La Mestiza

14724 Airline Hwy. Ste. 10

Prairieville, LA
225.313.4191
http://www.mestizorestaurant.com

Cuisine Rouge Rating: 

3.5 plates

Not to be confused with the typical Mexican restaurant, La Mestiza and its big brother, Mestizo, are Louisiana Mexican restaurants, a point of clarity that chef/owner Jim Uridales wants people to know about.  With his creative menu he has managed to incorporate our delicious seafood bounty into traditional Mexican fare, creating a fusion of cuisines that is delicious and unique.

We visited La Mestiza on a Thursday evening and found it to be moderately busy, but not overcrowded.  In keeping with tradition, I felt compelled to order a margarita immediately, for professional evaluation purposes of course.  For a house margarita it was pretty good, better than most that I have had.  Just the fact that it wasn’t that disgusting neon green color that is so often seen was a good sign.

Mestiza Margarita

The obligatory chips and salsa were presented, and I found the salsa to be okay.  Personally I like it a bit spicier; I found this one to be a little too much on the mild side.  The addition of carrots was unusual, but I think it adds nice little hint of sweetness, which some extra heat would have paired with nicely.

Mestiza's salsa

The plethora of seafood dishes on the menu was instantly appealing to me.  Crawfish and spinach con queso, shrimp and crab nachos, crawfish burrito, and shrimp and Portobello quesadillas to name a few.  Although I would have loved to sample all of these, time and money dictated otherwise.  I opted for the best combination of seafood items available, the Mendoza.  This combination platter consisted of a crawfish chimichanga, shrimp and crab chili relleno, and a guacamole salad.  I requested rice in the place of the salad since I’m not a big fan of guacamole, but sadly my request got lost before I received my dish.

Mestiza Combo

The highlight of the combo was easily the chili relleno.  The stuffing of crab and shrimp was delicious, and was great with the pepper which was softened nicely from the frying.  The chimichanga was good, not too bready as some I have had, but didn’t stand out remarkably.

My wife, who loves tamales, was quite disappointed that the masa on her tamales was a bit on the dry side.  

The dessert offerings were fairly typical, and tempting, but this time around were skipped.  All in all, Mestiza is a nice place to go to fill the need for Mexican food, but not be subjected to the same ordinary dishes.

Coyote Blues - Fresh Mexican Grill

By: Chad

3014 S. Acadian Thruway
225-329-2055
http://www.coyotebluesrest.com

Cuisine Rouge Rating:

Lafayette based Coyote Blues has taken over the former spot occupied by Lone Star steakhouse off Acadian Thruway near I-10, and has done so in a huge way. The new building is quite spacious, brightly decorated and features an interesting array of menu options, starting with their selection of 300 tequilas. Everything from your typical brands you can find at any bar up to the $40 per shot varieties like Herradura Suprema and Gran Patron Platinum.

We started out with drinks, sampling the house margarita and the Cosmopolitan, both of which were on a happy hour (4-7 daily) type special, priced at only $4. One nice touch I liked about the drink selection was the addition of mocktails to the menu. This offers those who don’t partake of alcohol the opportunity to join the party with some tasty drinks. Of course we were also presented with the standard Mexican restaurant greeting of chips and salsa, with the addition of another dip, an interesting combination of creamy avocado and cilantro that was quite tasty - almost like a guacamole blended with sour cream.

The food offerings are quite interesting with the menu showing a Cajun flair applied to many dishes. One that stands out is the appetizer, Fried Oysters on the Half Chip. Oysters crusted with ground corn, served atop nacho chips with a chipotle aioli. For our visit, we opted for the exotic sounding Mayan Pyramid, a pork tamale shaped like a pyramid, sitting on a bed of two sauces, black bean puree and roasted corn sauce. It was quite tasty, but also quite rich (a little too much for an app), and quite expensive for what was a relatively small portion ($7.29).

For entrees, we tried the Chicken Chimichanga and the Nuevo Crab Enchiladas. The chimichanga was straightforward and nothing outside of what you would expect out of the dish. It was well prepared, not overly greasy, and with good flavor. The enchiladas were very good, a nice twist on the traditional enchilada, featuring roasted corn crepes in place of the typical tortilla. They were filled with a flavorful crab stuffing and topped with a mango and red pepper salsa. They were placed atop two cream sauces, a roasted Poblano, and a red pepper Ancho. This was served with the sides of Poblano rice and cheese corn grits. While this is a very good dish, to call it rich is an understatement. The cream sauces provide a nice flavor and add to the quality of the dish, but be prepared to feel stuffed.

While we were not physically able to really enjoy dessert, we ordered one for the sake of our review, and tried the Tres Leches cake. It was served in an interesting presentation, cubes of the milk-soaked cake served in a margarita glass with the milk sauce and topped with whipped cream, toasted coconut and fresh fruit. It fell in line with our other items, tasty, but over the top with creamy richness.

Coyote Blues is a fun, indulgent restaurant. On the plus side, there’s great food, good service, and a fun environment. On the down side, it is quite loud, rather expensive for Mexican fare, and the food will leave you feeling like you’ve consumed a million calories. Overall, it’s a good restaurant worth giving a shot.


Mayan Pyramid


Tres Leches

Chicken Chimichanga

Nuevo Crab Enchiladas

Taco and Burrito Express – Good Mexican Can Come From Taco Bell

By: Mark

Baton Rouge is a city with a large Hispanic population. As a result of this, the citizens are treated to a wide variety of taquerias and restaurants serving traditional Mexican fare. Regardless of all these options, Taco Bell still seems to be the overwhelming favorite for quick Mexican (and I say Mexican with eyes rolling). Taco and Burrito Express, which is located inside a vacant Taco Bell at 2698 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd, shows good food can come from a very recognizable fast food building.

When one enters, it is hard to shake the Taco Bell stigma. A long counter is still present in the front of the restaurant for taking orders and booths adorned with the familiar red, green, and brown colors are still in their original place. A row of small tables is in between the booths and offers a better seating option than the uncomfortable booths. The interior is clearly still a work in progress as mismatched pieces of Mexican art are displayed on the wall, a large TV projects a blurred showing of whatever is on Telemundo that day, and a section of Spanish CD’s and DVD’s are displayed for sale. On the counter sits three large containers of freshly made agua frescas. Agua frescas are combinations of fresh fruit juice, sugar and water. The result is a slightly sweet and refreshing drink. We tried the pineapple agua fresca, which was just slightly sweet and a little tart. We also tried the horchata. Horchata is a milky drink made of rice water, vanilla, and cinnamon. It is very sweet and tastes like the milk from a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal! Both drinks were relatively inexpensive and came in large glasses.

Chips and three choices of salsa were provided while we mulled over the menus. The first, a traditional salsa, might be some of the best I have ever had. It had a nice chunky texture and was filled with tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Another salsa was made of tomatillos, lime juice, and cilantro, and the last was spiked with spicy and bitter red chilies. All salsas were unique and very fresh. I also ordered a side of guacamole which also was excellent. Unlike some restaurants, Taco and Burrito Express actually gives you a decent serving of the smooth, green stuff.

The food to money ratio at T&B is quite large, as big plates of food are served for cheap prices. However, the cheap prices do not compromise the quality of the dishes served. A large plate of nachos was served piled high with spiced meat and loads of melted cheese. The burritos came large and were stuffed with meat and other fillings. Tacos are served in a traditional style with double corn tortillas and plenty of lime juice, cilantro, and onions. Such meats sampled were the carne asada, shredded chicken, pork al pastor, and beef tongue. All meats were rich in Mexican spices and tasted great. Enchiladas are also featured and are some of the best in town. T&B also features daily specials. The night I went, the special was the seafood soup. A large bowl of spicy seafood broth spiked with chilies and tomatoes was swimming with flakey white fish, large shrimp, a whole crab, mussels, octopus, and snow crab legs. Though the seafood had been cooked in the soup, causing it to be too soft in texture, the flavors were all just right. T&B does not give one the false impression that their food is highly refined. It is simply honest food at a good price and cooked from the heart. T&B also serves breakfast throughout the day and offers a drive through service.

Taco and Burrito Express caters to a large clientel of Hispanic workers and locals, letting one know that the food is authentic. In fact, it satisfied one of Cuisine Rouge’s goals: to eat where the locals eat. If you are a fan of Mexican, Taco and Burrito Express deserves your attention and your business. The exterior may be a bit off-putting to some, but upon entering one is treated to great traditional Mexican food. For a good meal at a great price, make Taco and Burrito Express your next stop when you are craving a taste of the border!


Dos Hermanos