Last night we went to that TQLA opening night dinner in Mesa. We both enjoy the atmosphere and decor of the restaurant.
We started with 2 margaritas that were fantastic! I had the Blood Orange margarita and my wife had the TQLA house margarita. Both had sweet flavor and a good kick! The chips were fresh and we enjoyed both salsas. The Green is a tomatillo with a sweet (almost pineapple) and no kick. The Red is also sweet, but it does have a nice bite to it.
Since it was a opening party the menu was limited; however, we were very satisfied with the choices we had.
For appetizer we had the Tres Amigos. This had three choices for your chips. A nice healthy portion of guacamole, a quest blanco and a habanero salsa. All three were very good. The Habanero had a sweetness to it and a little kick. Not bad though. It is more of a sauce than a salsa.
For dinner I had the Carnitas Soft Taco plate. The meat was moist and the caramelized onions and the crema were good addition.
My wife had the Carne Asada plate and we both agree that this was the best Carne Asada we can remember in a restaurant! A good portion with a fantastic marinade! The steak was not chewy or dry and was grilled perfectly.
We both enjoyed the "Green Rice" which was a cilantro rice and the black beans were a good touch compared to the traditional refried.
My only small complaint was they drizzled the rice and beans with a sour cream. I do not care much for sour cream. I wish they would have asked. My wife likes it, jso she had no issue.
Overall, it was a very good experience! I wish TQLA success in the Valley! This TX concept could open a few more throughout the Valley and do well!