La Fogata [LTHForum Lawrence/Montrose Taqueria Project]

Eh.

Best,
Michael

La Fogata
3433 W. Lawrence
773-478-6589

Ass.

~shrug~

Blech

Years ago that location held a Pepe's Tacos. The exterior didn't change a lot beyond signage when it became La Fogata. I wondered how much the food changed but not enough to try it myself. Obviously, not enough. Thank you for sparing me.

Now that the four of us have fufilled our promise to add our 1-word reviews, I can expand on the experience a bit.

La Fogata serves edible, but entirely unremarkable food. There were two things I said during our lunch there today:

"I think my post on LTHForum will consist of two letters: 'Eh' "

and

"I'm not sending the food back, but I'm never coming back for more."

The meats were either underseasoned or improperly seasoned. Nothing tasted particularly fresh or flavorful. Everthing I tasted was missing that special something, and that something was "quality". (I remember Gary saying that the chorizo lacked a distinct chorizo-ness).

The whole place, from the menu to the execution, had that Pepe's kind of feel to it.

This is the first new visit from the taqueria tour that I really can't recommend for any reason.

Best,
Michael

LTH,

In the interest of fairness, I point out Ellen found her Camarones A la Mexicana not bad at all.



Chips were fresh and the salsa was ok, not great, but certainly not bad.


And both Liam


and Myles seemed to be having a pretty good time.


Enjoy,
Gary

I think my comment was (on the taco al pastor): "Wow, I've never used McCormick Sloppy Joe Mix on little chunks of pork before."

The worst was the lengua, which subtracted flavor from dishes within a radius of 15 feet. (Some kid on the street with a popsicle must have been mystified.)

The other thing about La Fogata was that ordering was just a comedy of errors. We had menus, menus were taken away befire we ordered, then she asked what I wanted and I had to ask for the menu back, we ordered Mexican Cokes, she came back and told us they had one Mexican Coke left, I said fine I'll take that do you have horchata, no, do you have jamaica, yes, ten minutes later how about that Coke and that jamaica, no Coke left, no jamaica, you want Pepsi, no, can I get one licuado de fresa for the kids, split it into two cups, much sign language followed, I knew she would bring two full, huge strawberry drinks for the kids, she did, then five minutes later, perfect comedy timing, she brought two MORE, my attempt to order a half each resulted in a total of four, I couldn't think what to order food wise, so I just pointed to something we'd already received (I came late) and said, I'll have the exact same plate as that, you want the same, yes the exact same plate, the same thing, yes, the same thing, as that?, yes, the same thing as that right there, you want three tacos?, yes, the exact same three tacos, on one plate?, yes the exact same three tacos on one plate, you want beef?, no, I want exactly the same as that, you want beef and pastor?, yes, this plate, exactly, magic wand and poof there are two, that is what I want, you want the same, yes, I want the same, you want onion and cilantro?, I want you to put this on the xerox machine and make the exact same thing, three tacos right, yes, exactly the same as these three tacos, no chorizo?, look did you ever see the Star Trek episode where there's the transporter malfunction and there's rwo Kirks, well, beam me up this plate, Scotty, so you want one just like this, you know how Dolly the sheep is indistinguishable genetically from the sheep they took the cells from, I want a plate that is the same way to this one, you want one just like this?, did you see the 70s movie The Eagle Has Landed where the Germans plot to infiltrate England and kill Churchill and at the end they shoot him but it turns out to be his double, I want you to parachute into the kitchen and bring me something that looks just like Winston Churchill, plain or with cheese? SOUNDS GREAT WHATEVER! Five minutes later, perfect comedy timing, she comes back and-- you want plain, right? I think I ultimately got 9 plates with 27 tacos, it's kind of a blur now.

Mike G wrote:I think I ultimately got 9 plates with 27 tacos, it's kind of a blur now.

Mike,

I think that answers the age old question.......

But how were the portions?

Enjoy,
Gary

OK, since everyone is elaborating on their earlier one word coment I'll have to say that....no. Nevermind. I'll stick with my original review. Blech.

Oh my God, sometimes it's so obvious, just staring you in the face and it never occurs to anyone... the ultimate one-word review of this place?

Fogatabouddit