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We have an abundance of Mexican restaurants in our corner of Louisiana, including those with a more South American or Latino flair. I’ve said it before: I could dedicate this column strictly to restaurants offering Mexican cuisine in Southwest Louisiana and have enough to write about for three solid years while never having to repeat.
While there is a desire among residents for more cultural diversity in local dining, the numbers don’t lie. Depending on where you are in the country, Chinese and Mexican food fight for the number one spot in the United States. With Houston being the number two hotspot (Southern California is number one) for Mexican food.
My wife strongly hinted her desire to try the newest Mexican food addition, and a dinner date was set. The transformation that took Blue Fish Japanese restaurant to Blue Iguana (at 629 W. Prien Lake Road)was massive, and the restaurant now welcomes you with a festive, colorful presence. The interior is bright, with white tables and chairs, and the walls are hued in blue.
Contrary to those who protest against “another Mexican restaurant,” nary an open table could be found. Seated at the bar, we were welcomed and served by Melissa. We started off with complimentary chips and salsa, and a pair of drinks. Shyla ordered her traditional house margarita on the rocks, but the Spicy Piñarita caught my attention with pineapple, jalapeño and lime. The drink offered a much sweeter, yet potent sip and finished with a subtle punch of spice.
Knowing this was going to be the first of at least a couple visits from us, we both went with personal favorites to set a baseline. For her, the steak chimichanga–essentially a burrito stuffed with meat, onion and cheese, then deep fried. The dish met her expectations and was accompanied with guacamole salad, Spanish rice, and refried beans.
I wanted to experience what the street tacos had to offer and chose a pair of fish tacos, and added on a single steak taco for good measure. Visually stunning, they’re backed with fantastic flavors in the tender steak, cilantro and onion. The well-seasoned, flaky fish was topped with a chipotle sauce, crisp cabbage and a fiery side of green sauce.
A week later, after a long and exhausting weekend, Shyla and I easily convinced each other to take a night off from cooking to dine at Blue Iguana again. It was a Sunday evening and our server’s name was Isabella.
Wanting to capture a little more variety on our second visit, Shyla chose from the a la carte menu: a steak quesadilla, a shrimp taco and single tamale. Each portion a great representation in expectations through the flavors. The carne asada had my attention, and as Isabella placed the dish on the table, I couldn’t wait to slice into it. It was perfectly seared, thin skirt steak.
I sampled a bite before loading it into a hot tortilla. Now, it’s fair and even to be expected to find a new restaurant with some deficiencies in their service, wait times or food itself. But, this carne asada was far off.
It was nothing more than an over-salted cut of steak, devoid of the citrusy sweet blended flavors of lemon, lime and orange which make up the “asada” portion of the dish. I was disappointed, but also understood and upped my water intake throughout the evening to hydrate.
Blue Iguana offers yet another nice Mexican cuisine option to put into your rotation when dining out.
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