Accá — Restaurant in El Paso

We went yesterday with some friends because we all had been wanting to try something new. The place is neat not a lot of restaurants have open kitchens in El Paso, so we really liked the concept. We were quickly greeted and sat. Service was amazing and food came out quickly. As for the food I have to say it did leave us with more to be desired. To start we had the hummus, the naan bread was perfect, the hummus was not bad, but it did lack some flavor and substance. It had a pool of olive oil on top which made it a bit too watery and gave it a bitter taste. Two of us had the Pomodoro Fettuccine, the pasta itself was perfection I must say, but the sauce was extremely bland and it tasted like unsalted tomato sauce from a can had just been poured on it. The ricotta cheese on top gave it a bit more substance and was a nice touch, but not enough flavor to be enjoyable. Even after asking for salt it was hard to fix, because it lacked spices and flavor, it could have been hotter as well. My husband had the grilled chicken sandwich, the chicken was cooked really well, as it was moist and juicy. But the sandwich it self was nothing particularly special, but I guess not overcooking a chicken breast is a talent in it’s own right. Our other friend ordered the burger, the patty itself was different in the sense that they have a 50/50 patty. Which basically just gives you the taste of bacon in every bite, it was cooked perfectly, but again pretty basic burger. I would of liked to see options available like chile, bacon jam, or goat cheese to make it really stand out. The Truffle Parmesan fries were the best part of the meal and saved me from being hungry all night. They were crispy and delicious. I’ve learned to always order fries in case all else fails you don’t starve. To drink I had wine, the others had their Jamaica agua fresca/coffee, to be honest it lacked sugar and was very bitter, I was glad I didn’t order it because it came in a huge glass. For there not being cocktails they could have a better presentation of their aguas fresas to really highlight them, such as pretty glasses and garnishes. Especially since they only had one option available. Unfortunately, I have to say that the dessert was a complete bust. We had the crème brûlée which was chocolate for the day, it just tasted like chocolate pudding, but the worst part was that it was extremely liquified and did not have the custard consistency it should have. Lastly we had the Mille Feuille which should have been a layered PUFF pastry with cream and berries. The puff pastry was more of a stale hard cracker that was hard to cut through let alone eat. The cream itself was delightful and really good, but the hard puff pastry really ruined the dessert for us. Overall, the appetizer was so so, two out four entrées were good, and two out of two desserts were bad. They only have beer and wine, so if you enjoy cocktails this is not the place for you. The lighting could be better, and by better I mean dimmer with some candlelight to give a more upscale vibe and some nice light music would be a good touch as well, so that you are not over hearing everyone’s conversations. I really wanted to like this place, but I can’t say it would ever be my to go to restaurant or something I would be dying to go back to. This place has potential but it really lacks certain touches and flavors to make it really stand out in El Paso. I’m also not really sure what the vibe is here, it’s like upscale “comfort” food in a diner setting type of thing. Not really romantic or date night type of place, I mean there was a guy with a dog sitting at the kitchen bar. It was a very neighborhood diner type of vibe, which really threw us all a little off. I would not say the place was cozy as it lacked decor and like I said better lighting to make it feel cozy. As for elevated comfort food, the dishes really lack substance and attention to detail,...

Acca's ambiance is fantastic! Exposed brick walls and modern lighting created a chic, open feel, reminding us of our favorite show 'The Bear.' The food was equally impressive. We started with the grilled Caesar salad - the smoky char on the lettuce was a delightful surprise, and the generous use of high-quality parmesan didn't go unnoticed. My pomodoro fettuccine was perfect: al dente noodles and a perfectly seasoned sauce. My girlfriend raved about her grilled chicken sandwich, especially the unique toppings that elevated it. We finished with the seasonal crème brûlée and a decadent mille-feuille. Both were incredible, with the crème brûlée stealing the show. The only downside was the service. Our waiter, while not rude, seemed dismissive and unwilling to engage in conversation. He never introduced himself, asked if it was our first time, offered to go over the menu, asked if we wanted anything to drink, and left us feeling like an afterthought. It felt like any request was an inconvenience. For example, we asked to split the check amongst our group of 5 his response was "You never said anything at the beginning". He then proceeded to ask us to divvy up the check how we wanted it split on the receipt instead of attempting to accommodate us himself. His name was Efren (I got it off the receipt) Despite the service hiccup, I highly recommend Acca. The food is phenomenal, and the atmosphere is truly unique...

I had been looking forward to trying this place for a while. On my birthday, we went for an early (5pm) dinner without reservation. They were able to seat us in a side area. The main dining room has nice ambiance, but the side area is right next to the dish washing station and it is loud. The sound of dish cleaning and some pretty loud, slightly inappropriate conversation from the staff could be heard for the entire meal.

The food itself was the biggest disappointment. My wife and I both got pasta dishes, which were mostly bland and uninspiring (though the goat cheese used in my wife's pasta was quite good). I understand pasta may not be their main specialty, but I'm a believer of getting the simple things right. The truffle fries were quite tasty though.

Additionally, buyer beware, all of the menu prices are $4-5 dollars higher than the menu prices on their own website. Additionally, wine by the glass was very expensive compared to the El Paso average at $15-$20 a glass. I don't mind paying good money for a good meal, and have eaten at plenty of Michelin listed restaurants, but the money to quality just didn't match here.

Overall, I wanted to like this place, but compared to the competition there is better food at better prices...