Mexicali lacks taste, literally

By BRITTANY COFER

Mexicali Grille has been serving the Athens community with its own brand of “authentic Mexican” food for nearly two decades.

With two locations, anyone in Athens has access to Mexicali. The margaritas are consistently voted the best in Athens, according to its Web site, and the dishes are described as “Mexican comfort food.” Mexicali Grille claims to provide its customers with the best quality, value and service in Athens.

I beg to differ.

The dimly lit establishment on College Station Road is one of the last places I’d go for quality or value. On a busy night the entrance alone would be enough to frighten away any party of more than two. The waiting area is nonexistent, leaving patrons to loiter outside if the restaurant is the least bit crowded.

As I walked in, luckily not subjected to the tiny waiting area between the wall and check-out counter, I noticed something strange. Many Mexican restaurants play Latino music to add to the atmosphere, trying to trick the customer into believing they are eating authentic Mexican dishes. Mexicali management apparently decided to forego the trickery and play a local classic hits station instead.

Then I started noticing other things that did not seem right. The wait staff consisted not of smiling men and women with interesting accents, but instead of tired-looking college students, who seemed ready to go home. My server was rather clumsy, spilling cold cheese dip all over my menu. “Just give it to me and I will go wash it off,” she said. I wonder how many times a night she has to wash her menus?

Mexicali’s Web site references a quote from Restaurantica.com stating the food is great and affordable. Since I do not know who the site is quoting, my best guess is someone who is not on a college budget and has suffered severe taste bud loss. The prices for the supposedly “great and affordable” Mexican food were outrageous. I have been to many Mexican restaurants and my plate is never over $8. The check for two adult meals, drinks and cheese dip included, was over $40.

The chilly cheese dip, which my menu enjoyed, was a little spicy for my taste, but otherwise not bad. I was pleased to see there was more than enough food, as there should be when charging roughly $10 per plate. But I was disappointed when I bit into my bland beef soft taco, which also was under heated. The rice was clumpy, but otherwise edible. I tried the chicken chimichanga, also lacking proper seasoning. My bland beef soft taco could not even be remedied by adding guacamole, since it too was tasteless. I might have had better luck nibbling on a napkin.

Beer selection was lacking, especially considering that Athens is a college town where drinking is a favorite common pastime. And oddly enough there were no Mexican beers on tap. Mexicali’s claims of authenticity were being destroyed with every passing moment.

I admit my experience may have been overshadowed by the fact that I felt as if I were eating in a dungeon. The poor lighting and hard booth seats made dining uncomfortable. Twice my drink disappeared at the same time the server did, forcing me to wait until she sashayed back to the table to grudgingly refill my sweet tea. Though not rude, the wait staff seemed indifferent and uncaring to customers. I watched as a family of four entered the restaurant and waited five minutes before anyone acknowledged their existence. The servers appeared more interested in their own conversations than in providing quality service.

I would not recommend Mexicali Grille. Its claims of serving quality, affordable food are utterly untrue. Cold cheese dip, under-seasoned meat and over-priced products make this the last place I’d go for a quality meal. There are plenty other Mexican restaurants in Athens, such as Taqueria del Sol, La Cazuela and La Parrilla, that provide a more authentic and pleasurable dining experience.

VERDICT: No es bueno.

MEXICALI
2301 College Station Rd,
Athens, Ga.
www.mexicaligrilleathens.com


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