Soda Tala #1 — Restaurant in Merced

Great spot. We were the only gringos there. The lady that seats you and takes your order looks mean but is very sweet. She also speaks zero English. They have an English Spanish menu so that'll make it easier. Everyone seems to order this green juice. We got it. It's like a sweet fruit juice. It's pretty fun. They have a couple different plates and you just substitute the meats and then they have empanadas and a couple other solo items and that's it. Real simple and delicious food. Try the beef sandwich. It's simple, pressed beef with a little bit of tomato and a little bit of lettuce. I think mayo or maybe it was cheese and squished bread. Fantastic! To pay the lady that takes your order just says a number to the cashier and then you pay her. I believe it's cash only. Somebody wrote a review saying they take credit cards. I did not...

Nestled deep in the mercado lies Soda Tala, a humble establishment fitting no more than 20 or so people.

The atmosphere is perfect. It really feels like the soul of the mercado—orders are yelled up to the kitchen upstairs, food comes down from the conveyor, the egg cakes are fried in a stall across the restaurant all the while people pass through—if you didn’t know where to look, you could easily miss this place, but it is not to be missed.

The winning combo I experienced was the Jugo de Cas—a green juice that nearly every other patron enjoyed with their meal as well—and their famous talapinto; I opted for the meat option myself.

The juice was refreshing and sweet and the dish was filling and savory. The best part was surely the egg cake underneath, buried underneath it all.

Highly recommend this spot for a delicious,...

ATTENTION: cash only.

Food Quality: amazing place to have some local style food. For the kind of establishment it is what you would expect and even more.

Portions: very good portions especially for such a good price.

Drinks: bot many options, but you have to try the local juice they will offer.

Price: $ very very good price. Especially when everything else is so expensive.

Service: super friendly woman took our order and accommodated us. She helped us through the order and even introduced us to some of the local produce.

Atmosphere: cozy little place in the middle of the market. Dont expect much space or comfort, but it is a place to have a good meal and continue your day.

Highlights: local food and price.

Payment...