La Joya

Recently a few people from work and I tried out La Joya in Irving for some "fine Mexican dining". Despite the name, the prices aren't too high... and the lunch prices are even more reasonable. Right now they are even running a breakfast buffet for $4.99. It's from 6:30-10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. Yum! This is something that I need to try out! :)

When we arrived, someone brought homemade chips and salsa to our table. The green salsa was alright. The red salsa was delicious. Definitely my favorite. It was amazingly fresh and tasted of cilantro.

Two of my dining companions said the ceviche was delicious. It's served in a martini glass adorned with slices of avocado. If you need it, you must request additional lime on the side. If you plan on eating your ceviche Mexican-style with saltines, be advised, they don't have crackers. And watch out... the last bite of ceviche in the bottom of the glass can be killer hot!

That's not to say that they aren't willing to work with you and even serve you something off the menu. When one of our party couldn't find quesadillas on the dinner menu, the waiter was quick to tell her that the chef could still prepare one for her. I just found out that the quesadillas and enchiladas (another item that couldn't be found on the menu) are available on the lunch menu, but not on the dinner menu.

I ordered the Crepa de Pollo con Mole ($16) for myself. It actually came with two crepes. They were delicious. The chicken was tender and juicy. The mole however, tasted a bit harsh. It might have been softened with perhaps a touch of vinegar or sugar. The rice, although tasty, had a bit of a different taste. There were a few hard edges too, which might have been due to the lateness of the evening. As well, the beans were too dry. They might have been better earlier in the day.

The regular margaritas were served in a lowball glass and tasted of cheap margaritas made with a mix, something that the bartender readily acknowledged. The topshelf margaritas, served in martini glasses, were a bit better. They had fresh juices and Grand Marnier for a light flavor. If you like your margaritas with a heavily salted glass, ask for extra salt. In order to make the 'ritas more aesthetically pleasing, only a mouth-sized section of each glass is salted. This adds visual interest, but not much salt!

Overall, not a bad place to go. It might be fun to go for after-work drinks. La Joya has happy hour from 3-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The margaritas, bottled beer (they don't have beer on draft), and premium house cocktails are $2 each. They knock $2 off all tequilas and the appetizers are half price.

And if you're in the mood for dancing, try La Joya on Fridays and Sundays. They have salsa dancing all night long! No word on drink prices or cover charges, though!


Place? La Joya

Location? 6450 North MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063

Number to call when you get lost? (972) 831-8000

Cost? Won't put you in bankruptcy, but it's not at all cheap. Save this place for special occasions or when you want to impress.

Kid-friendly? Perhaps, if they are well-behaved.

Date-friendly? Absolutely.

Place to meet those of the opposite sex? Probably on the weekend, not on a Tuesday night!

Place to go with friends? Yes!

Bathroom cleanliness? Yes. Although the "Simple Human" trashcans were a bit insulting! What, is the trashcan more advanced than simple humans?

Good service? It could have been much better. I drank my longneck dry, as did my fellow beerdrinker, and neither one of us were offered a fresh one. The perfunctory wait service could have been much better.

Would I do it again? Perhaps.