| rev:text
| - 06/21/10
I don't mind dining at a chain, as long as I (and others who may have joined me) leave feeling terrific about the experience. Our party of four (three adults and a child) decided we'd try this place out, partly bec. of the glowing write-up it received in Charlotte magazine. I was also excited about trying Mexican French toast, as written about in Charlotte magazine's "Top 50 Breakfasts!"
As we entered the resto, we immediately noticed the comely decor of a typical modern Tex-Mex venue, and as we sat down, I especially noted that the music was very loud. (If you'd like to experience this yourself, first take care to find a nice quiet spot- enjoy the silence for a few seconds, if you'd like- before you turn your speaker volume to full-blast, then head over to Cantina 1511's website. I dare you to let this go on for another 90 minutes. I DARE YOU!) As our server delivered our drink orders, (sis and I also asked for the margarita special of the day, which was made w/ Heradura tequila), our server asked if we needed more time, to which I replied, "I already know I'm having the Mexican toast," after which the others said they needed more time. After the others had a few more minutes to look at the menu while listening to the loud background music, our server returned and took our orders- shrimp torta for Mom, steak fajitas for sis, and the French toast for me. No French toast, except for Sunday brunch you say? Well, I'll have the crab and avocado quesadilla, minus the avocado, then. (And why the heck did you not mention this when I stated my intention before? Oh, yeah. I forgot. Maybe bec. you couldn't HEAR ME due to the crappy music that blared above us!!)
After a few minutes of trying to bat away a persistent fly, our chips and salsas arrived. I took this time to ask the food presenter (not the server) to request if it was at all possible to lower the music's volume. (Hey, it can't hurt to ask, right?) The answer we received is that more than likely our request won't be granted, "due to keeping up w/ the atmosphere, and all." OK, well, would you please get rid of this pesty fly, then?" "Haha, sorry, but no." Looking back, we should've just stood up and left...
While I can't speak for the app myself due to a corn allergy, the general concensus was that it was A-OK. The margarita, which sis at first turned her nose up to, was not bad after I stirred the beverage stick around a few times, which allowed the Heradura tequila and fresh juices to mix. I'd asked if the drink could be made frozen, for future reference, but no. (See a pattern here?) As the tequila began to work its magic, sis noted that the music volume had come down a little. Ole! (However, the volume went back to its original strength a few minutes later. Que mal!)
To make a "mucho terrible" story short, the food, w/ the exception of the fajitas and margarita, left us w/ much to desire. Mom's shrimp torta was "just another shrimp sandwich." "But what about the bolillo?," I asked. "Nothing special." And this from a woman who LOVES the bolillos from our neighborhood grocery store! Too bad, bec. the pics looked good, don't you agree? (This seems like the case w/ the cuatro leches cake, as well, but I am getting ahead of myself.) Nephew didn't even finish his taco, nor the fries (and how he loves fries!), and my crab quesadilla dish was just three charred triangles filled w/ too much cheese and lumps of crab here and there. Despite my trimming off some of the cheese, I didn't even finish two! We all pretty much concentrated on the steak fajitas, which, despite the fatty content of the meat, turned out pretty good. (And thank goodness it did, for this pretty dish went for a pretty penny... 1600 pennies, to be exact!)
Hoping to end the meal w/ a postre (Spanish for dessert), I chose the Cuatro Leches cake, which promised four types of milk in the form of white chocolate meringue, dulce de leche crema (condensed and evaporated milks plus sugar) and the fourth? I think there may have been white chocolate chunks, but don't quote me on it. Two words: too sweet! Take away the meringue topping, it's OK. Nada especial! Mom and sis didn't care for more than a bite, and bec. I didn't really have much to eat, I finished the dish anyway. If you're going to try your luck w/ this dolce- skip the canned peach slices and ask for more stawberries!
Or, better yet, just pass on Cantina 1511 and look elsewhere. Not only did I end up spending $70 on a lackluster meal, but I was in a foul mood for the rest of the day due to the blaring music, not to mention the disappointment in not having the Mexican toast (French toast w/ sweetened cream sauce). Nowhere was it mentioned in the Charlotte magazine article, nor Cantina 1511's menu, that this selection is only available on Sundays.
Cantina 1511 is no bueno!
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