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Started By
Message
Went to Lava Cantina in Perkins Rowe Friday..
Posted on 4/14/13 at 9:12 pm
Posted on 4/14/13 at 9:12 pm
Hm.
I will start with the positives. The salsa and the guacamole were both fresh and great. Big chunks of garlic and onion.. perfect flavor on both. The salsa verde wasn't nearly as good as the red salsa because it was served hot as if it was just cooked, which was weird for salsa.. but the red salsa was great.
Our server obviously has never waited tables before, but sweet guy definitely was trying and that counts for something.
The place looks awesome, although it is almost exact a Hard Rock Cafe based on decor. When I asked Jones what he thought this place reminds me of, he said Hard Rock before I could even say it.
So anyway.. we ordered nachos first. When Jones took a bite, he looked at me and said "Take a chip from here and tell me what this cheese tastes like to you".. so I took a chip. And my eyes widened and I said "There's no way you're thinking what I'm thinking".. we went back and forth a bit and finally agreed at the same time that we both thought it tasted exactly like Velveeta. If that queso they were pimping on the menu is not Velveeta, it is some cheese that tastes EXACTLY like it. I mean.. no question.
I ordered something that was very odd. It was fajita steak on poboy bread with queso and guac.. which isn't quite how the menu described it so it was surprising. Being covered with what I just discovered was Velveeta didn't help.
I somewhat know of the owner, and I definitely know a few bartenders, so I HATE to sound as if I'm bashing the place. But if they are in fact using Velveeta, they lose all credibility and I can't help but say something.
I will start with the positives. The salsa and the guacamole were both fresh and great. Big chunks of garlic and onion.. perfect flavor on both. The salsa verde wasn't nearly as good as the red salsa because it was served hot as if it was just cooked, which was weird for salsa.. but the red salsa was great.
Our server obviously has never waited tables before, but sweet guy definitely was trying and that counts for something.
The place looks awesome, although it is almost exact a Hard Rock Cafe based on decor. When I asked Jones what he thought this place reminds me of, he said Hard Rock before I could even say it.
So anyway.. we ordered nachos first. When Jones took a bite, he looked at me and said "Take a chip from here and tell me what this cheese tastes like to you".. so I took a chip. And my eyes widened and I said "There's no way you're thinking what I'm thinking".. we went back and forth a bit and finally agreed at the same time that we both thought it tasted exactly like Velveeta. If that queso they were pimping on the menu is not Velveeta, it is some cheese that tastes EXACTLY like it. I mean.. no question.
I ordered something that was very odd. It was fajita steak on poboy bread with queso and guac.. which isn't quite how the menu described it so it was surprising. Being covered with what I just discovered was Velveeta didn't help.
I somewhat know of the owner, and I definitely know a few bartenders, so I HATE to sound as if I'm bashing the place. But if they are in fact using Velveeta, they lose all credibility and I can't help but say something.
8
Posted on 4/14/13 at 9:22 pm to LouisianaLady
Was the Velveeta bad? Rancid? Rotten?
Posted on 4/14/13 at 9:24 pm to OTIS2
I just attempted to read the menu on the website, but it really was like a parody of the Guy Fieri restaurant. Really painful to look at.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 9:26 pm to LouisianaLady
I don't see how this place is gonna last. I know some people who think it's a cool concept, but I just don't see it doing well.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 9:33 pm to Pretty Hate Machine
quote:
I don't see how this place is gonna last. I know some people who think it's a cool concept, but I just don't see it doing well.
Well another thing is I think the place would be 10x more successful if it were anywhere other than Perkins Rowe. On paper, having a place in a shopping center like that seems like a good idea, but the reality is that with traffic and parking and everything else, people don't go there with the sole purpose of visiting a restaurant. Other than the all-you-can-gorge meat factory there, I only ever hear of people going to those restaurants when they;re already in Perkins Rowe for whatever reason.
I hate to see a local joint that obviously had a lot of time and money put into it fail.. but it just didn't strike very positively when I went. Some of the issues were because it just opened (bringing another table's food to me, forgetting items, food taking a while, etc.) .. but other stuff was just not well thought out.
Otis, I see your post and whatever.. but I don't pay $10 for nachos with velveeta. I can make that for $4 at home and have 3/4 block of velveeta leftover
I can go to any Tex Mex place and get real cheese on my nachos. Why would I go get Velveeta elsewhere? Only places I know that serve Velveeta for money is Fox and the Hound and Mugshots. I hear the margaritas are great if that means anything. I didn't get one because I had shite to do and it was 2pm, but I hear they're good.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:00 pm to Pretty Hate Machine
quote:
I don't see how this place is gonna last. I know some people who think it's a cool concept, but I just don't see it doing well.
Baton Rouge isn't ready for this concept IMO. BR is infatuated with Red Lobster, Pluckers and Chili's.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:16 pm to Paul Allen
Not ready for the concept of Velveeta? You're right. I am not ready for that.
I don't visit Hard Rock's in other cities for a reason, and with this being a local place, I hope they put out good product if they have a gimmicky niche. I REALLLLLYYY hope the queso wasn't Velveeta, but even if it wasn't, we both thought it tasted like it without even telling one another.. and we've never even eaten Velveeta together.
I don't visit Hard Rock's in other cities for a reason, and with this being a local place, I hope they put out good product if they have a gimmicky niche. I REALLLLLYYY hope the queso wasn't Velveeta, but even if it wasn't, we both thought it tasted like it without even telling one another.. and we've never even eaten Velveeta together.
This post was edited on 4/14/13 at 10:17 pm
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:21 pm to Paul Allen
do they server to go drinks for the movies?
This post was edited on 4/14/13 at 10:27 pm
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:31 pm to REG861
quote:
I just attempted to read the menu on the website, but it really was like a parody of the Guy Fieri restaurant. Really painful to look at.
Yea the menu has got to go. They try way too hard to sell you the food on there. I dont need to be told the food is super duper awesome on the menu.
I know the place is new and youre gonna have a few kinks to work out but the patio when we went was a mess. Not necessarily food and trash all over but the chairs to the tables were all over the place. When they sat us down, I thought they were seating us at a table where the customers got up to go to the bathroom or something. All the chairs everywhere and a random beer bucket. Looked around and quite a few tables were like this. I might be nitpicking here but the place was not crowded at all so it wouldnt kill for someone to tidy up the area.
The waiter was a little awkward at first but overall he was good.
The nachos. the cheese ugh. The dispersion of ingredients was great but I dont know about that cheese. Chicken was a little too dry for me.
The Hard Rock Cafe feel is pretty lame but I guess you gotta take a chance in Perkins Rowe by doing something different. I think the place being in Perkins Rowe is going to be its downfall if it fails. I just dont get putting this place there. Rent has got to be through the roof so you gotta be packing that place out to make it. The place would be better as a stand alone restaurant with its own parking lot. About parking, it sucks plain and simple.
$6 for a pint of tin roof blonde was a little steep.
I wanna go back and drink but the pain of going to perkins rowe might keep me from ever going there again.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:33 pm to Jones
quote:
Yea the menu has got to go. They try way too hard to sell you the food on there. I dont need to be told the food is super duper awesome on the menu.
Also.. each menu item is described via paragraph. Nothing is in list form. So you really have to do some heavy reading just to pick an item.
On top of that, they tell you that the entree comes with a sauce of your choice, but the sauces aren't listed conveniently anywhere.. only in the middle of a paragraph somewhere.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:36 pm to LouisianaLady
quote:
Only places I know that serve Velveeta for money is Fox and the Hound and Mugshot
Don't forget Mccalister's
I have a friend who got a job there as a hostess and has already quit. She worked an 8 hour shift with no break, and she made 10 bucks. How can a manager have someone on their feet for 8 consecutive hours with no break? This, along with the velveeta queso for a Mexican restaurant is too much to ignore. Clearly the managers are clueless as to how to operate a successful restaurant.
I have to disagree about the location. perhaps it isn't the best, but if California Pizza Kitchen can last this long, any respectable restaurant can survive there.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:38 pm to Paul Allen
quote:
Baton Rouge isn't ready for this concept IMO
Yea this concept is sooo deep
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:42 pm to LouisianaLady
quote:
So anyway.. we ordered nachos first. When Jones took a bite, he looked at me and said "Take a chip from here and tell me what this cheese tastes like to you".. so I took a chip. And my eyes widened and I said "There's no way you're thinking what I'm thinking".. we went back and forth a bit and finally agreed at the same time that we both thought it tasted exactly like Velveeta.
Wow. That could be a scene in a movie.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:44 pm to tigerbait2010
quote:
I have to disagree about the location. perhaps it isn't the best, but if California Pizza Kitchen can last this long, any respectable restaurant can survive there.
I think the pizza kitchen benefits from it being right next to a movie theatre and a slew of shopping places. Plenty of moms and kids running around.
"what do you rugrats want to eat, lava cantina or the pizza kitchen?"
"pizza pizza pizza!!!!"
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:45 pm to tigerbait2010
quote:
I have a friend who got a job there as a hostess and has already quit. She worked an 8 hour shift with no break, and she made 10 bucks. How can a manager have someone on their feet for 8 consecutive hours with no break? This, along with the velveeta queso for a Mexican restaurant is too much to ignore. Clearly the managers are clueless as to how to operate a successful restaurant.
Wow. I even got a break on my 8-hour shifts at the casino and they sucked
Plus.. what restaurant shift is 8 hours unless you choose to work a double? quote:
I have to disagree about the location. perhaps it isn't the best, but if California Pizza Kitchen can last this long, any respectable restaurant can survive there.
Yes and no. I feel like the few restaurant there that have "made it" have done so because its convenient to people already in Perkins Rowe. I don't know anyone who drives out to Kona Grill on their own. This place might do fine.. especially since it's a place to drink that isn't Loft. But I do feel like that gimmicky atmosphere would do even better out in the city more. Look at Twin Peaks. They have the worst service in BR with not much better food and they go on a wait nightly being on their own.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:46 pm to crimsonsaint
quote:
Wow. That could be a scene in a movie.
It was a funny situation that we both knew the answer to
I even said "NO I CAN'T SAY THE WORD" until he finally got "velveeta" out of me 
We are lame.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:46 pm to OTIS2
quote:
Was the Velveeta bad? Rancid? Rotten?
No....it was Velveeta
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:50 pm to Jones
quote:
I wanna go back and drink but the pain of going to perkins rowe might keep me from ever going there again.
I've never had a problem parking there.
Posted on 4/14/13 at 10:55 pm to urinetrouble
Maybe nighttime isn't as bad but I could have murdered every person in that lot at 2PM and I wasn't even driving. The parking in Perkins Rowe has always been pretty bad IMO. If you're trying to go to any of the front places (La Madeleine, the bookstore, etc.) you have to park at the very back of the lot .. which isn't anything I have an issue with except idiots are sitting there waiting for spots and not moving. Women trying to park their 25ft vehicles and the like..
Plus people walk in front of your car all throughout Perkins Rowe without even attempting to look both ways.
Even going to Fresh Market takes motivation.
Plus people walk in front of your car all throughout Perkins Rowe without even attempting to look both ways.
Even going to Fresh Market takes motivation.
This post was edited on 4/14/13 at 10:56 pm
Posted on 4/14/13 at 11:07 pm to LouisianaLady
It's really not that bad. But I don't mind a little walking.
I guess you want a big, ugly parking lot sized for Black Friday scenarios.
I guess you want a big, ugly parking lot sized for Black Friday scenarios.
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