Alexis

For the past three months I have been endlessly haunted by the presence of yet another new Belden Village restaurant, Condado. While the fresh site has been on my and my friends’ minds, we never quite decided to visit it, but that reluctance finally came to a halt this past week when we journeyed down to Belden. Walking through the door, my immediate impression wasn’t terrible. It had a comfortable yet typical restaurant environment, and the employees were friendly and helpful. I ordered a rice bowl with lettuce, onion, cilantro, pico de gello, queso, lime aioli, corn salsa and an interesting addition- Korean BBQ pulled jackfruit. I also ordered a side of chips and guacamole, and these proved to be the star of the meal. With a huge serving, I felt I got my money’s worth with the bowl, but perhaps what they made up for in size lacked in flavor. The bowl itself was passable, but the rice was dry and the flavor of the jackfruit overpowered any of the fresh vegetables. I understand I took a risk getting this veggie “meat,” but it truly ruined the dish for me. One a brighter note-I thoroughly enjoyed the cilantro lime aioli. It had a really nice, creamy texture and flavor, and I thought it was the highlight of my meal. Additionally, the chips were very clearly homemade and the guacamole was amply seasoned and I was very pleased with it. All in all, I would equate Condado to a more expensive, worst tasting Chipotle, so next time you are in Belden, maybe just stop in the food court.

2 Stars

Drew

I have heard a lot of talk around the school from students and teachers alike about one of the newer restaurants in the Canton area, Condado. Condado is a restaurant that specializes in taco customization, and other Mexican-style favorites. As we were seated, it was hard not to be drawn to the decorative walls plastered with hand-painted creations from local artists. The walls were very on brand with the rest of the restaurant’s vibe. The entire layout was very modern but colorful, festive, and creative. Our waitress went above and beyond to make our experience enjoyable. She was extremely helpful in deciding and deciphering through the extravagant and detailed menu. As for the menu, I felt a little overwhelmed by it. There were a lot of options. This could be seen as a positive or a negative, but for me, I had a hard time deciding on what to order just based on the menu. I had to rely on our waitress to make my final decision. I ended up customizing three soft tacos, two with pulled pork and one with chicken. The waitress recommended that I add a pineapple bit topping and a chipotle crema sauce. Although the tacos were pretty good, they weren’t anything special. They were definitely something I could’ve made at home by myself. I can’t say with strong confidence that my rating is completely fair because there are so many other customization options that I just didn’t explore. However, the one recommended to me was rather bland and unoriginal. I will say the tortilla chips we were given on the side were very delightful. Overall, I wasn’t in love with my meal at Condado, but I think that if I try one of their many other options next time I go in, my opinion may change.

Kosta

Driving past the newly renovated Belden Village mall, I see many new stores and restaurants opening up. One of which is Condados Tacos. Walking into the establishment, you are instantly met with a great environment and good vibes. The fun paintings and caricatures coat the walls of the restaurant, and with a fantastic and pleasant working crew, I knew this was sure to be a good experience. I had ordered the queso to start off with every Mexican restaurant’s beloved chip appetizers. The queso was good and had a nice consistency. I only wish it was slightly hotter. For my main dish, I had got three separate tacos: Lucy’s Fire, Plain Jane and El Tradicional. Starting off with Lucy’s Fire, there is an obvious reason why this was a restaurant favorite. All the flavors from the toppings and the chicken itself blended so blissfully. Also, the outer shell was very intriguing. It was a hard shell covered with a soft tortilla and it added to the taco in such an amazing way. This was easily my favorite taco of the day. Next, I tried the Plain Jane. The taco itself was good and I can see why people might like it, but the flavor itself wasn’t for me. Finally, I had the El Tradicional. I really liked it, but it was doused in the crumbled cheese queso fresco which made it hard to bring out the other ingredients in the taco. However, I’ll admit that the chorizo surely does pack a powerful punch. It was probably my least favorite taco of the day and just very overwhelming for a traditional taco call the traditional. Overall, I had a very good experience and I can’t wait to go back and order 20 of the Lucy’s Fire Tacos again!

4 Stars