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| - Boy, I really wanted to like Las Cazuelas. I was heartened by the nice and somber decor, much of it a holdover from Café Porta Alba (including the wood-burning stove). We started out on a good note; the chips were warm and the salsa was very nice; both were plentiful. Our tamal appetizer was also spicy and good, and the queso fundido was delicious, too, with a healthy portion of mushrooms and chorizo within the mixture. Our margitas, (two house, one special with agave and higher-end tequila) were also tasty, although no match for the knock-you-out variety served at Pasqual's.
Things started to take a downturn, however, quickly thereafter. We first learned that the restaurant was out of guacamole. This also meant that every single dish that came with avocado, a favorite of ours, would be coming without it. We were encouraged by the interesting menu selections, but were feeling weighed down by our appetizers, and so went with soup and salad selections. The fajita and Yucatán salads, promising baby greens, came with a bed of uninspired bagged romaine. The remaining veggies (remember, no avocado) in the Yucatán, including jicama chunks, were frozen. Yes, frozen solid. As one of my companions mentioned, "What was I thinking ordering a salad at a Mexican restaurant." Fair enough, but the more adventurous menu suggested that things might have been better and that it would be okay to risk. My own tortilla soup was also bland and without any real flavor. It was akin to a Progresso chicken soup.
We skipped dessert, but the bill for three of us came to $70. The food did not live up to this tab, nor did it match up with the decor. Our server was nice and attentive, but I will be unlikely to return to Las Cazuelas. This means we're still on the hunt for a really good Mexican place in Madison beyond the taqueria experience.
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