La Mestiza - Baton Rouge, LA - One of Two of a Kind

La Mestiza

Prairieville, LA

Dinner

January 14, 2010

The Set-Up - We met friends for dinner at this relatively new restaurant, but we felt like we knew it already. La Mestiza is the sister restaurant of Mestizo's, a Louisiana-Mexican restaurant in Baton Rouge where we've eaten for years. Mestizo's was born out of Carlo's (now closed) - the original Louisiana-Mex restaurant in Baton Rouge, and perhaps anywhere.

The Meal - True to whatever Mex style, we were greeted with chips and salsa. The chips were thin and fresh and the salsa, according to Kallie, was "better than at the other restaurant." I know I liked it. She's a salsa connoisseur and keeps track of these things.

We had a party of five, so we got to order some different items -mostly enchiladas, which are the house specialty in my book. I was happy to see the Cancun combo on the menu. I can clean my plate no matter what the circumstances of this threesome - a shrimp and crab enchilada, a crawfish and spinach enchilada and a crispy crawfish taco ($13). Knowing she'd eaten a lot of chips, Kallie got a crawfish chimichanga al a carte. I ate most of it for lunch today. Yum!

The others in our party got shrimp and crab enchiladas and cheese enchiladas (with chili con carne). I didn't hear any complaints.

Drinks - We arrived in time for Happy Hour and were able to get margaritas for $5, which didn't seem like much of a bargain to me for a 10 oz. drink. Apparently they used to serve 16 ouncers, but weren't making enough money so they downsized. The drinks were delicious. Sangria also got a high mark.

Ambience - La Mestiza is smaller than its brother. The dark wood furnishings were unimpressive, but adequate. It seemed like more space than necessary was occupied by the bar, but maybe that's Prairieville talking. I could see the bar TV from the dining room, which was handy. The restaurant was not crowded at all at 6:00 p.m. on a Thursday night.

Service - Service was friendly and efficient, but with no special touches. Now if she'd offered those 16-oz. margaritas at the Happy Hour price. . .

The Check - With tax and tip (and three margaritas total) our bill for three came to $66.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - five (the leftover chimichanga was almost as good as the enchiladas)

Drinks - four (five possible with lower margarita prices)

Ambience - four (leaning toward three)

Service - four (solid but unspectacular)

Price/Value - four (prices area little high on the Baton Rouge Mexican restaurant scale - but for the money you get unusual and exceptional food)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - This was our first trip to La Mestiza, but we've been fans of the very similar Mestizo's for years.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Navigation Tip - The Prairieville restaurant isn't easy to find from Airline Highway. It's in the Oak Grove Village shopping center. Hebert's Gun Shop in the same strip mall is most prominent from the highway.

If you're in Baton Rouge rather than Prairieville (more likely if you're traveling on I-10) try Mestizo's at the Acadian Thruway exit. (2323 S. Acadian Thruway).

La Mestiza Mexican Bistro

17424 Airline Hwy Suite 10

Prairieville, LA 70769

225.313.4191 phone

225.313.4192 fax

Hours:

Lunch
Mon - Sat 11:00 am til 2:30 pm

Dinner
Mon - Thurs 4:30 pm til 9:30 pm
Fri - Sat 4:30 til 10:30 pm

Closed Sundays

La Mestiza Mexican Bistro

Mestizo Lousiana Mexican Restaurant