LUPE TAQUERIA

He says:
It was a sad day in Atlanta when the U Restaurants Group closed Cuerno earlier this year. It was a vibrant Spanish restaurant with delicious tapas and a warm, handsome interior. In fact, it might have been the best eatery in Midtown. Unfortunately it didn’t survive the economic downturn. U Restaurants recently opened Lupe in its place, and while it’s not as good as Cuerno, I can see it being more successful. Why? It’s pretty simple, really. Lupe is much cheaper. And it serves tacos. In times like these, that’s as sure a bet as you can ask for.

She says:
One thing that hasn’t changed is that it’s still a gorgeous restaurant. Sadly, Cuerno’s remarkable life-size bull sculpture, which was pieced together from colorful scraps of metal, has been removed. But otherwise, the small interior is the same: dimly lit, with smooth lines and rich dark colors. A surfeit of candles gives the place a romantic feel. Aside from the considerable noise level, Lupe is a great date spot.

A testament to this is their menu for two. For $25, you get an order of queso dip, 6 tacos (3 per person), and dessert. You might be able to find cheaper tacos at Tacqueria del Sol, but you’re not going to get this kind of ambiance or quality of food. Poblano peppers give the queso a bit of a kick, and the dip comes with freshly made (and still warm!) tortilla chips. The tacos also come wrapped in homemade corn tortillas. Of the three I tried – chicken, portabella mushroom, and shrimp – my favorite was the mushroom, which also included corn, poblano peppers, and cotija cheese. The flavors of all three tacos were far more complex than what you usually find at a taqueria, and the ingredients were noticeably fresh.

He says:
Uptown Girl had better luck with her choices. Of my three tacos, the lengua was the most disappointing; a well-prepared beef tongue should have a soft, silky texture, and Lupe’s definitely did not. The barbacoa de chivo taco was only slightly better. I expected the slow-braised goat meat to fall in the tender, slide-off-the-bone category, and once again it was tougher than it should have been. It also tasted more like bland beef than goat. The slow-cooked pork of the cochinita pivil was the best by default. Sadly the tomatillo salsa and jalapenos on all three of these tacos masked the meats’ flavors instead of heightening them. In the future I need to pay more attention to the sauces since they tend to dominate the platters.

She says:
The only disappointing thing for me was the dessert, an orange soda float, which I felt was a total throwaway. But for just $25 for a filling dinner for two, I wasn’t complaining.

We say:
Judging from the lively crowds since its opening, Lupe has a better chance at survival than Cuerno ever did. Considering that it’s cheap, close to our house, and serves above average tacos, we’ll be back.




Lupe Taqueria
905 Juniper, Atlanta, GA 30309
http://www.sottosottorestaurant.com/

ACROSS THE STREET

She says:
If I were to create my perfect neighborhood business district, it would look something like this... a funky independent coffee shop with fabulous baked goods, a romantic little Italian bistro, a cozy pub with yummy chowders, a cheap Pho shop, and a cute Mexican restaurant with a sunny patio that serves great summery drinks. Across the Street happens to be that cute Mexican restaurant. It’s the perfect neighborhood joint, right down to its appropriate name. (When Downtown Boy asked where it was, I answered “it’s across the street from Highland Bakery).

Across the Street has a small indoor space decorated with local art, but the patio is where the action is. With an outdoor bar, an overhang to protect against sudden rainstorms, and a pleasant view of the Freedom Parkway running path, it’s a terrific place to enjoy a margarita and mojito.

He says:
And that mojito is pretty darn terrific too. With fresh mint and lime, and a hypnotic balance of vodka and sugar, it’s the best mixed drink I’ve had all summer. Even better was the queso dip. Neither too goopy nor too thin, it comes with a hint of chili-infused heat that lifts it above all the other cheese dips I’ve tried in Atlanta. Along with the freshly made tortilla chips, I could eat it all day and night, it’s that good.

The chicken chimichanga is yet another winner. What it gives up in originality it more than make up for in size. Stuffed to the max with the usual suspects – black beans, corn, cheddar cheese – it’s roughly the size of a Chihuahua. I found the chicken breast within unusually tender, which was another plus.

She says:
I didn’t love the shrimp enchiladas, mostly because they are smothered in the exact same cheese sauce as the queso dip. It's good, but unoriginal. However, we both enjoyed the tres leches, a sweet, moist white cake made with three types of milk.

He says:
I admittedly have not been to many Mexican restaurants in Atlanta, but so far this place is my favorite.




She says:
The entrees may be hit or miss, but if we could transport Across the Street closer to our neighborhood, we’d be sitting on their patio every beautiful summer evening with summery drinks in hand.




Across the Street
668 Highland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
http://across-the-street.com/default.aspx

ZOCALO (MIDTOWN)

She says:
Zocalo is our classic fall back restaurant in Midtown. This isn’t the most flattering thing to say about a restaurant, but this “creative Mexican” cantina honestly never disappoints. It always has solid food, moderate prices, and a friendly atmosphere that makes it a great place to entertain guests on a budget.

He says:
Like most Mexican restaurants, Zocalo offers a bottomless basket of warm tortilla chips and salsa as soon as you get your seat (and this may take a while on a Friday or Saturday night!) The guacamole is fresh-made and usually quite good, though the kitchen can be stingy with the serving size. However, the last time I visited the guacamole wasn’t particularly creamy since avocados are way out of season.

My favorite item on Zocalo’s menu is the Alambre, a giant grilled cheese tortilla stuffed with beef, bacon, peppers, and onion. It’s folded into a burrito, with a deliciously crisp exterior. It tastes as good as it sounds.

On our last visit I tried the Pollo Tres Zetas, chicken breast mixed with asadero cheese, poblano peppers, and mushrooms in a cream-based tomatillo sauce. I loved the sauce, the tomatillos adding a nice bite to the creaminess. I would have preferred the juiciness of dark meat instead of white meat in this dish, but overall it’s still messy and filling – and sometimes that’s just what you need.

She says:
I usually order the enchiladas, which Zocalo makes just how I like them. A zangy green chile sauce coats substantial corn tortillas stuffed with cheese or shredded chicken. I prefer the cheese enchiladas, as the chicken is a tad dry. Served on the side is a generous scoop of refried beans and Mexican rice.

The margaritas, mojitos, and sangria are all on par as well.

We say:
This creative cantina isn’t all that creative, but a meal at Zocalo’s is a sure bet.




Zocalo (Midtown)
187 10th Street, Atlanta, GA 30309
http://www.zocalocreativemex.com/

SALA

He says:
When it comes right down to it, Sala doesn’t dazzle you with its food, even if it was rated the best Mexican restaurant in Atlanta by Citysearch in 2007. Nevertheless, the festive atmosphere and friendliness of the staff make a visit to this Virginia Highland mainstay a worthwhile trip.

The first thing you might notice about Sala is the wondrous array of Aztec masks jutting from the wine-colored walls; it’s a quirky touch of personality. The second thing you might notice is just how well the restaurant is laid out. The interior tables and booths along the perimeter are placed the perfect distance away such that the surrounding conversations give the place a lively buzz without rising to an obnoxious volume. On our last visit, even the screaming gaggle of girlfriends trading Christmas gifts two tables over didn’t entirely distract us from our meal.

She says:
None of the entrees were calling to me that night, so I sampled a few appetizers instead. The orange and jicama salad was fresh and zingy, and the duck taquitos were crispy and meaty, although the "duckiness" really didn’t stand out. The chile relleno was my favorite… The monstrous poblano chile (seriously, this is the biggest chile I’ve ever seen!) was stuffed with cheese and coated with chipotle sauce. The vivid and spicy flavor of the poblano distinguished it from other chile rellenos I’ve had.

He says:
The wood-roasted pork with tomatillo-cascabel sauce and Oaxacan cheese I ordered was a serviceable if unspectacular dish. The pork was not as tender as I would have liked, and it relied almost entirely on the zesty cascabel sauce for its flavor. However, even this average platter stood head and shoulders over the uber-bland vanilla egg custard that followed for dessert.

We say:
Sala is not a place for gourmands, but its overall charm can make for a great night out with friends.



Sala
1186 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30306
http://www.sala-atlanta.com/index.htm