Indio

1221 West Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN
612-821-9451
http://www.restaurantindio.com/

Category: Mexican, International

Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 8
Service: 1 (atleast the guy tried)
Ambience: 8

Recommendation: Good. The food was memorable but the service experience was bizarre and has us scratching our heads in amazement. THIS PLACE HAS CLOSED AS OF JANUARY 2009.

Indio is the newest addition to the “contemporary international cuisine” trend and is brought to us by Chef Hector Ruiz, who also owns Café Ena and El Meson. I (Nick) went there for lunch with a large group of coworkers – I was especially intrigued because some of my dining partners are either native Mexican or have spent considerable time there and was looking forward to seeing if the “contemporary“ flair would meet with their approval. Indio is housed in the old Pizza Nea location in Uptown. The interior really caught my eye as we stepped in the place – it strikes you as fashionable, but not over the top (which equates to affordable). Colorful draperies adorn the large windows and even spread themselves across the ceilings. There’s a small bar tucked away in a corner – if we didn’t have to go back to work, I’d definitely be sampling the impressive list of Tequilas.

Our bizarre service experience started as soon as we entered – we’d made a reservation for 10, but they hadn’t set up a table for us. The restaurant was quite empty so there was no doubt we’d score a table, but it took the host (who we later realized was the only server and bartender as well) a while to figure out where to seat us and get the table ready. Once seated, with menus in hand, our excitement grew – there was chatter around our table as we each tried to decide what we wanted, while some needed an interpretation of the ingredients. The non-alcoholic drink list is quite interesting so Nick tried the Hacienda (a pomegranate spritzer) – certainly tart and refreshing, but $5.50 is a little steep. One of my coworkers ordered the Horchata, which the server wasn’t familiar with. For appetizers, we started off with the Chips and Salsa; a perfect appetizer for a large group. Don’t dismiss this as this isn’t the stuff you get at Chipotle – both the roasted red tomato salsa and the tomatillo salsas were amazing. The latter was especially memorable with just the right amount of heat and flavor – this salsa appeared in various dishes that afternoon and was critical in taking some of these dishes to the next level. Ten minutes after ordering our entrees, we were looking around for the server because Nick was the only one that had received his drink – on finding him he informed us that they were out of Horchata, before he scurried away to help the three other tables that were occupied.

The entrees didn’t take too long and we all had silly grins on our face as we laid our eyes on them – this stuff looked good! We’d highly recommend the Huarache Azteca with cecina, charred onions, and chilies. This pizza-style dish uses a thick masa tortilla as its base and was piled high with toppings, including the cecina (beef that is dried and marinated). With all these toppings, it’s hard to make this dish look pretty, but close your eyes and take a bite – you’re taste buds will be begging for more. We also thought highly of the Tlalayo (chicken enchiladas, that were light and flavorful) although the side of parsley rice didn’t fit. The Sopes, which are on the appetizer menu, are actually a good option for lunch – we wanted the Al pastor (but they were out?) so got the Cecina instead. Three open-faced tortillas with a swirl of crema looked beautiful on the plate. The Camarones al la Diabla (sautéed shrimp in a lime tequila sauce) was also very nice, although my coworkers that were familiar with this dish didn’t think it was authentic. For dessert, the Empanadas (rompope rice pudding with cinnamon ice cream cajeta) was a hit – it wasn’t too sweet and maybe that’s what drew us to it. Overall the consensus was that the food was excellent and quite authentic – with the chef’s distinctive touches apparent in every dish.

The service was a let down. In addition to the wait to get our table, there were times we just couldn’t find the server (Nick literally entered the kitchen to grab him and hand him our money.) Towards the end we found out that he’d only been on the job a week. We also noticed that that he was also the bartender that afternoon – you could see he wasn’t familiar with the workings of the bar because he was referencing a recipe and looking around to familiarize himself with the names of the Tequilas, while making a cocktail for another table. There was no manager for most of the afternoon – towards the end he walked in but seemed rather disengaged. An hour and a half lunch just won’t cut it for working professionals – they better get this in order.

$$. Most lunch entrees are between $8-$14, although the drinks aren’t cheap. Parking is available in the lot behind the restaurant.