MANTELA: THE ATMOSPHERE WAS EXCELLENT BUT HOW WAS THE FOOD AT ONE OF GUADALAJARA’S NEWEST RESTAURANTS?
The Cost -$25 per person
The Atmosphere – One of the more formal restaurants in the high end Plaza Andares, Mantela boasts a very pretty interior. Like most of the other restaurants on the same street, the eatery has one side open to elements but both of its dining areas are covered overhead. The music is loud, the energy is lively, and the only negative thing to say about the design of the space is that including a television inside definitely clashed with the otherwise posh décor. Reservations are accepted but are not necessary and dressing for a nice dinner or a night out on the town would be appropriate, though no formal attire is required.
Having just opened a few weeks ago, Mantela is the latest addition to the busy food scene at Plaza Andares in Gudalajara, Mexico, the home of many of city’s most luxurious shops and eateries. The restaurant, which is owned by Grupo Anderson, features a menu of dishes from all over Latin America including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Peru with a lengthy cocktail, spirits and wine list. We checked out the restaurant for dinner to offer you an unbiased, honest review of the food.
The Order – Lomito de Res and Gratín de Alcachofa con Queso Ramonetti Trufado.
The Good – It probably isn’t a good thing that the best dish of the evening was not the $40 entrée but the $10 side dish but the Gratín de Alcachofa con Queso Ramnonetti Trufado, a truffled artichoke gratin, was the better dish of the evening. The side dish was smaller than I expected but it did come out in a very cute individual serving size pot that resembled a tiny Le Creuset or Staub piece of cookware. The artichokes were tasty and the ramonetti, an artisanal cow’s milk cheese, went will with them. I especially liked the addition of the tomatoes into this dish which strayed from the traditional gratin but made the side a little lighter and fresher.
The Okay – The Lomito de Res, a beef tenderloin, was an entrée that was big enough to share but wasn’t enough for an entire meal for two with 500g (about a pound) of meat. The meat was incredibly soft and I really loved the texture but unfortunately it had almost no flavor, needed a bit more coarse salt, and was overcooked, despite the fact that it was ordered medium rare. The price wouldn’t have been bad at all if the steak had been good but the flavor wasn’t there, making this an item that I would not recommend ordering.
The Verdict – The service and the atmosphere at Mantela were excellent but the two dishes that were ordered didn’t do anything to impress. Given how enjoyable the dining experience was, I would return but I would order other dishes to try and find something that was more worthy of the price, especially since $25 per person can go a long way in Guadalajara.
Mantela
Centro Comercial Andares 4965. Zapopan, Jalisco