Tex-Mex at Lobo

Having just over an hour before our movie at Cobble Hill Cinemas, we decided to try Lobo, (218 Court St., between Baltic St. & Warren St., 718-858-7739) the Tex-Mex place on Court St. that's been there for a few years now. It used to house my favorite neighborhood brunch place (Harvest) - that fact and the grey, used-to-be-white pillows in the window have kept me away. I don't think I'll be back any time soon.

Now, I'm having a hard time writing this, because I'm hesitant to say anything bad about a place. I think in the last 6 months of posting, I've only been negative 2 or 3 times, so it's not the perspective I normally take. It's just that there were a number of areas in which Lobo went very wrong, and contributed to the whole experience being a disappointment. The Margaritas were very good, and I might even go back to sit at the bar for a drink and some chips, because the main room downstairs is very cozy and appealing in a Tex-Mex way. But the food...

I ordered the Vegetarian Mix Combination which was described as coming with a Portobello Mushroom Burrito (a small burrito), a Cheese Enchilada topped with Spinach Sauce and a Bean & Cheese Chalupa. The burrito tasted like dishwater, very funky and bad, a terrible thing to do to a Portobello. The Enchilada was mediocre, but had no spinach anywhere near it. Instead it was topped with huge chunks of green pepper and tomato, WTF? The beans also coagulated almost immediately which didn't't make me want to eat them. ~sigh~



The Chalupa was made with what tasted like cheese from a can. Even the shredded cheese on top of the lettuce was yucky. C'mon, where's the sharp cheddar? I ate only half of this. Ugh.



My boyfriend ordered Molly's Chicken & Cheese which is two Chicken (soft) Tacos and one Cheese Enchilada. The chicken tasted stewed and was OK. Not very flavorful, but not inedible.



The Cheese Enchilada seemed to be made of the same grody cheese and everything was covered in those chunks of green pepper.



Totally disappointing and afterwards we both felt kinda gross. Maybe some of their other dishes are better, and the service was really great - friendly and nice - but they've GOT to do something about that cheese!!!

Tex-Mex at Pequena

Looking for some good Tex-Mex food some friends and I went to Pequena (86 S. Portland Ave., between Fulton & Lafayette) to see what we could find. True to its name, Pequena can fit only about 20 people. It's a bit tight, but the colorful decorations help create a fun atmosphere and if you're open, spontaneous conversations occur with your neighbors.

I got there early so I ordered a Margarita while I waited. I got it on the rocks with salt, and it was perfect - tart, strong and delicious. You don't get a basket of chips with salsa unless you order it, which feels a bit stingy, and since I was waiting for the rest of my party before I ordered, it would have been nice to have something to nosh on while I sipped my drink.

So, I ordered the Shrimp Tostadas after seeing the same dish arrive to the woman sitting to my right and finding it appealing. You get two crispy tortillas covered in shrimp, guacamole, tomatoes and cotija cheese. Everything was delicious except for the chewy, rubbery shrimp. They seemed to have been frozen and were terribly disappointing. All dishes come as an appetizer or as a main, which includes beans and rice. The beans were great - black, flavorful, if a bit salty, and the yellow rice was good.



My boyfriend ordered the Fish Tacos. You get three thin corn tortillas, covered with flaky white fish, chunks of avocado and a very spicy sauce. Too hot for my taste, but flavorful. One of my friends got the Mushroom Tacos, which look just like the photo below, but with big slices of fresh mushrooms instead of fish.



My other friend got the Chicken Enchiladas Verdes which she loved. These were spicy too, very fresh tasting and slightly vinegary, in a good way. Covered in melted cheese and cilantro this was probably the best dish of the night.



All in all the food here was decent and will fulfill your craving for Tex-Mex. Just stay away from the Shrimp!