De Noche — Restaurant in Portland

I really wanted to like La Fondita and was excited to try the tasting menu however the experience left a lot to be desired . First of there was a seating issue even though we made reservations . They had a glitch in the system and we were made to sit at two different tables somehow – but the staff profusely apologized for that and even gave us complimentary mezcal shots as a kind gesture. The place is set up beautifully and feels intimate and cozy .They had handicrafts from Mexico adorning the walls and the color scheme of the restaurant kind of goes very well with the food they serve. They sat us down and then forgot about us for at least 20 minutes till we flagged someone down to take our order . We started of with cocktails and ordered the tasting menu . The food starts with the Mole and was followed by an array of dishes that the chef described as he served them and also told the history associated with that food and the region it came from . We had - Sop de Fideo – I found this the best item of the whole menu Tortillas con Salsa Quasedilla Oaxaquena Tlacoyo Tacos Tetela Mixteca Tostadas Mixteca Tostadas de atun Tres leches cake &Flan – We were more than one party so we had the option to try both the desserts.

The food itself was good and had some very unique flavors . I wasn’t blown away by the taste but definitely very pleasantly surprised. The main issue was the service and how the food was served - In between the courses they would completely forget about our table and we had to wait multiple times in between courses, before the food would come again and then at times they would give us multiple dishes at once and there was no space to keep everything. At certain parts during our meal we were holding our plate in one hand and eating with the other because the tables couldn’t accommodate all the food simultaneously .They missed a few courses and we had to remind them multiple times of what we had not had yet . The staff was trying their best to be helpful , but the service was just bananas . It certainly did not feel like a well thought out experience because of the rushed and haphazard way the food was being served. Having said that I also want to add that the P/P is very reasonable, and the amount and quality of food are really good. If they can fine tune the service to match the innovative food they serve this place would definitely be a 5 star...

Food: ★★★★; Service: ★★★. The food was great - we ordered 2 Comida Rápida. We got sopita de fideo, tomato with beef, chicken tinga, agua fresca, beer, dessert.

Food: ★★★★ All the main courses and soup was great! We really liked it. The complementary freshly-made tortilla was soft and doughy (in a good way). But we didn’t really like the agua fresca - taste sugary and doesn’t have much taste of pineapple. The dessert - tres con leches, surprisingly it tasted overly sweet and a bit cheap. I liked their pastry but somehow the dessert this time wasn’t on the same level :(

Service: ★★★ After we ordered our food, there was a party came in and they seem to be friends of the chef. They ordered their food after chatting with the chef. Later the server (I think the chef was presented too) came and gave them food first — even though both parties ordered similar food, and we were the one ordered before them. We were shocked and offended by this. We were thinking… was that because we are not chef’s friends so we deserved to be served late? Later another lady (manager?) came to tell them sorry the kitchen had mix-ups and those food were for another party (which is us). And the lady took those untouched food and gave to us. Although it turned out to be a misunderstanding and the food was untouched, we still felt this affected our appetite. It shouldn’t happen.

We loved supporting small/BIPOC businesses and we hope this was just a small hiccup during their soft opening. We hope they can improve their customer service.

Suggestion: It looks like many folks came for their breakfast - my recommendation for them is to serve all-day breakfast instead of limiting it to 9-11:30am. (People wake up late...

ALMOST AWESOME

I’m a big República fan, but have been hesitant to book at their new location due to the 40% price increase on their chef’s dinner. DeNoche gives folks the opportunity to experience the basics of República’s menu concept in a beautiful environment at less than half the price.

Service was awkward once seated. Drinks came out slowly and our courses somehow got messed up in order. I love me a leisurely dinner, but ours lasted over 2 1/2 hours which would’ve been fine if the course had been paced evenly. I think this spot is still new so they may not have all the kinks worked out quite yet.

The mezcal selection is wonderful and the person pouring was among the best in house with service (other than Miguel). It’s reasonably priced and there is a diverse collection offering more than the typical smoky goodness.

I really did love many of the dishes served. The albacore tostada was FANTASTIC. We also loved the soup and the pork tacos. Mole dish was unique and tasty, but I didn’t care for the gratin potato situation.

My kids did great here and loved having the opportunity to try Mexican food on a whole new level. The option to try individual dishes was good for them, as they likely would not have enjoyed the full tasting menu my husband and I shared. They both shared the delicious salsa with tostadas and beans. One had the albacore tostada and tacos. The other the quesadilla and tacos. Tres leeches cake looked to be top notch as well.

I would love to go back to DeNoche with hope that the service is more polished, pace of courses is more appropriate, and dishes are proper temperature when served. They’ve got a good thing going...