La Condesa Mexican Restaurant – Boca Raton — Restaurant in Boca Raton

Beyond disappointing! I will NEVER return. They don't care about their customers. There are many better places to spend your money and get delicious food plus great service in Boca Raton.

I joined a very large group for lunch. I ordered the Mahi fish tacos lunch which arrived as 2 small, open face tacos and a tiny ramekin of black beans. My plate was simply dropped off to me and the server dashed off. Never again did the server return to ask me how it was, or if I needed anything. In between speaking with people, I kept wondering if the server would return so I could ask for some salsa. When I think of Mexican food I think great salsa! I saw that my friends had salsa in little dishes they'd already finished, as did the kids next to me. Because I had joined the large group late I was one of the last ones at the huge table to leave. I figured I would take the last taco home and enjoy the rest of my lunch. At this point, the server dropped the bill off in front of me as he was wiping down the joined tables. He never asked how it was or if I had everything I needed. Finally, I was able to ask the man if I could have some salsa. He looked at me as though he didn't understand English. I pointed to the empty salsa dish my friend had and asked again, "may I have some salsa for my fish taco since I never received any with my lunch?" At this point he goes and gets another guy who comes over to me and gives me an angry look. I ask again, "can I have a little dish of salsa for my fish taco?" He tells me, "No."

Salsa has to be one of the cheapest things to make. In fact, I make it often with organic tomatoes, sweet onions, cilantro and add to chopped kale, etc. I can buy all ORGANIC ingredients from Trader Joe's for under $10.00 and have salsa for days after I make it. Oh, and it's quick and easy to make! At this point I arranged the remaining fish taco in the to-go box and picked up the bill and walked it to the front. I paid the $22.00, plus bill and asked for the manager. When he arrived, I told him I was not happy they would not give me a small amount of salsa with my $22.00 tacos. He said they don't give salsa when you take food to go. (If I was given salsa I would have put it on top of my taco if they were worried they'd have to give me a to-go container.) I explained how I never got any salsa with my lunch and that the server never came back to check on me once or ask me if I needed anything when he dropped my plate off and dashed away. The supposed manager shrugged his shoulders to dismiss me. At this point I realized he couldn't care less. In fact, they were saying inappropriate things amongst each other in Spanish.

So La Condesa lost my business for charging top dollar for 2 fish tacos and not even giving me a little salsa with my Mahi tacos. That experience left me wondering if they are going out of business?! Why would they be SO cheap? The only other reason is they don't care about their customers. They only care about how much money they make at the end of the day which is not the kind of business I will support.

I read another woman's review, and she found glass in her drink recently and they charged her for the drink anyway! That is just disturbing!!!! Shame on you La Condesa...

Molcajete Quest #2

OK, I am seriously obsessed with the Molcajete now. The molcajete is basically a mortar made of volcanic rock and is used to grind foods into powder. The pestle, tejolote is the complimentary stone tool. Yet it is also a culinary dish housing a stew of different meats and ingredients.

Trying La Santa's molcajete was like having a Mercedes or Lexus as your first car. Everything else is perhaps unfairly, compared to it. Nonetheless, living on Florida's East Coast, I don't have the luxury of travelling to Naples every time I need a molcajete fix and since my first review, I've tried other places closer to home but nothing came close. Until I tried La Condesa.

Located off Airport Rd, La Condesa is an upscale Mexican restaurant that offers a wide selection of dishes and unique creations. The food here is well above average and I recommend their Mexican Street Tacos (everything here is good). However, I also come here for their El Molcajete, which like La Santa in Naples, is an overstuffed stew of steak, chicken, shrimp, chorizo, onions, etc. It's presented fire hot (seriously), with a side of rice, beans and tortillas-though you'll likely need to order more than the complimentary three they give you. I recommend the corn tortillas.

The taste, quality and quantity are top-notch and from my experience very similar to La Santa, yet easily stands as its own unique creation. I do wish they serve it with a slice of pineapple to add another layer of taste, but that's minor. This is a fantastic, flavorful, (definitely eye-catching) communal dish that's great for a date night, or simply two folks who are in the mood for something different.

Being on Florida's east coast, whenever I need a molcajete fix, and can't drive across Alligator Alley, this is my place. It's seriously good.

Now...

I love authentic Mexican food and have even gone so far as to make home made, complicated mole sauce. I am frequently disappointed at the lame Westernized "Mexican" restaurants that pale in comparison to the real thing. In this immediate area poor imitators would include Rocos Tacos (various locations) and Las Fajitas in Boca Raton. To get authentic Mexican food in the Boca area I used to have to go to El Camino or Ahtziri.

la Condesa, I am glad to report, joins these in serving some of the best truly Mexican food I have outside of Mexico or Southern California. Large, tastefully decorated interior, friendly staff and an extensive menu sure to please gringos s well as those looking for the real deal.

Complimentary chips and salsa were served, and I am glad I asked for a serving of the hotter sauce to go along with their tasty salsa. Spicy, but not mouth-burning so.

The chicken mole enchiladas were excellent but my only rather minor complaint occurred when I was denied a request to try two different sauces on the enchiladas so I could tell which sauce I liked the best in the future. This is really a very simple thing to do, and something Ahtzirii was happy to do for me. Just pour mole along half the enchiladas and rojas or salsa verde on the other half. In all fairness, tbhey do offer three enchiladas with three sauces, just not the mole I wanted as one.

I went back for lunch and had an even better meal. Grilled mahi mahi and shrimp. Fish is often overcooked but in this case generous portions of mahi and shrimp were grilled to perfection and served along with cilantro rice and sliced avocado. Very fairly priced too.

The tortilla soup is also outstanding with lots of shredded tender chicken and perfectly cooked veggies - yellow squash, zucchini, onion, avocado.

In any event, highly...