08/05/08

Bland and Boring Paella

by mutt82588

Took my girlfriend there on a Tuesday night. Ambiance is good, but food was sub par. We ordered the paella de Meson, supposedly their signature paella, the classic mixed meat and seafood. Presented well, but nearly tasteless. No saffron, no tomato, nothing. Rice was soggy too. Steer clear of this $40 plate of rice.

• Pros: ambience
• Cons: food, service

08/05/08

Excellent food and wine

by foodienuts

I've visited this restaurant several times, some with big groups. Sitting was prompt and service was good. Food is always excellent. Have tried everything from the paellas, tapas to the Cuban dishes - all were yummy! I definitely prefer it to the tapas restaurant a few doors down. This place you could actually hear your party talking.

08/03/08

Disappointing Paella

by lindsay83

El Meson has a nice little spot in Rice Village, lots of street and foot traffic to take advantage of. If you find yourself in the area and looking for great paella, keep looking. We had to pay $4 dollars (actually $5 since the vallet took our $5 bill up front and never offered change) to have the vallet park our car in a spot blocked off in front of the restaurant where we could have parked ourselves- confusing as to why we needed to pay for parking since we were going inside the restaurant to SPEND money. We expected a place like this would be packed on a Saturday night, but walked in for our 7:30 reservation and found it half empty. That was the first sign that we might be disappointed. It was also VERY warm, seemed as though they were trying to save money by keeping the AC off. The service was par, not spectacular, but satisfactory. The wine list is quite extensive- the only request I might make would be for a greater Texas wine selection- my pinot grigio was quite nice and my fiance enjoyed his cab. We had been craving paella for a few days, and were excited to find several choices on the menu. We ordered the "Del Meson" and tried to keep our mind off the heat by watching the Rice Village pedestrians as we waited. The paella was ready right on time within the promised 25-30 min window, and was quite a generous portion for two people. Upon tasting, none of the promised saffron was discernible and a lack of basic seasonings like salt and pepper was also found. The rice had no uniform consistency- some undercooked, some overcooked- and lacked the crispy bottom layer usually found. Overall, El Meson leaves a bit to be desired. I'd only return without the parking fee and to sip on wine, nevermind the food. Will continue the search for good paella.

• Pros: Satisfactory Service, Wine List
• Cons: Parking, Lack of AC, Food

03/08/08

Unbiased Review: Dissapointing paella!!

by f00d13

I've had good paella from other Cuban and Spanish restaurants before, but THE PAELLA AT EL MESON WAS A HUGE DISSAPPOINTMENT!!! This was my first visit to El Meson. I was eager to try this place because it had such good reviews, but 3 of my friends and I did not enjoy the food here. I've had much better food from other Cuban/Spansh restaurants. The service was satisfactory, the ambiance was nice, and quaint, but the food was very poor! The chef does not properly season the food!!

I ordered Paella Marinera (Saffron Rice w/ prawns, white fish, shrimp, squid, mussels). The rice lacked flavor, which is surprising because of all of the different types of seafood in the paella. The consistency of the rice was sticky but not too mushy, which is typical from Cuban-style paella. Do NOT expect Valencia-style paella from here, where the rice at the bottom of the pan is typically nice and crisp. It did not even taste like they use saffron in their paella. The worst part of all was that the seafood was ABSOLUTELY TASTELESS!!! It tasted as if the meat was boiled without any salt, and cooked completely separate from the rice. Adding our own salt and lemon helped a little, but isn't the chef supposed to season the food and NOT the guests??!!

Gambas al Romesco (Grilled Shrimp served in Almond Pimenton sauce)--Shrimp was covered with an interesting salty sauce with a gritty consistency. Different, but in a good way.

Chipirones Calamares (stuffed w/ onions served in Cuttlefish Ink sauce): Just ok--almost comparable to other restaurants that serve the same dish.

Salmon al Romero Salmon Fillet (pan seared with black pepper and infused with rosemary served Spanish style): Salmon had a heavy oily taste. They call it "pan seared". I call it "burnt to a crisp!!"

Sangria: VERY BAD! If you like cheap wine mixed with orange juice--go for it! They may call it homemade, but I doubt if they even soak any fruit in the wine.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!!!

• Pros: Nice, quiet, and quaint ambience.
• Cons: Paella is NOT prepared well.

01/13/08

GREAT PAELLA EVEN BETTER SERVICE

by macari

This was our first time dining at el meson,which was recommended to us by a friend. The service was so friendly our server was a young gentleman who was very knowledgeable about everything on the menu.He guided us towards the paella,but warned us it would take at least 30 minutes to preapare but it would be worth the wait.The young latino waiter was correct the paella was worth the wait. We finished of our evening with a tres leches and an expresso.All i can say is that el meson has a customer for their next 25 years.

• Pros: Serice,Food
• Cons: paying valet before you enter restaurant

11/06/07

Stay for a while

by scottking

The Ropa Vieja and Pollo al Ajillo are the best around! Then, consider that you can truly tell it is still owned by the same family; and you have a great place to enjoy dinner! The wine list is notable, but Peter's Bloody Mary is the as good as mine.... That's hard for me to admit. MUST TRY

01/29/07

Not really much of a Cuban place, but great food

by htown04

Most of the menu was Mexican or perhaps Mexican inspired Cuban food, but everything was good.

The service wasn't terrific, but it far exceeded that of their neighbor Mi Luna.

Definitely worth a try if you're in the Village.

• Pros: Interesting dishes and great plantains
• Cons: Not really the most Cuban of Cuban places, but still great.

Vibrant Rice Village eatery pairs Mexican, Cuban and Spanish food with a standout wine list.

by Joshua Hinsdale

The Scene
Family-owned and operated for more than 20 years, this former Mexican restaurant has gradually added Cuban and Spanish dishes over the years. Cozy banquettes line the front window and are a great spot for people-watching in the bustling Village district. Small wooden tables fill up the middle and around the bar and add a touch of romance. The dress is casual and the menu is very affordable, but it feels plenty nice enough for a date. Service is friendly and relaxed.

The Food
The fun, colorful eatery favors family-style dishes such as Cuban nachos, Mexican quesadillas, and hot and cold Spanish tapas, including Spanish omelettes, Serrano ham with olives and pork tenderloin with garlic. El Meson is known for their paella--including a seven vegetable variety. Tex-Mex entrees, grilled Cuban-style meats, ropa vieja and fresh seafood dishes round out the menu. Take time to explore the award-winning wine list.

11/22/06

Great cuban food and an even greater wine list!!!

by myeiter

I have been a big fan for years. I used to always get the yummy sangrias with friends, but they have an amazing wine list. I think they've even been noted in the Wine Spectator. Every year the decor gets better and the service has always been fantastic. I meet my husband there for our first date four years ago today and we'll be there again tonight.

• Pros: service, wine list, cuban food
• Cons: parking (it's in Rice Village)

10/26/06

Not bad...if you're in the Village

by mlasaine

Yesh- it has latin-flare food, but it also has cool neon signs that makes the place more fun than it would be without it. Bueno!