step below a smoothie. Also, the mango flavor overpowered the cilantro because the bartender didn't muddle the cilantro, and this was also disappointing because I was excited at the prospect of the flavor combination.
We tried two appetizers before dinner. The first, a trio of empanadas, had perfectly braised pork in a crispy, flaky empanada shell with two complementary sauces - a Sinaloan red chile sauce and an avocado mayo. The second was a trio of chalupas, which consisted of three open-faced corn masa ovals topped with either chorizo and potatoes, mole with chicken, and mushrooms in a guajillo sauce. All were excellent.
For dinner, A companion's chicken mole entree was outstanding, with hints of chocolate and cinnamon in the lightly sweet-yet-savory sauce. Another companion's duck breast had an excellent tamarind sauce, which was also sweet and savory, but his duck was poorly trimmed and contained more fat than he expected - even from duck. My fish enchiladas were decent, but one of the trio of enchiladas contained bits of fish that were overcooked. The sauce, a green tomatillo mole, was very spicy and advertised pumpkin seeds on top. I only counted a few, and they did little to enhance the flavor of the dish. Also, I only received one of the two accompaniments to my entree, cilantro rice, because the beans that were advertised to come with it never showed up. It ended up being a godsend, though, because when I tried a companion's beans they had an overwhelming liquid smoke flavor that I found disgusting.
Throughout our experience, we received incredibly poor service. It took 40 minutes between the time we were seated and the time our appetizers arrived, during which we were served chips and salsa, but no plates, silverware or napkins. Also, I was already finished with my entree when the waitress came back to ask how everything was, and I had no water for most of my meal, having never recieved a refill after the first pour. It didn't look like there were any bussers, so the waitstaff was overextended doing expediting, waiting, and all bussing. Also, when I pointed out I never received the side of beans that was supposed to come with my meal, the waitress argued with me and said that they don't come with what I ordered. When she brought out the menu, she discovered she was wrong. Finally, when we received our bill, we noticed a comp charge for all the mistakes, which was nice, but were also slapped in the face when we discovered an additional charge for a margarita we didn't order.
The decor at Cilantro is schizophrenic, with at least three different types of chairs, and a random laptop computer sitting out by the entrance foyer. The tables have white tablecloths, and there is a lot of Mexican art on the walls. The floor is a blond hardwood, the ceiling is exposed to the rafters, and there are floor-to-ceiling windows, making the small space look more like a yoga studio than an upscale Mexican restaurant.
I hope that Cilantro works out its kinks with staffing and service, so the focus - the food - can shine through.
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