Mesa Grill Actually Appreciates Restaurant Week

Hooray! Finally a restaurant that wasn’t a total jackass because we were ordering off the Restaurant Week menu. And, moreover, the R-week menu was based off the actual menu. They didn’t give us cheaper options. We got the real deal! I was shocked! Props to Bobby Flay. Overall, the meal was solid, but not quite Iron Chef worthy. The margaritas were okay but as soon as the bread basket came, I knew I would like the place. Muffins! Rolls! Something that was kind of in between!

Appetizers

The tomato and tortilla soup with white cheddar, avocado, and cilantro was smooth with a bit of spiciness at the end. One of the best I’ve had. The jumbo scallops were phenomenal. These were not on the regular menu but should be–the plaintain tostone resembled a crispy and delicious potato latke, as a friend pointed out.

Entrees

The grilled mahi mahi got mixed reviews. My piece was very chewy and dry, though latke-friend said that hers was incredibly moist and delicious. At least the yellow and red tomatoes were fresh. The 16-spice chicken with roasted garlic-mango sauce had a sweet aftertaste which went quite well with the blue corn tamale with basil butter–a fabulous tamale that was not overpowering but still filling. The cornmeal crusted chile relleno filled with zucchini and goat cheese worked well if you really love cheese (which of course tastes better in a crust) and was probably the heaviest of the three dishes.

Desserts

I probably would have preferred a molten chocolate cake over the warm chocolate cake that they served. It was a tad dry, though I did appreciate the fruits on top. The chocolate rum sorbet next to it was uninteresting and not my style (or most of my friends, since almost all of us left it over). The blackberry and peach shortcake was also just okay; once again I liked the fruit but the cake itself was not a standout.

Don’t want to complain too much–the service was good and they were nice to us (gosh, I can’t believe I even have to use that as a criteria for R-week). Wish the lighting was a little brighter. I’d maybe go back.

www.mesagrill.com, 15th St & 5th Ave

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Campbell’s Select Gold Label Southwestern Corn Soup

I’m a big soup lover and have wanted to try Campbell’s higher-end “Gold Level” soups for awhile. The Southwestern Corn soup was definitely a departure from Campbell’s other (read: subpar) soups. It had a nice kick and spiciness to it and tasted quite authentic and unprocessed. It could have been thicker though. Still, with good bread or tortilla chips to dip in, the soup is definitely a good solution for a quick lunch or starter for a Mexican meal.

Price: $2.69

Where: most supermarkets

Rating:

-Carey