“I’m in the mood for Mexican, he said…basic, classic Mexican food.” So how hard is that to find on the Upper West Side? As it turns out, quite. There are plenty of Mexican restaurants but they all tend to have extensive menus with creative culinary takes on Mexican cuisine, and that was just not going cut it. My Jack didn’t want “upscale” or “creative”, he wanted the basics: tacos, enchiladas, burritos, tostadas… no mole, no “designer” creations concocted by the chef de cuisine.
So, the search began. I did what most people do. I checked Zagat’s and Yelp.com for restaurants with 3+ stars and, after much mulling and culling, came across Noche Mexicana. It had an average rating of 4 stars and was reviewed in Zagat’s (albeit 2009) so I thought, why not? The menu is simple – no unexpected creativity here, seems like a winner. Perfect for a man with simple tastes.
Located on the southwest corner of 101st and Amsterdam Avenue, Noche Mexicana isn’t much to look at from the outside. On a cold rainy evening like tonight, its floor to ceiling windows don’t afford much protection, although I suspect it would be nice in the summer. On the other hand, hanging on the walls were an impressive array of depictions of Mexican culture and some very interesting-looking religious masks, so I give them an “A” for interior decor. Yet, apart from the chill, the other thing that is most immediately apparent is the sound of the cheesiest Mexican Mariachi style music I’ve ever heard. By the end of this meal this will either prove to be over-the-top annoying or I’ll be over-the-top dancing on the table… either way, the result of one too many margaritas!
The waitress quickly whisks us to our table and returns with menus and water. I look around and say to myself “Jack wanted basic and this sure is it.” As I peruse the menu nothing really grabs me so I place the menu down. Our waitress arrives to ask for our drink order and if we’d like an order of guacamole. She had me at drinks, so and I ordered a lime Margarita – on the rocks with salt. Given Jack’s desire for basic Mexican fare we decide its best to order the mild guacamole; something I’d regret since I was in the mood for spicy. I was both disappointed and startled when the waitress slid a small white bowl of guacamole across the table. No table-side freshly made guacamole I thought to myself? We dig in. I knew it wouldn’t be spicy but this is downright bland and the nacho chips were less to be desired. This was not a good start.
Our main course arrives. For my entree I ordered Steak Enchiladas which came with rice, re-fried black beans, lettuce and tomato. And what did Jack order? Tacos…of course. By this time I’m really hungry, so imagine my disappointment looking down on a plate of pale yellow rice that is clumpy and beans that looked as if they were sitting out for awhile. I take a sip of my margarita and build up the nerve to take a bite – there is no flavor. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad – it was just unseasoned. Reluctantly, I try to doctor it up with salt, pepper and hot sauce. On a good note, the meat was tender and cooked to a perfect medium rare (even though I was not asked how I wanted my steak). I look up from my plate and I see that Jack is having a lackluster experience with his beef tacos as well.
So, do I recommend Noche Mexicana? No, not for the food. But, if you want to surround yourself with a bit of Mexican culture and like to sway to the sounds of classic Mariachi music while munching on Mexican fare, then by all means, go.
Let’s just hope Jack was happy.
