But I am going to give TQLA a good review. I liked almost everything about this restaurant. The decor is very pretty and modern; I especially like the almost-neon-orange and black bar. There are two big-screen TVs above the bar which were showing the football game on the night my husband and I were there -- a great alternative to the overcrowded sports bar down the street. Service was a little green, but our waitress was friendly, and we didn't want for anything while we were there.
Let's start with the drinks. The menu at TQLA is impressive, if predictably heavy on tequilas and tequila-based drinks. I had two cocktails. Both were very pretty to look at, plenty strong, and tasted good. One minor critique: the martini glasses that the margaritas are served in are a little bit odd, and the ice is too big and difficult to drink around. A little thing, but the experience was so close to perfect otherwise that I had to mention it.
My husband and I love to do appetizers for dinner, so that's what we did at TQLA. We had the Queso Blanco with Poblano, the Wild Mushroom Tamale and some Beef Empanadas.
This is not your typical Tex-Mex fare. TQLA tends to use some more adventurous ingredients: goat cheese, mushrooms of all kinds, toasted pumpkin. No ingredient seems wasted, however; everything is used for a purpose, and unexpected flavors melded together beautifully. We ate every bite of food and never tasted anything we didn't like. Whoever is in the kitchen at TQLA is clearly ambitious, adventurous, and very talented.
The prices, at least on the apps, were uncommonly low. To eat so well for so little money was a very pleasant surprise. This area of Washington Ave is quickly becoming a local hot spot, and TQLA is a great addition for both the lunch and late-night crowd.
