Lived in Tucson, AZ before Pittsburgh, so I'm always excited when a new, nearby Mexican restaurant opens up. However, I'd held off visiting La Catrina after seeing the initial Yelp reviews. Well, that was a big mistake, as I've been depriving myself of easily some of the best Mexican in the area.
We went this past Saturday evening when it was bitterly cold and the roads still a mess from the previous night's snowfall. As a result, we were one of only two parties for dinner. The owner Demetrio, who is a fellow Dormont resident, chatted with us for awhile when we first arrived--super friendly and welcoming. (His wife does all the cooking.) He also brought us a plate of chips with chicken tinga (on the house) while we were waiting for the rest of our order. The chips were light and fresh, and the chicken tinga was tender and flavorful.
We ordered the "classic nachos" at my daughter's request. The nachos were definitely lighter than is typical, with enough tasty melted cheese, black beans, crema, pico de gallo, guac, and steak to ensure some on every chip, but not so much to weigh it down. For entrees we ordered a taco platter (one each of carnitas, steak, and ground beef), the enchiladas de mole con pollo (chicken enchiladas with mole sauce), enchiladas verdes con bistek (cheese enchilada with green sauce and a think steak), and chiles en ahogada (stuffed poblano peppers with cream sauce, one stuffed with cheese, one with beef). We all gushed over our entrees, and appreciated how careful attention was paid to each element. For example, the chiles en ahogada were sprinkled with pomegranate seeds that perfectly complemented the balance of cream sauce, roasted peppers with just a bit of heat, and (what appeared to be) queso fresco filling. Even the black beans that accompanied the dishes were delicious, as was the side of nopales we ordered.
We ended the dinner with churros (again requested by my daughter) that arrived drizzled with chocolate sauce. We were all stuffed from the meal, but managed to make room for the churros (a good decision) before heading back out into the cold.
We'll definitely be back, perhaps on a Sunday when Demetrio told us there are a bunch of off-menu dishes that are available, including posole!