Jim and Linda P. were in Pátzcuaro yesterday and so we arranged to meet them as well as Terry B. and her husband, Jim from Zirahúen. I was asked to select a restaurant, and chose Lupita's, on Calle Buena Vista # 7, Centro, site of the former Cha Cha Cha.
Lupita's has the comfort and pleasant ambiance suitable for conversation*, plus a nice if not especially distinguished menu. They also make a very good Margarita.
After a round of drinks for some of us, including a Herradura Tequila with a sangrita side for Jim, a copa de vino blanco for Linda, and a Margarita classic for me, we ordered. There was also a jarra of agua de papaya.
Sra. Cuevas and a few others had Sopa Tarasca for a starter and it was very good. Chef Lupita sent us a platter full of tostada halves topped with juicy tinga de pollo. Very nice. The salsa fresca was freshly cut and flavorsome, the other more liquid salsa was decent.
Terry decided to get the $70 Comida Corrida, which started with soup, a small salad and either bistec encebollado or chile relleno. She had the chile relleno, which I think she enjoyed.
Linda had a
Rice and Salmon Salad, while Sra. Cuevas continued, heedlessly, to an Ensalada de Pollo. At the first bite she recalled how boring a dish it was on a previous visit. The kitchen is at least consistent over time.
Jim P. and I both ordered Carne Asada a la Tampiqueña, which overall was very good. It consisted of a 250 gram piece of tender, jucy and flavorsome flat steak, sided by guacamole, chorizo, frijoles, arroz, and a simple enchilada de queso. It's a lot of food for $140 pesos. The rice was a bit excessively seasoned, but not so bad that we couldn't eat it.
We skipped dessert and coffee was ordered. Jim and I asked for espresso, which when it arrived in regular coffee cups, was dreadful. It was barely warm but it was plenty bitter. I sent mine back to be heated or done over, and it came back in a proper espresso demitasse. Yet it was still dreadful tasting.
Linda's cappucino apparently was fine.
La cuenta was $843 before tip.
* With the exception of the trio of itinerant musicians who entered toward the end of our meal and began to perform, unbidden. Fortunately, they were pretty good, and left after we paid them a token for just one song.
Here are my RATINGS:
Food: ***1/2
Service ****
Price: $-$$, where one $ equals $100 pesos per person, more or less.
Ambiance: ****
Hygiene: ****
Thu 07 Jul 2011, 00:06 by JimRP