We went to Mercado for a different style graduation dinner.
Our close friend/babysitter, Shay is graduating from Pepperdine and has been part of our family for the past four years. We had to celebrate her success.
The high communal tables were a hit among the kids and the weekly specials scrawled on the long mirrors added a cool touch to the restaurant.
The vibe was hip, the atmosphere fresh and the food was delish!
It was a fun night, filled with laughter.
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MOTHER SAYS:
The food was so original. The chips were served with a wonderful guacamole that had spicy pepitas on top. The flavors and textures really popped in our mouths.
Shay and I shared a crunchy chopped kale salad along with ahi tostadas topped with shrimp tempura, avocado and jalapeño. These were my favorite of the night.
We also shared a light halibut over colorful, perfectly cooked vegetables, covered in a light sauce.
We sipped the most mouth watering blood orange margaritas, so refreshing!
DAUGHTER SAYS:
I ordered pork tamales. I had to try these tamales. My first reaction was mmmmm, interesting. These were fancy tamales and they were really good.
The rice tasted yummy and had a really good texture. I made myself one of Rivers’ steak tacos (carne asada), so spicy and good meat.
After eating two tamales, a steak taco, rice and chips with guacamole, I didn’t have room for anything else… except maybe dessert!
We had the tastiest cinnamon ice cream, we ate every last bite. Rivers (my 4 year old brother) wanted to lick the bowl, but my mom wouldn’t allow it.
This night was all about Shay, that’s who it was all about!
OVERALL RATING:
LOCATION/AMBIANCE: 8.5 out of 10 – A great spot in Santa Monica. It had a cool, fun and different atmosphere. We loved everything from the tables to the lighting to the menu scribbled on the mirrors.
SERVICE: 10 out of 10 – Our waitress was so attentive and let the kids sample different lemonades, made great recommendations and never kept us waiting.
FOOD: 8.5 out of 10 – Modern Mexican food but still kept the best parts of traditional Mexican.
OVERALL: 8.5 out 10 – We went at 5:30pm, it was pretty empty, by the time we left at 7:00pm, it was packed. If you go early, you can take your kids (we didn’t see one other kid while we were there), it seems to have more of a hipster vibe. There is a happy hour menu with great food and wine choices. We LOVED this new spot. We highly recommend it, especially if your child has a sophisticated palate.
Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box at the top of this post.
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