Review: la Carta de Oaxaca

Since moving to Ballard, Stew and I have done a really poor job of attempting to sample all the delicious new restaurants within walking distance of our house. However, la Carta de Oaxaca was been at the top of my dining to-do list for more than a year now, and last night I finally got a taste. This traditional Mexican restaurant has gotten a ton of hype since it opened, so I’ve been super curious to try the cuisine for myself. Unfortunately the place is always a madhouse, with people lined up down the street to get in, and the couple times I’ve tried to dine there I’ve gotten fed up and went down the street to The Matador.

Last night, the place was packed as usual, but we were determined to wait it out. We arrived a little after 7pm but unfortunately two of our friends were running late. They don’t take reservations and won’t seat you until your entire party arrives, but if you happen to get there at the right moment with everyone present, you might be able to snag a table right away. 45 minutes later, a table cleared for the five of us and we entered the restaurant, which has a simple modern white interior and is decorated with beautiful framed photography.

Seating is family style with long tables you have to share with other parties. Halfway through our meal we were asked by our server to shift seats and move down to accommodate another group, which left one of my friends sitting across from a stranger… awkward! We started out with hot tortilla chips and freshly made guacamole, and sampled from the salsa bar’s five different salsas. Everything was delicious but they were a bit stingy on the chip refills. I’m not a fan of tequila, but did taste a friend’s margaritas and it was STRONG – a obvious plus!

The prices are definitely equal to the portions. Looking around at other tables, we could tell the plates were pretty small. So if you’re hungry, the bill can add up quickly. We ended up ordering seven items for five people. The food came quickly and looked delicious, but overall everyone agreed that it was pretty bland and flavorless. I ordered halibut tacos on fresh homemade corn tortillas, which was light and simple but a little too fishy. Stewart got enchiladas and molotes (potatoes and beef sausage wrapped in fried homemade tortillas with hot sauce and cheese). We also tried the fried cheese quesadillas covered with guacamole, beans, salsa, Oaxaqueno cheese and crema Mexicana.
Unlike your run of the mill restaurant chains (i.e. Azteca), la Carta de Oaxaca did not provide overwhelmingly huge plates of fried foods covered with dripping cheese next to giant sides of rice and beans. And although it was nice not to waddle out with the typical food baby Mexican dining gives me, I did leave feeling mildly unsatisfied. But you can never go wrong with a night out with friends, so overall I’d say the experience was a success. But would I go back? All signs point to no.