Maria Cantina — Restaurant in Montpellier

For English, please check bellow.

TLDR – Une décoration typique, dommage que le reste ne suive pas. Si vous tenez à des plats avec des ingrédients surprises, qui arrivent à peine tiède, dans une hygiène relative et servi avec agressivité dans le bruit, allez-y. Sinon, évitez…

La serveuse était bien plus occupée avec son téléphone qu’a s’occuper de nous lorsque nous sommes arrivés vers 20h.

Après un choix sur la carte (photo jointe) nous avons pris un plat de Mulas et un plat de Quesadilla en demandant expressément qu’il soit sans oignons (intolérance), puisque la liste des ingrédients n’en mentionne pas sur les Mulas.

Problème : Après un voyage par l’escalier non-sécurisé et très raide au fond pour se rendre à l’étage, les Mulas arrivent pleins d’oignons rouges… Et pour la personne intolérante. Et les Quesadillas arrivent très humides… Les deux à peine tiède. Et pas même un verre d’eau pendant tout le repas.

Une redescente avec la barquette plastique des Mulas, on nous « explique » (assez fort et avec assez d’agressivité pour être entendue clairement depuis le 1er étage) que c’est notre faute ne pas avoir préciser ne pas vouloir d’oignon… Dans un plat qui n’est pas sensé en comporter ! Une petite partie à été retirée, à la main et sans gant, du plat, en laissant plein dedans. Immangeable donc pour la personne intolérante, et en attendant, les Quesadillas pataugent toujours et refroidissent encore.

Donc pour un total de 24€, on a eu 4 tiers de Quesadilla avec du maïs qui n’est pas sur la carte et 4 petits tacos Mulas (environs 3 bouchées chaque) couvert d’oignons qui n’est pas marqué sur la carte.

L’huile de friture n’est pas indiquée mais au goût il ne me semble pas que ce soit de l’arachide, pensez à demander quand même si vous osez y aller !

----- English -----

TLDR – A typical decoration, too bad the food and services aren’t as good. If you really want to have meals with surprise ingredients, arriving barely lukewarm, with pretty questionable hygiene and served with aggressiveness in loud environment, go for it! Else, maybe go elsewhere…

The waitress was a lot busier with her phone than taking care of us when we arrived around 8pm.

After a choice on the pretty limited menu (picture joined – no English menu as far as I’m aware) we took a set of Mulas tacos and a set of Quesadilla, expressively requesting that no onions to be put in the Quesadillas (intolerance to it), as the ingredient list didn’t mention onions in the Mulas tacos.

Problem: After a trip through the totally unsecured and pretty steep stairs in the back to the 2nd floor, the Mulas tacos arrived full of red onions… And that was for the intolerant person. Completely inedible. And the Quesadillas arrived bathing in a clear runny “juice” … Both barely lukewarm. And of course, not even a glass of water for the whole meal.

An unstable descent with the plastique “tray” containing the 4 tiny tacos and we’re “explained” (loud and aggressively enough to be heard very clearly through the noise to the 2nd floor) that it’s our fault for not mentioning that we didn’t want onion… In a set with the ingredient listed didn’t specify the presence of onions! We should have guessed that it was included and they couldn’t tell us when we specified for the other set… A small part of it was removed, by hand and without glove, leaving a lot of onions in the inside. Still, completely inedible for the intolerant person. All the while, the Quesadillas still bathe and cooled down some more, of course.

So, for a total of 24€, we got 4 thirds of Quasidillas with corn kernels that wasn’t mentioned in the ingredient list and 4 tiny Mulas tacos (about 3 bites each) smothered in red onions also not included in the ingredient list… As well as being yelled at for complaining about troublesome unexpected ingredients.

The frying oil isn’t mentioned either but from the taste, it doesn’t seem to be arachidic oil, still be thoughtful and ask before ordering anything if you’re allergic and that you still dare...

I saw a few comments on how this place is expensive or non-authentic. Both I'd disagree with: -The non-authentic criticism wholeheartedly disagree. -The expensiveness - ...well, kinda, but hey, finding quality Mexican food in France is a tough proposition. You can't expect it to be cheap like McDonald's.

I do find the place a bit cramped, especially with little kids or big groups, ...but alas, finding a quality property for the owners of this place would be a big challenge in Montpellier no doubt.

The location is good, close to city center and train station.

I've always found the staff to be friendly.

I am sure there can be long waits some times - such is the restaurant...

Had tacos al pastor deliveroo'd on a Sunday night and we were super stoked as these are by far the only legit tacos we've found in MTP (that we didn't make at home). 13€ for 4 tacos + a few chips and a tiny serving of beans is a good deal. Seems the corn tortillas are home made (at least definitely not old el paso), the beans had nice flavour, and the negro modelo is the perfect bevvie to wash it down...i may never get used to kidney beans masquerading as pintos but muchos gracias to Maria Cantinas for getting the tacos...