🚀 go-pugleaf

Robert Klothe (robert.klothe@pro-applepi.wap.org) wrote:
: For those of you who have had bad luck at Rio Grande but like the food, come on
: downtown (sort of) to Cactus Cantina on Wisconsin Ave at Macomb Street.  It is
: a virtual clone of Rio Grande--same taco machine, same wood floor, virutally
: the same food.  But I've always had friendly service.  We usually go with two
: kids in tow and Cactus Cantina has always treated them well, too.  If you like
: fajitas, the double order will serve at least three (my wife and I and our two
: children usually roll out after sharing an order).  The only drawbacks are that
: Cactus Cantina has also copied Rio Grande's long waits and loud noise level
: (try to get an outdoors table if you can't stand the racket).   ---Bob

I must strongly disagree.

The Cactus Cantina is one of the few places to be placed on my "never go
back" list.  After my GF and I moved here three years ago from Texas we
were both pleased to find the Cactus Cantina because it we both love
Tex-Mex and it did a nice and respectable menu. (Plus it's within walking
distance.) However with further frequent visits our regard for CC fell
and our visits became less often.  The service and food became more and
more erratic but our cravings for Tex-Mex kept us coming back but with
lower expectations each time.  On one of our last visits we even took the
manager aside and made some observations and suggestions because we
thought the problems were due to growth and lack of seasoning among the
staff.  However after our last visit last ~May, we have chosen to not give
them any more tries if anything, the quality of the food/service has had a
steady downward curve.  A food problem example is repeated failure to fully
grill meat and onions, fajitas should not be rare and onions shouldn't be
so undergrilled as to still be the same color as raw.  A service example
is a waiter who failed to pay attention, he asked before we were finished
with our food if we wanted desert.  We replied that we would when finished
like one of the ice cream combos (don't remember the exact dish).  He then
with prompt service :>, brought it to us.  We explaned that we wanted it
*after* we finished eating so he took it away only to bring the same one
back later, complete with melted ice cream.

I can't speak for who copied who in DC but a very successful chain of
restaurants in Houston named Pappacitos (sp) and owned by the Pappas
family has had the exact same menu as CC since they opened ten or more
years ago along with same decor and tortilla oven.  They BTW have best
Tex-Mex I ever had.  If in Houston, give the one on Richmond Ave a try and
get one of the combo plates, either beef/chicken fajitas with grilled
chicken breast or fajitas with grilled stuffed jumbo shrimp. (droll and
slobber) Not only is the food great there, but it has the best and
quickest service I have *ever* seen. 

The only reason I have for going to CC now is to buy their tortillas,
which are good, to serve when I grill my own fajitas.

--
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	+  David LaPoint	+ There are three kinds of lies: lies,	+
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