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Carta De Oaxaca

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sararevell
sararevell
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
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La Carta De Oaxaca: A Taste of Real Mexico

  • June 19, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by sararevell from London, United Kingdom
La Carta De Oaxaca: A Taste of Real Mexico

La Carta de Oaxaca is what I’d call a boutique Mexican cantina. It has class in its food and in its interior design. Located in the heart of old Ballard, this place would be easy to miss if it weren’t for the queues of people waiting out the door. The wait can be a drawback but if you time it right then your patience will be duly rewarded.

Oaxaca has only been open for a couple of years and the bright interior and light wooden furniture still has an air of newness to it. The walls are covered in beautiful Mexicana photography, some of which is backlit. I always want to study them more closely but Oaxaca is a busy place and there’s no room to stand and stare, only to sit and eat or to sidle up to their self-serve salsa bar.

I admittedly have a couple of personal problems with Oaxaca because I’m allergic to nuts and cannot stomach very spicy foods. Oaxacan cuisine is generally quite spicy and the signature Mole sauce contains nuts. On previous visits I hadn’t fared too well but my husband had a craving for their Mole so I figured that I should give Oaxaca another chance.

We got there at 6.30pm, which is probably the latest time to arrive if you want to get a table right away. Their seating is very limited and although the turnaround is fast, you don’t want to end up too far down their waiting list. If do have to wait they have a diminutive bar at the back which isn’t a bad way to pass the time.

We started off with fresh guacamole and chips that were light, crispy, and hot out of the oven. My husband ordered his favourite Mole’Negro Oaxaqueno with chicken. He said that it’s the best Mole he’s ever tasted, as it’s very sweet but very light. It’s made with chocolate and true to the name it’s almost black in colour and looks like it has the consistency of good quality melted chocolate. I opted for the Halibut tortillas. They were almost too spicy for me but I managed to wash them down with a Negro Modelo and to be fair, they were delicious. The halibut tasted freshly barbequed and came dressed with crunchy vegetables and a spicy, creamy sauce.

The staff at Oaxaca is divided up between the floor, which is the men’s domain, and the kitchen, which is the women’s. The balance seems to work well. Even if the guys lack the happy, smiley American service style, they’re efficient and take their work very seriously. Meanwhile the kitchen staff are equally efficient and busy, turning out dish after delicious dish.

The portions at Oaxaca are not your usual mammoth Mexican plates that can leave you feeling over-inflated and under whelmed but each dish is good to share and is priced at $10 or less. Also note that reservations are only accepted for parties of 10-15.

www.lacartadeoaxaca.com

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