Mi Cocina vs. My Kitchen
How could I resist a visit to Mi Cocina as I live full time in the condos above the restaurant. The atmosphere looked inviting and the christmas lights illuminating the outdoor tables give the appearance of a village cafe. Unfortunately despite the tables, and the presence of to-go boxes for customer doggie-bags, there was neither outdoor service, or to go service. Sad for me as the smells were dragging me in however I wished to spend time with my dog and my son and would have loved to bring the fiesta home...
So I returned for lunch before a day at the beach with my sister and my son at a later time anticipating that the smells would deliver to my tastebuds. The hostess seated us at a table in the main dining room where the high traffic of the day was evident. The table we were seated at as well as the floors needed attention. Automatically a server assistant brought chips and salsa - usually a good barometer of what is to come. Unfortunately the salsa had no character and the chips were thick, hard, and dare I say stale.
I requested new chips, and the second batch was the ugly cousin to the first. When the actual server appeard several minutes later (We really needed some water to wash down those chips) I asked if there were any other options for the salsa, and was told there was some bottled hot sauce that might heat it up. Not exactly what I was expecting from a place I hear was furnished with pieces imported from Mexico...
When we asked the server's opinion on what to order she said she liked the chicken tacos. I asked if they were nice and moist, and she said "No, they are dry, but I don't really eat anything else on the menu". Ok - I was thrown a little off balance, but we are on the beautiful Emerald Coast, so the fish tacos caught my eye. I asked - "What do people say about the fish tacos?" She replied, "They are good I guess but like I said I don't really eat them."
My son ordered a taco with rice and beans on the side, never got the rice, and the beans could have been used to lay bricks. I couldn't even swallow them.
The fish tacos came out and looked pretty, light and fresh, but the glamour disappeared on the first bite. I was told the fish was grouper. This was not grouper, and it was overcooked. There were no seasonings or any flare to the tacos at all.
I again requested a flavored sour cream, hotter salsa, or something to help me enjoy this meal, however there were no options available. I removed the fish from the tacos and explained to the server that it was not grouper. She was not sure how to respond and I was not prepared to hear once again how she doesn't eat anything on the menu - that should have been my first clue!
All that being said, the margarita with the sangria swirl was refreshing and may have provided me the tranquility needed to complete the lunch without a tantrum. So - as I always promise to give every establishment more than one chance, I returned tonight at 9:50 in hopes to revisit the one thing I remembered fondly - the margarita.
When I walked in I asked the hostess, "Is it too late for a margarita?" The sign on the door states that the bar is open until 10pm... She told me I should ask the bartender. When I approached the bar, two girls with some beers who appeared as though they may have been servers told my sister and I that the bar was closed, the bar staff appeared to be in the back cleaning up, however there were still customers in the bar. I lingered for a moment in hopes to get the attention of a bartender, but no luck. Obviously this establishment is doing so well that two customers, a bad lunch, lack of service, or any individual experience is unimportant. I hope our tourists don't figure this out, or Mi Cocina may be in trouble...
How could I resist a visit to Mi Cocina as I live full time in the condos above the restaurant. The atmosphere looked inviting and the christmas lights illuminating the outdoor tables give the appearance of a village cafe. Unfortunately despite the tables, and the presence of to-go boxes for customer doggie-bags, there was neither outdoor service, or to go service. Sad for me as the smells were dragging me in however I wished to spend time with my dog and my son and would have loved to bring the fiesta home...
So I returned for lunch before a day at the beach with my sister and my son at a later time anticipating that the smells would deliver to my tastebuds. The hostess seated us at a table in the main dining room where the high traffic of the day was evident. The table we were seated at as well as the floors needed attention. Automatically a server assistant brought chips and salsa - usually a good barometer of what is to come. Unfortunately the salsa had no character and the chips were thick, hard, and dare I say stale.
I requested new chips, and the second batch was the ugly cousin to the first. When the actual server appeard several minutes later (We really needed some water to wash down those chips) I asked if there were any other options for the salsa, and was told there was some bottled hot sauce that might heat it up. Not exactly what I was expecting from a place I hear was furnished with pieces imported from Mexico...
When we asked the server's opinion on what to order she said she liked the chicken tacos. I asked if they were nice and moist, and she said "No, they are dry, but I don't really eat anything else on the menu". Ok - I was thrown a little off balance, but we are on the beautiful Emerald Coast, so the fish tacos caught my eye. I asked - "What do people say about the fish tacos?" She replied, "They are good I guess but like I said I don't really eat them."
My son ordered a taco with rice and beans on the side, never got the rice, and the beans could have been used to lay bricks. I couldn't even swallow them.
The fish tacos came out and looked pretty, light and fresh, but the glamour disappeared on the first bite. I was told the fish was grouper. This was not grouper, and it was overcooked. There were no seasonings or any flare to the tacos at all.
I again requested a flavored sour cream, hotter salsa, or something to help me enjoy this meal, however there were no options available. I removed the fish from the tacos and explained to the server that it was not grouper. She was not sure how to respond and I was not prepared to hear once again how she doesn't eat anything on the menu - that should have been my first clue!
All that being said, the margarita with the sangria swirl was refreshing and may have provided me the tranquility needed to complete the lunch without a tantrum. So - as I always promise to give every establishment more than one chance, I returned tonight at 9:50 in hopes to revisit the one thing I remembered fondly - the margarita.
When I walked in I asked the hostess, "Is it too late for a margarita?" The sign on the door states that the bar is open until 10pm... She told me I should ask the bartender. When I approached the bar, two girls with some beers who appeared as though they may have been servers told my sister and I that the bar was closed, the bar staff appeared to be in the back cleaning up, however there were still customers in the bar. I lingered for a moment in hopes to get the attention of a bartender, but no luck. Obviously this establishment is doing so well that two customers, a bad lunch, lack of service, or any individual experience is unimportant. I hope our tourists don't figure this out, or Mi Cocina may be in trouble...
