New Mexican Restaurant in Merced

I sampled some soup at the new Mexican restaurant in downtown Merced. Located on M street just across the street from the County Bank parking garage, the Fiesta sports a new modern exterior that is also reflected in the white tile and booth set up inside. The menu is complete and therefore presents a challenge for its niche. It is not a tacqeria which tend to be very clean in the kitchen area but sorely lacking the the dinning area. this restaurant is a waitress served venue.

The salsa was hot.. spicier than salsa outside of Merced County. No carrots on the table. This is unusual for even the lowest of the low Mexican spots in the county. No carrots usually means the food is from outside the state of Michoacan, Mexico. A study was once done concerning the origin state in Mexico. Overwhelming is the number of people from the state of Michoacan. In Livingston, just 14 miles north of here, the people who live there come from a radius of 14 miles in Mexico. It is probably true that most of the food from here is pretty much the same, considering its origin. What is interesting now is the beginning of more Mexican seafood oriented restaurants in Merced. I wonder if the same thing is happening in Michoacan. It is about the same distance away from the sea as we are (about 100 miles). Some of Michoacan is right on the Pacific Ocean. The biggest city is Morelia, a large city between Guadalajara and Mexico City.

The restaurants, in Merced, all have photos of the little town of Cotija. It is a rather obscure city of 16,000 the is best known for its development of the crumbly cheese that melts in the oven in enchiladas. It is close to the state of Jalisco.

This restaurant had an albondigas (meatball soup) with chayote squash (it could have been peeled) zucchini, cabbage, meatballs and tomatoes. The broth was very thin, like most good Mexican soups, and it was medium spicy. In the spice group was an unusual addition, cinnamon. It was accompanied with three thick white corn torillias, a small plate of rice, and chopped onion and cilantro, and three lime quarters. Every time I eat a restaurant Mexican soup I always think of my sister. I once accused her of being the queen of the condiments. I think that she likes that title.

Overall the soup was a solid B. Points were awarded for the restaurant having the soup. The soup had the proper condiments,authentic veggies and the right amoount of spiciness. Points need to be deducted for the cinnamon in the soup, the unpeeled chayote.

Price was 8.99. Add a buck and a half for unlimited soda and free chips and salsa while you wait.. and you have a pretty high class lunch.

Pat