urbanSTL

Gary Kreie wrote:(KSDK/SLBJ) -- The St. Louis Business Journal reported in its Aug. 11 issue that three local investors are bringing the La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill restaurant chain to St. Louis. Restaurant operator Joe Sieve, attorney Michael Katz and Business Bank of St. Louis Chairman Ed Throop acquired the local franchise rights from CKE Restaurants. California-based CKE also is the parent company of St. Louis-based Hardee's hamburger chain. The first local La Salsa restaurant opened earlier this month, in Creve Coeur, and ten more are planned for the market. The second location is being prepared for an early 2007 opening in Des Peres.

How many more Mexican restaurants does St. Louis need? We already have El Maguey, Casa Gallardo, Tamatillo, Qdoba, Hacienda, Del Taco, Chevy's, Taco Bell (if it counts), and SEVERAL other notable Mexican restaurants that I failed to even mention.

ChrisInDownTown wrote:Could still use a chipotle.

I like Qdoba better than Chipotle. They put a Chipotle right across from the campus at Mizzou though if you're wondering.

jlblues wrote:

stlmizzoutiger wrote:How many more Mexican restaurants does St. Louis need? We already have El Maguey, Casa Gallardo, Tamatillo, Qdoba, Hacienda, Del Taco, Chevy's, Taco Bell (if it counts), and SEVERAL other notable Mexican restaurants that I failed to even mention.

stlmizzoutiger wrote:Taco Bell (if it counts).

Err, no it does not.



And Del Taco? Are you serious? Jack in the Box serves tacos now, so I guess it must be a Mexican restaurant in your world. And McDonald's serves hamburgers, so it must be a German restaurant...sheesh.



The only restaurant on your list that I would consider even close to a Mexican restaurant is El Maguey. Casa Gallardo and Hacienda try, but they serve food for the Midwestern palate, i.e. bland and tasteless, with nothing on the menu I would consider hot or particularly spicy (although I know several people that have gotten sick from eating at Hacienda, so at least that aspect is authentic ) And, while I generally like Qdoba and Chipotle, their hottest salsa wouldn't make a baby cry - besides, no self-respecting burrito-joint stuffs their burritos full of white rice...

I completely agree. It's just that what is "Mexican" to the typical American isn't usually authentic Mexican. Although most of what I mentioned isn't real Mexican it counts as Mexican unfortunately for a lot of the people who eat at those establishments. I'd love to see another TRULY AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurant (Similar in some respects to El Maguey) in the renovated Lord & Taylor building at West County Center.



Here is a far too common example of the typical poorly educated American when it comes to foreign customs (COURTESY OF "THE ONION" )



Restaurant Turns Out To Be Spanish, Not Mexican

October 31, 2001 | Issue 37•39



SCRANTON, PA—Bob and Debra Mangurten expressed confusion and frustration Monday, when the restaurant Don Quixote turned out to be Spanish, not Mexican.





(PHOTO: The Spanish restaurant accidentally patronized by the taco-loving Mangurten (inset) and his wife.)



"Where are the tacos?" Bob, a 33-year-old Scranton telephone repairman, asked waiter Pedro Cruz while scanning the menu. "What kind of Mexican place doesn't have tacos?" Cruz politely explained to him that tacos were not on the menu because tacos are not indigenous to Spanish cuisine.



"Turns out, the place was Spanish, which, apparently, is different," Debra later recalled. "How the heck were we supposed to know that?"



After ordering two Mountain Dews and requesting more time to look over the menu, the couple debated whether to stay or just pay for the drinks and find a Mexican restaurant.



"I had my heart set on tacos," Bob said. "But we were too hungry to get back in the car and drive all the way across town to Chi-Chi's, so we decided to stay put and make the best of things. Besides, Deb and I had agreed to try new things together, so I guess that counts."



Upon returning with the Mangurtens' soft drinks, Cruz suggested they start off with some tapas, which he described to the bewildered pair as "Spanish-style appetizers."



"Why don't they just have chips and salsa for the appetizer?" Bob asked. "Instead, they have stuff like prosciutto and melon, and steamed mussels. That sounds like something you wouldn't eat on a dare."



"I'm scared I'm going to order the wrong thing, and these prices don't exactly encourage experimentation," Debra said. "The way the restaurant looks on the outside, you'd never know it was the kind of place where you'd feel nervous ordering."





(PHOTO: Mangurten, who "really wanted some tacos," eats herb-crusted sea bass with mashed yams.)



After studying the menu for nearly 25 minutes, Bob ordered sea bass and Debra ordered Paella Valenciana, chosen because she recalled hearing the term paella on an episode of Seinfeld. Fifteen minutes later, her entree, a mixture of seafood, chicken, sausage, rice, saffron, and assorted vegetables and spices, was brought out and served tableside directly from a sizzling pan.



Reaction was lukewarm.



"It was fine, I suppose," Debra said. "It didn't hit the spot like some quesadillas would have, but we could have done worse."



"I guess it doesn't matter at this point," Debra continued. "They got our money either way."



Though the words "authentic Spanish cuisine" are printed on Don Quixote's door, Bob said the restaurant should make more of an effort to make its identity clear to patrons.



"When you walk into a place called Don Quixote and see all the crazy, colorful stuff on the wall, you figure it's a place to get normal Mexican food," he said. "Then, you open up the menu and you're like, what's with all this seafood? They should call it 'Don Quixote's Not-Mexican Restaurant,' so people will know exactly what they're getting. Or not getting."



Debra, who said she had been in the mood for a beef enchilada with molé sauce, agreed.



"I think it's just plain sneaky giving the place a Mexican name and making it look like a Mexican place. The least they could do is have a few things like chimichangas and burritos on the menu, for all the people who walk in here by accident. You shouldn't have to fool people to get them to eat at your restaurant. That's just bad business."



Ed Brulley, a longtime friend of the Mangurtens, said this is not the first time the pair has been duped by a restaurant.



"I took them to a great Szechuan place, and they were upset about it not having sweet-and-sour chicken or chow mein," Brulley said. "I told them that's Cantonese style, and that this was authentic Szechuan. They looked at me like I was from China. I don't think they realize different parts of a country have different styles of dishes. They certainly don't realize that countries that speak the same language don't always have the same food."



Added Brulley: "God help them if they ever accidentally stumble into a Cuban joint."

"The market has changed," Lowe said. "A year ago, the thought was that the ideal development was an enclosed development. Now, there are more and more lifestyle developments which are outdoors with more amenities.

I think this is the most interesting comment. Maybe its the nature of the game currently, but are developers chasing trends year by year? What if enclosed malls are "in" again next year? Gasp! Maybe there's no universal architecture/development, but the building and constant rebuilding of primarily suburban malls is nauseating.

Great concept with the restaurant village. It'll probably snag a few new-to-St. Louis restaurants. I'll check it out. Seems like it could be a nice addition.