I had my heart set on loving it. I had no business feeling that way. It was only because it was in my neighborhood. You know how I love to eat Mexican.
Well, when La Sombra Fresh Mexican Food moved in to replace the now defunct Seoul of Korea, I was delighted to have Mexican so close. I'm still willing to give breakfast a chance, but dinner was so hit and miss, I can't be sure it's worthy of being a regular, reliable hangout. You know the kind of place I mean: the type that hits the spot when you're craving a certain taste and bails you out when you don't want to deal with cooking . . . or the dishes of cooking.
Hit: the salsa. It's a pure red, smooth type, and it's very spicy. I can only dip the corners of the chip, but my husband was using his chips to eat it like soup.
Miss: the chips. They were thick and stale tasting. A lighter touch would have made them much more appetizing.
Hit: the beans and rice. It way seem like a minor thing. The beans tasted just like the ones I used to eat in Mexico, sort of soupy and flavored with a faint bacon taste. The rice was fluffy, moist and flavorful. Too bad such a minor accompaniment was nearly the best thing on my plate. I had a beef tamale and a chimichanga, as well.
Hit: the tamale. The cornmeal was tender, the sauce was smooth and rusty. It was a pleasure to eat. I should have had more of those.
Miss: the chimi. Mostly because I couldn't get past the old-fryer-oil taste of the fried outer tortilla. Ever notice how that sort of thing is an unpleasant reminder bite after bite? It taints the whole piece. The insides were fine, just your basic shredded and seasoned beef, nothing out of this world. My husband, Gary, had the beef fajitas. We liked that the plate was so basic and uncomplicated, but the chicken-peppers-onion mix needed seasoning. Adding a little salt and guacamole did the trick.
Hit: The portions are just right and so is the price. A couple can get in and out of there without breaking the bank, even with kids in tow (there's a small kid's menu, too).
Hit and miss: Dessert was both. We tried the fried ice cream and a cannoli-blintz type thing called Xanga, covered in raspberry sauce. The Xanga was really good, but the fried ice cream had that same old-fryer-oil taste. It's a shame.
Another hit: The place is simple. A large menu built with basics makes ordering and eating as close to home as rustling something up in your own kitchen, but without the work. As I said, I'm curious to try breakfast. It could be good. I'd steer clear of deep-fried things, though.
A final miss: I respect a place like La Sombra, but I was a little underwhelmed. The management doesn't seem to challenge itself much to be truly great.
Try La Sombra if you're shopping in Sugar House during the holidays. You may like it. You won't hate it. Personally, I'm going back to try the breakfast. Why? Because despite the things I didn't like, it wasn't awful. It's the type of place that will do the job once in a while. And it was good enough to give breakfast the benefit of the doubt. (There's always room for a good breakfast backup when you just don't have the will to do it on your own.)
Prices for appetizers range from $2-$5.50, specials and dinner plates $4.50-$9.50, la carte items $2-$7.75, children's menu $3-$4.50, breakfast $3-$8, desserts $1.50-$3.50.
La Sombra Fresh Mexican Food
** 1/2 (out of five)
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Location: 1020 E. 2100 South, 606-0184
Payment: checks, major credit cards
Reservations: none needed
E-MAIL: stephanie@desnews.com