Candente — Restaurant in Houston

I’d like to start by saying I don’t write bad reviews. However our experience tonight was not good. I’d also like to add that every person at my table works in the food and beverage industry.

Service started out fine, queso and drinks were good as usual. I was brought a Coke I didnt order, but it’s fine. I’ll drink it. Things really went downhill by the time we got our fajitas. We ordered a large combo of chicken and beef to split between the four of us with an add on of pork ribs. I immediately noticed there were pieces of raw chicken. We flagged down the waiter to bring this to his attention and he told us the beef was cooked medium rare so the chicken was too. Excuse me? Absolutely not. Medium rare chicken is not a thing. He asked if we wanted it cooked more. I mean, yeah, but also it NEEDED to be cooked more. This is not a personal preference, but a requirement. The chicken was fixed and brought back to the table.

We ran out of flour tortillas and asked for more, ten minutes go by and we still haven’t gotten more tortillas. We also remembered we had asked for the add on of pork ribs to the fajitas when we originally ordered and they didn’t make it to the table by the time we had run out of the tortillas plus an additional 10 minutes. That’s a fairly long wait. So we flagged him down and he said yes, the tortillas were coming—we said okay, but asked if he had remembered to put the ribs in and he said yes, he would check on them. We said not to worry about if they weren’t on the way.

Another five minutes go by, still no tortillas. We flag down someone else for tortillas. Another five, still none. We were told the ribs were coming but asked if we still wanted them. We said no. I do not think the ribs were ever coming. We wouldn’t usually ask for them to be cancelled, but we were getting full and kind of over it. No update on tortillas from him and at this point we are annoyed. So we flag down a third person, and twenty five minutes after we originally asked for tortillas they made it to the table. The meat is cold but we finish our meal.

Twenty more minutes go by past the time we are done eating and we have to flag him down to ask him for the check. I noticed all of the tables around us, tables of only white people, were checked on very frequently and were seated, ate, paid and left by the time we were able to get our checks. I was the only white person at our table… it felt like the restaurant prioritized the other all white tables. Being in the service industry, we try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But please do better.

Chicken that is raw in the middle is absolutely unacceptable and we didn’t appreciate the pushback on why that chicken might be raw. This should be a no questions asked, immediate apology, let-us-make-this-right situation. I’m still flabbergasted he asked if we wanted it to be cooked more. Yes dude. Anyone would. Being in the industry, we understand how the kitchen works. The cook, expo, AND server failed to notice uncooked chicken. Being that these are fajitas so the meat is sliced, the raw portions were on full display. Literally right there on top. I saw a lot of reviews claiming food poisoning from this place and I believe it. Some people don’t know the difference between what might be a fatty piece on chicken and what might be raw. But all three of the hands our food went through should know...

When one ambles down the dusty trail of life, encountering an establishment like Candente can be likened to stumbling upon a hidden treasure chest in the wilderness. I have been to many a dining place in my time, but this Mexican food restaurant stands out like a beacon of culinary excellence.

Allow me to regale you with the tale of my gastronomic adventure, particularly the encounter with their legendary chile lime butter sauce. It was a day like any other, and I wandered into Candente, drawn by the whispers of its delectable offerings. From the moment I set foot inside, I was greeted with warmth that rivaled the finest southern hospitality.

The atmosphere, a harmonious blend of rustic charm and vibrant Mexican artistry, was merely the prelude to the true star of the show – the food. Now, I have sampled the fare from the Mississippi to the Missouri, but what awaited me here was unparalleled.

The dish that stole my heart, however, was an unassuming ensemble highlighted by the chile lime butter sauce. This sauce, my friends, is not just a condiment; it is an experience. The moment it touched my palate, I was transported to a realm of flavors so vivid and delightful that it left an indelible mark on my culinary soul.

Imagine, if you will, the perfect balance of heat from the chile, the zesty zest of lime, all intertwined in a buttery embrace that is nothing short of ambrosial. It is as if the culinary gods themselves descended from their lofty abode to bestow this nectar upon us mortals. Each bite was a symphony of taste, a testament to the chef's masterful prowess.

In all my travels and tales, never have I encountered a sauce that so perfectly encapsulates the spirit of adventure and the zest for life. It elevates every dish it accompanies, making the ordinary extraordinary, and the extraordinary, sublime.

Candente, with its chile lime butter sauce, has carved a niche in my heart. Five stars, I bestow upon it without hesitation, for it has brought not just a meal, but a memorable experience into my life. Should you find yourself within a hundred miles of this culinary gem, consider it your duty to partake in its offerings. You shall not leave disappointed, but rather, enriched and enlivened by the...

It was around nine PM on a Saturday night, we drove by and the pace called our attention. You can see a big patio with cozy looking lights from Richmond avenue. So, we decided to stop for drinks and appetizers. To take advantage of the great weather last weekend, we requested a table on the patio. The place was busy but not completely full. After about eight minutes they brought us chips and salsa along with glasses of water. I asked if the server can come a take our drink order, the girl said that someone would be here shortly. After about five more minutes, the waiter came walking very slowly. We order a Mojito and a Margarita, and we also wanted to try the Brisket Nachos and the Flautas, listed on the appetizers menu. There are s few reasons for the three start rating of my review. One, the server inform us that they had run out of Brisket Nachos, so we have to order fajita nachos. Two, both of the drinks were ok, but not justify the price of the drinks, they used cheap tequila in the Margarita and the Mojito was not well balanced, more on the sour side, not really flavorful. Three, we perceived an odor like a sewer water that came and go intermittently, but not pleasant, specially when you are about to eat. I am not sure if the odor cam from the street or from the water fountain in the middle of the patio. Four, the service was very slow, as I mentioned, not a sense of priority even when the restaurant was slowing down. Positive comments - The combo nachos (chicken and beef ) were good, the meat was tender and full of flavor and the roasted chicken flautas were yummy as well. One thing about flautas, the dish takes its name after the musical instrument flute, usually long and thin. However the flautas here were very small in size, but good flavor anyway.

I will give this place a second try in the future and hopefully we get better service and a better experience overall. The menu definitely looks interesting and hopefully next time I can try their...