Restaurant Review :: La Cucaracha

Let me first go on the record as saying that 95% of the time, I love La Cucaracha.  It's a fantastic little dive-y Mexican food joint on Dale, right between Summit and Grand.  Ever since I became familiar with Summit Hill in St. Paul, I've been a big fan of this place.  I've gone here with my parents, with my friends, and even for a post-marathon lunch!  So I suggested La Cucaracha when my uncle was in town visiting from Florida.  And then I hit that 5% . . .

Back in my pre-veggie days, I flipped over the carnitas at La Cucaracha.  Holy wow that was an amazing dish!  Now I stick with the huevos rancheros.  Fried eggs covered in spicy red sauce and cheese with refried beans and topped with slices of onion.  All with a side of roasted potatoes.  DELISH.  I think part of the reason I love this dish is because of my odd obsession with egg yolks!  Seriously.  It makes everything taste just a little bit richer. 

So my meal arrived looking tasty.  But after one bite, I knew it was not going to be up to par.  The food was cold, which meant that the cheese had lost a bit of its melty goodness and was more like a room-temperature blob.  The worst part was that the fried eggs were overcooked, so the yolks were cooked all the way through.  BUMMER!!  No tasty egg yolks for me.  The potatoes had potential, but because they had probably been sitting for a while, they lacked a crispness that roasted potatoes generally have.  Overall, it was very sigh worthy.  *Sigh*

Let me be clear!  This did not stop me from eating nearly everything on my plate, which tells you something about the caliber of the food, even on its off days.  I've had better from La Cucaracha and I expect that the next time I head in there all will be right with the world.  I fully intend to re-review La Cucaracha my next time there!  So if you're in St. Paul and craving Mexican food, you should certainly consider La Cucaracha.  Especially if it's not during a busy dinner rush!