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Caliente Mex-Sea Kitchen & Bar

Discussion in 'Area Restaurants, Dining and Food' started by SchwarzFamily, Feb 11, 2010.

  1. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    LOVE having a kid with "evolved taste"- you can't give them chicken nuggets anymore! lol

    Mariachi might be an option for you for now- they have a widely varied menu and a family friendly atmosphere!
     
  2. Liss

    Liss New Member

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    Hah - when I try to order chicken nuggets I hear "MOM! I want REAL food like the GROWN-ups! Not BABY FOOD!" I usually just share with her, anymore, which - given portion sizes! - works out well most of the time.
     
  3. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    So we checked this place out Saturday with friends...

    The tableside guacamole and Cabo-rita are absolutely worth coming to Caliente for! We ordered fajitas and enchiladas, which were decent- but nothing outstanding, although I have to compliment the steak in the enchiladas: tender, tasty and juicy. Had the food made it to the table while it was still hot- this place just might have passed with flying colors. But not yet... still- I expect great things from Caliente once they get service kinks worked out.
     
  4. mdcrim

    mdcrim Member

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    I think I'm just tired of being restaurants "trial" customers while they are trying to work out the kinks. I'm spending my hard earned money for a decent meal and I don't want to waste my money on less than good food and service. I wish these places could get the job done, consistently.
     
  5. wahoogeek

    wahoogeek New Member

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    x2

    At some point the rationalization for lower qualilty food or service due to a "trial" period no longer is credible. It is what it is.
     
  6. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    you are 100% right. i just went into this on another msg board, but it's har dto do what i do (write positive reviews for local bizzes) when so many fall short. i won't review a place just b/c they are TRYING- that's just not good enough.

    consistency actually trumps quality sometimes: think about it- you go to Ihop- not because it's the best breakfast EVER, but because you KNOW what you are going to get. you don't expect greatness, and you don't get it. you get that mediocre, does the job food they serve EVERY time you go.

    it's tough to branch out and try a new place for the EXACT reason you said crim- it might be good, it might not- regardless, your time and money and night out are gone forever.

    these local bizzes really need to STEP UP and do the job right from the get go, and do it right EVERY DAY. it's hard to do since it's difficult to hire good entry level, minimum wage workers in our area. teens are vying for jobs and tips like WE did- many of us finance their social lives and cars. SOME TEENS ARE WORKING HARD- I see them at several local bizzes and i applaud them. but they are few and faaar between.

    listen up local biz owners! use a winning formula and GET CONSISTENT!!!
     
  7. gunzour

    gunzour "Living on the Edge"

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    We've been to Caliente twice and had great service both times. On our first trip, my wife asked if they had lemonade -- it wasn't on the menu but the waitress said "Hmm, I can make some for you". That made us a little bit nervous but she brought out a big glass of lemonade that my wife said was fantastic.

    They have an interesting menu -- somewhat limited choices unlike a typical mexican restaurant with a huge menu. But I guess they have focused on what they are good at because everything we've ordered has been delicious.
     
  8. Mom8386

    Mom8386 Member

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    We've been three times and all three times our meals were very hot and excellent. The meals have been consistent and the margaritas delicious. Service has been very good. We've been on weeknights and weekends too. My only wish is that they would expand the menu some. We've also never waited for a table or seen anyone else waiting around. There's always people in the bar and hostesses (2 actually) to greet us. We will go back.
     
  9. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    did you guys eat upstairs or downstairs?
     
  10. Mom8386

    Mom8386 Member

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    Upstairs the first time (before the grand opening) and twice downstairs since. Why?
     
  11. PAgirl

    PAgirl New Member

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    Went to Caliente for the first time Saturday evening....it will be our last. Seated upstairs and the waiter took our drink order (2 iced teas) and brought chips and salsa. It took quite awhile to get the drinks and when they arrived it was like discolored water. The waiter asked if we need sugar and when we said we did he disappeared and brought us about 6 packs of sugar. I mentioned the iced tea color and said it tasted like water and he said "I never noticed that it looked like that" and said he'd would bring more. We recieved two very dark, cloudy teas, tasted them and sent them back, asking for water. We placed our order, the food came (it was okay) but never received the quac and chips we ordered. When our dinners came we had to ask for silverware. Very disappointed in service and menu selection. We'll stick with El Fresco in Chantilly....good food, family owned.
     
  12. Tech Head

    Tech Head New Member

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    Our experience with Caliente was mediocre food and service.
     
  13. hornerjo

    hornerjo Senior Member

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    We gave it a try. Seated right away, drinks came quick enough. The ice tea tasted strange, and was as dark as a coke. Didn't care for the salsa at all. Tiny menu, I was quite surprised of the lack of items. We had chicken fajitas (they were dry, the tortillas were crunchy) and beef tacos (again crunchy soft shell wrapper). The steak inside wasn't too bad. We won't be going back, too 'foo foo' for us.
     
  14. Mom8386

    Mom8386 Member

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    We ate there tonight. Service was wonderful as usual. Drinks came right away. Food was hot (quesadilla and cheese enchiladas). We ate outside which was great. Once again-at least our 4th or 5th visit and no complaints. Just because it's not what some think of as mexican food doesn't mean it's bad. We haven't had a bad meal or bad service.
     
  15. ColesMug

    ColesMug New Member

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    Chris Cooley will be hosting his 2nd annual cancer rally at Caliente tonight. Tickets are $75 but apparently some of the big name Skins should be there.

    http://chriscooley47.blogspot.com/
     
  16. kmjtt

    kmjtt New Member

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    Actually tickets are $50...there are only 25 left!
     
  17. ExRIGuy

    ExRIGuy New Member

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    We ate there a few weeks ago and the chips were saturated with burnt fryolator oil. nasty! salsa and guac were average at best. service was slow. we will not go back.

    the bartender at blue ridge told me they get people in there all the time complaining about the place . . . and I believe him.
     
  18. Mom8386

    Mom8386 Member

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    And, I know people who work at Blue Ridge and they go to Caliente.

    In all the times we've been there the chips haven't been the least bit greasy and service has never been slow.
     
  19. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    so these two posts represent the problem. INCONSISTENCY. that will kill. you can't give a fabulous experience 50% of the time and expect to succeed. being mediocre ALL the time is better- the success of some very so so places that are ALWAYS so so around here prove that...
     
  20. Mom8386

    Mom8386 Member

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    Except we've had NOTHING but consistency so that theory doesn't work. Taking two individuals opinions doesn't give you 50% consistency.
     

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