big new mexican restaurant in cranston

[megad]

I heard from a friend that there is a new mexican restaurant being built in Cranston.

Does anyone know the name of it? I'm excited because there are no good mexican restaurants anywhere in this area.

Also, when does it open?

Thanks

[Frankie811]

I heard from a friend that there is a new mexican restaurant being built in Cranston.

Does anyone know the name of it?

[bloodyrocker]

sorry but Tortilla Flats does not qualify as a mexican restaurant. its a fine place to have a drink and some chips but mexican it is not. same goes for Cactus grille.. its ok if you want a watered down americanized version of mexican but it pales in comparison to the real thing.

Take a trip down atwells ave to Chilangos if you want real mexican food.. the place is amazing. and Mexico on atwells is another great one but I really love Chilangos.. its authentic and seriously great.. the owner makes his own tequilla and has it shipped here.. ask him and maybe he'll lay some samples on you..

When I'm in the mood for more americanized mexican fare i head to the Taco Truk.. which you can usually find on the weekends at the Decatur lounge on the west side.. there is nothing better than sitting with a beer in the Decaturs patio and a fresh burrito from the Taco Truk on a summer evening...the food is really fresh and they have some great flavor combinations....

-jason

[BBascule]

...there are no good mexican restaurants anywhere in this area.

You're looking in the wrong places. Atwells Ave. (and I mean after Federal Hill) is a good place to start.

[Liamlunchtray]

sorry but Tortilla Flats does not qualify as a mexican restaurant.  its a fine place to have a drink and some chips but mexican it is not.  same goes for Cactus grille.. its ok if you want a watered down americanized version of mexican but it pales in comparison to the real thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't even mind crappy americanized Mexican food (I legitimately miss Chevy's - There, I said it!) but the fact of the matter is that Tortilla Flats is just horrible on any level. Service is painfully slow, and the food is just garbage. They would be better served by getting rid of the food menu and just being a mexican themed bar.

Liam

[bloodyrocker]

screw you Liam! ... nahhh I completely agree. I was just trying to be nice..

[Liamlunchtray]

screw you Liam! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats it!!! Lets take this one outside!!!

[Frankie811]

sorry but Tortilla Flats does not qualify as a mexican restaurant.  its a fine place to have a drink and some chips but mexican it is not.  same goes for Cactus grille.. its ok if you want a watered down americanized version of mexican but it pales in comparison to the real thing.

  Take a trip down atwells ave to Chilangos if you want real mexican food.. the place is amazing.  and Mexico on atwells is another great one but I really love Chilangos.. its authentic and seriously great.. the owner makes his own tequilla and has it shipped here.. ask him and maybe he'll lay some samples on you..

  When I'm in the mood for more americanized mexican fare i head to the Taco Truk.. which you can usually find on the weekends at the Decatur lounge on the west side.. there is nothing better than sitting with a beer in the Decaturs patio and a  fresh burrito from the Taco Truk  on a summer evening...the food is really fresh and they have some great flavor combinations....

                                                              -jason

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So where on Atwells is the Chilangos? Also, I thought the Decatur Square bar closed because it caught on fire?

[Frankie811]

Oh, I just did a little checking. Chilangos is actually at 447 Manton Ave at Atwells Ave. Seems to be getting good reviews.

[TheAnk]

Oh, I just did a little checking. Chilangos is actually at 447 Manton Ave at Atwells Ave. Seems to be getting good reviews.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah yes.. My hood.. Mexico Garibaldi and Chilangos.. REAL mexican food.. Also try Rico Sazon.. Pretty sure its takeout only..

My personal fave is Mexico Garibaldi..

Don't be afraid of THAT Atwells Ave.. I love it there..

[Lova]

Casa Lupita was awesome, across from Midland Mall. It was large, nice, and very convenient. It was then sold to a retarded company from Texas that gutted the nearly fine-dining atmosphere and made it into a Mexico City ghetto theme park, complete with corrogated metal roofs, cement floor, and grafiti. It closed shortly thereafter. It was a truly spectacular failure.

My business plan is to gut a succesfull, classy restaurant and make it into a ghetto theme park!

I second all the above comments. You didnt mention Mr Tacos, in West Warwick. The basement bar is a good place for pitchures of margarita before a film at the Showcase.

[Recchia]

Casa Lupita was awesome, across from Midland Mall.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you just call the Rhode Island Mall the Midland Mall? Now that's the sign of a true Rhode Islander! And while we're at it, Airport Road is Occupusatuxett Road.

Now that was completely off topic.

[Liamlunchtray]

Casa Lupita was awesome, across from Midland Mall. It was large, nice, and very convenient. It was then sold to a retarded company from Texas that gutted the nearly fine-dining atmosphere and made it into a Mexico City ghetto theme park, complete with corrogated metal roofs, cement floor, and grafiti. It closed shortly thereafter. It was a truly spectacular failure.

My business plan is to gut a succesfull, classy restaurant and make it into a ghetto theme park!

I second all the above comments. You didnt mention Mr Tacos, in West Warwick. The basement bar is a good place for pitchures of margarita before a film at the Showcase.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it became a ChiChi's didnt it? I must say I was sad when it went under, even if it was a shadow of Casa Lupita. As I mentioned before I'm still bummed about Chevy's closing, especially since it was a corporate decision and not that the location wasn't profitable.

Info on Casa Lupita from hospitalityguild.com:

Eateries, Inc., incorporated on June 1, 1984, is engaged in the creation, design, management and operations of restaurants through Company-owned and franchised restaurants. The Company's restaurants are located primarily in the Southwest, Midwest and Southeast regions of the United States. The Company's restaurants operate under the name Garfield's Restaurant & Pub, Pepperoni Grill and Garcia's Mexican Restaurants. As of December 30, 2001, the Company owned 67 (48 Garfield's, 17 Garcia's and two Pepperoni Grills) and franchised or licensed seven (six Garfield's and one Garcia's) restaurants in 25 states.

In November 1997, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Fiesta Restaurants, Inc., acquired 17 Mexican restaurants under the names Garcia's (10), Casa Lupita (five) and Carlos Murphy's (two), along with the trademarks associated with these concepts. In February 1998, the Company sold three of the Casa Lupita locations to Chevy's, Inc. In connection with this transaction, the Company entered into an agreement to sell another Casa Lupita location to Chevy's. This second transaction closed in May 1998. The decision to sell these restaurants was the result of a plan to consolidate operations and focus on the expansion of Garcia's. During 1998, the Company closed its one remaining Casa Lupita and converted one of its Carlos Murphy's to a Garcia's. The other Carlos Murphy's was converted to a Garcia's in 1999. The Company has no locations open utilizing the names Casa Lupita or Carlos Murphy's.

[Frankie811]

Did you just call the Rhode Island Mall the Midland Mall?  Now that's the sign of a true Rhode Islander!  And while we're at it, Airport Road is Occupusatuxett Road. 

Now that was completely off topic.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

MIDLAND MALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey, just how old are ya

[megad]

I also admit to missing Chevy's! It was bad, but it was the best around.

Wasnt the place across from the Rhode Island mall called "Quilla's"? They used to have great breakfast. Now it's a bank (washington trust i think).

But nobody knows the name of the new restaurant in Cranston? It's near the Benny's and the Cranston Police station. I forget the street names.

[Recchia]

MIDLAND MALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hey, just how old are ya           

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm a map buff....saw the name on an old map.

[matt]

But nobody knows the name of the new restaurant in Cranston?  It's near the Benny's and the Cranston Police station.  I forget the street names.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At the corner of Park and Rolfe in Cranston, there has been a restaurant that has changed hands 3 times in the last two years. It was Pizza Express, then it was a spanish food place that also had pizza and grinders, now its the Park Cafe - back to grinders and other american food.

If this is the place you're thinking of... my review... not so good.

[Lova]

I forget what the Casa Lupitas was called after it was gutted. I remember going in there and slowly gazing around the room, stunned that they had bought a busy restaurant and spent about a million $ to wreck it but sell the same food. The menu proudly described their vision: two college buddies wanted to bring authentic Mexican cuisine to America, and the ghetto environment made it more "real." They had several other locations doing well.

It was obviously a disaster, and didnt survive the year.

What was Chevy's like? They have a spot on Bald Hill, yes?

[Recchia]

What was Chevy's like? They have a spot on Bald Hill, yes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not anymore. I always liked Chevy's the way I like Olive Garden for Italian, not really genuine, but with that "greasy fast food" type tastiness if anyone knows what I'm talkin about....

I miss East Side Mario's (what Chevy's used to be), nothing better than wood fired pizza and peanuts that you toss on the floor.

[Frankie811]

nothing better than wood fired pizza and peanuts that you toss on the floor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmmmmmmmm Your probably too young to remember the Ground Round, where they had fresh peanuts you could throw on the floor. There use to be one on North Main St in Providence where Gregg's is now, and one in Johnston. I think the one in Pawtucket at the Comfort Inn is still open. My friend use to excuse himself from the table, double back through the restaurant and sneak up behind me and throw a basket of peanut shells on my head. Otherwise he would just slam a basket of shells on the floor. I believe we screwed 3 times from there without paying the bill. I'll try it at Joe's on Thursday

[Recchia]

Hmmmmmmmm  Your probably too young to remember the Ground Round, where they had fresh peanuts you could throw on the floor. There use to be one on North Main St in Providence where Gregg's is now, and one in Johnston. I think the one in Pawtucket at the Comfort Inn is still open. My friend use to excuse himself from the table, double back through the restaurant and sneak up behind me and throw a basket of peanut shells on my head. Otherwise he would just slam a basket of shells on the floor. I believe we screwed 3 times from there without paying the bill.    I'll try it at Joe's on Thursday 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is a groundround near my school...never been though I'll have to try it. They always seem to be in as part of hotels....

[Frankie811]

  There is a groundround near my school...never been though I'll have to try it.  They always seem to be in as part of hotels....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, your in Albany, right?

[Recchia]

Oh, your in Albany, right?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, September til December

[Liamlunchtray]

  There is a groundround near my school...never been though I'll have to try it.  They always seem to be in as part of hotels....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The reason for this is that the Ground Round is essentially all thats left of the Howard Johnson's restaurant chain. It was another concept they launched and a lot of them were in converted HJ locations. At the moment there are only a couple Howard Johnsons still in existance. I still love the one in Times Square. Its like walking back in time.

Liam

[Cotuit]

I still love the one in Times Square. Its like walking back in time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, you better walk far back in time, it's gone.

link link

here's a cool pic of it