Verde Mexican Kitchen & Cantina
Maybe I should have waited a bit longer to check out Verde Mexican Restaurant & Cantina. Soft Opening means just that… they’re still working out kinks. I guess I just expected more but that doesn’t mean I won’t be back. Everyone deserves a second-chance.
We walked in, were greeted by the hostess and quickly ushered to our table. The first thing I noticed was the bar. You can’t miss it. It’s big and over-flowing with Tequila. Hello, deliciously bad idea. It’s also the kind of long sexy bar you want to have dinner.
Next came the artwork. It’s bold and makes a statement. It’s by local artist, Gabe Felice. The decor is basic and modern and the wrap-around windows and garage doors will be fantastic in the warmer months. 
It’s the opposite of every cheesy Mexican restaurant you’ve been in.
On to the food. The menu was short since it was the Soft Opening menu. I’m hoping for a rotating menu rather than a more extensive one. I’m also not sure how I feel about table-side guacamole preparation. Watching them prepare it did make me want to try it though.
After some debate, I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass Fish Taco (Grilled fish, poblano slaw, chipotle aioli -the fish rotates). My dining partner had the Enchiladas de Pollo (Smoked chicken, queso blanco, poblano crema). Both were good. The fish was nicely cooked but the poblano slaw didn’t even have mild heat and the chipotle aioli didn’t have that smokiness that it’s known for. The enchiladas were good but just barely over-powered by the smoked flavor. My favorite part of the meal was the heaping side of black beans (you also get red rice).
We finished the meal off with Tres Leche Bread Pudding Cake which was dynamite.
My only real complaint which is a complaint I have every where… Now I know you’ve only been open one day Verde, but the manager (or whoever she was) doesn’t need to come to the table every five minutes to check on customers. It’s ok. Trust your waitstaff.
Give Verde a try. They’re on to something. They just need some fine-tuning and I’m sure they’re be turning heads.
