I had low expectations for the Hacienda on Henderson, the new restaurant in the space where Cuquita’s used to be, because I was braced for disappointment. It wasn’t so long ago that a macho ex-boyfriend told me he didn’t want me going to Cuquita’s, even for lunch, because it was a dangerous neighborhood. But I would go anyway because, man, the food was good. Best mole in town. Nowadays, chic restaurants and trendy bars are popping up left and right along the part of Henderson just West of Ross Avenue, economy be damned.
So I loved Cuquita’s, and I wanted to like the Hacienda, too. And here’s my take. If you gave Cuquita’s a makeover, made her burn all of her dowdy house dresses, bought her a pair of designer jeans and put her in some Marc Jacobs shoes, you’d have the Hacienda. The décor is more chic, and so is the food, but it’s still tasty and unique.
We started with ground sirloin, mushroom and cheese empanadas ($8), which were served with a warm chipotle salsa that we liked better than the bland salsa that came with the chips. They’re like high-end pizza rolls, and I could eat about nine of them. We also tried the tuna crudo ($12), an Ahi tuna dish that’s served with a jalapeno cream sauce. I liked it, but I wish they had used a higher grade of fish.
More after the jump.
I ordered braised short rib tacos ($8), and my plate had three Mexico-City style tacos with lots of tender meat and a delicious ancho sauce. I wanted to order the chicken mole, as it was my favorite dish at Cuquita’s, but I couldn’t bring myself to pay $15 for chicken and mole sauce. Luckily, my dinner partner ordered chicken enchiladas ($9) and requested mole instead of the tomatillo sauce. And it was quite good. It’s flavorful and homemade, and maybe I will shell out the $15 next time.
I don’t want to complain too much about the Hacienda’s prices because I know that is a valuable piece of real estate, and the owners have put a lot of effort and money into updating it. They’ve kept the prices reasonable for the most part. Taco, burrito and enchilada plates range from $7-$10.
The Hacienda has an interesting drink menu, which includes a $5 house margarita. The late-night menu, which is served until 4 a.m., includes such hangover busters as a peanut-butter-and-banana taco and a jalapeno-macaroni-and-cheese chimichanga.
