ottawa foodies

Noticed over the last few weeks, Mexi locations changing their names, reverting back to names of the past like Guadala Harry's and Rosa's Cantina. Just looked up their website, their head office is listed as being in Moncton with locations in Nova Scotia (Halifax) and New Brunswick (Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton). What's up with that? Very quiet passing of an Ottawa Halmark.

It's an Ottawa hallmark that had fallen on hard times, i suspect mostly due to a lack of quality for price in my entirely personal opinion.

Anyone know if the 'original' location on Bank in the Glebe is still open?

You can serve mediocre food for so long befor the public catches on. A name change can fool for a time as well. Hope that is not the case. Sorry but the one at Bank and Alta Vista was pretty bad as was the one on Hunt Club. The original on Bank by Landsdown was getting sketchy as well.

OSoloMeal, you are mistaken, the original location for the chain was San Antonio Rose which was on Rideau, it was the first and at one time a pretty decent place for Tex-Mex. It's now the Beer Store. You are completely right about the lack of quality for price. They've pretty much sucked ever since they branded as Mexicali Rosa's. Not sorry to see the end of that chain.

Good riddance. Not even sure how such a bad franchise can survive for so long. This franchise has opened and closed at least twice by my count, in Aylmer. There was also a Casa Rosita at the site of a former Mexicalis, and now there's another Mexican place where a good restaurant (Cafe 129) was the last 3-4 years. It seems anybody and everybody that has no clue about the restaurant business takes a stab at opening a Mexican place. How they survive even 3 months is a wonder to me.

I have some coupons for Mexicali Rosa's . . . if anyone is in the Market and wants them just drop me a message.

I went to the location in Aylmer, twice, and had great food and good service, so I am surprised to see the comments here.

I've been there around 2009, and last time we wanted to go, we noticed it was closed. Maybe they went downhill after that?

I remember an original Rosa's on somerset east near Ottawa U, but have liked the bank st. location since I was a student, and will be sad to see it gone.
All the other locations have sucked canal water in my opinion.

There is still Mexicali's in the Glebe and I also thought Feleenas was related to them??

The one at Bank and Alta Vista has been gone for a while- that one was pretty bad.
Their salsa seemed like it was from a jar the time I ate there.

I also thought the Rideau st one used to be up some stairs, across from where the beer store was, somewhat near where RJ's boom boom saloon used to be?
Isn't that a bunch of condo's now?
I have bad memories of that location- I have very bad food poisoning from some chicken, as did the other 5 or 6 people who I went there for my birthday with..ruined my weekend and was supposed go go try paintball and was too ill for that :(

The only good item I remember from the Bank Altavista location was the fried icecream!

Saw this article and thought I'd share the link.
thewaffle.blog.com

I thought the Bank St/Glebe location was the original and Rideau the first major franchise location, but could be wrong. Either way, adios Mexi's, i can't pretend i'll miss you.

osolomeal, I think Bank st was the original mexicali rosa's, but IIRC its previous incarnation (and some staff) came from Rosa's Cantina on Somerset East.
And thanks live4food for the link. I think I'll pass though on Feleena's mexican food that is inspired by taco bell offerings.

glebe is now just rosa's.

I believe the origonal was Rosa's Cantina in Sandy Hill at Somerset East and King Edward. I think the name change - top Mexicali Rosa's happend when they moved.

If I am wrong someone will be sure to point that out!

This is kind of off topic but in relation to the Rideau Street location. I think it started on the North side of the Street and moved to a location on the South side for a time. Does anyone remember a bar located below the Rideau Street location? I used to go see bands there and loved it! Does anyone remember what it was called? I think the Rideau location, San Antonio Rose (SAR), was a parallel establishment to the Bank Street Mexi's and then they merged or SAR became a franchise or something like that ...

Looks like the franchise owners want to make a go of it out east, wonders never cease ...!

@flexie Do you mean the Downstairs Club?

flexie and flandroid I'm not sure if we are thinking of the same place but there used to be a Mexi's on Rideau Street. I "think" it was near Dalhousie or Cumberland and it was on the 2nd level of something - a bank I think? It moved to Clarence some time ago. I'm not sure if it is still there since I haven't been down Clarence lately. I don't remember the bar on Rideau though.

@Pasta lover It was originally next to where the Beer Store is now, and was called San Antonio Rose; then it crossed the street to a much bigger location where the Hayloft used to be (upstairs -- ground floor was a menswear store before the building got sold to build the condos).

Hey Flexie,

Are you talking about the bar called "Cajun Attic?" Which moved to the market and subsequently closed. I have seen some really horrible excuses for metal bands at the Cajun attic. And I enjoy Metal..

flexie, that bar was indeed called the Downstairs Club. That section, now condos, was home to a number of great little stores, not the least of it was Record Runner. Upstairs were two restaurants, Mexicali Rosa's being on the side nearer Dalhousie. (Pasta lover, the bank you recall was the National Bank on the same side but across Cumberland, which recently got demolished.)

@blubarry I remember going to Rosa's Cantina in the mid-70's for some smokin' chili when I worked at UofO, but spent more time at the resto across the street as a student beforehand.
wrt Mexicali Rosa's in all it's post Rosa days - we never went for the food, really, it was the cold beer that was more inspiring. No mourning here as there is better food and beer elsewhere.

flandroid Thanks for the heads up. I wasn't sure if flexie was referring to Mexi's (since that is the subject of this thread) or somewhere else...

Niall Record Runner! Oh I loved that place! I used to work at the National Film Board about 20 years ago when it was located where Cora's now is. I just bought my first cd player and I used to spend many lunch hours and alot of my discretionary income there.

Always thought Mexis was lacking.

Coming from Montreal where they have the cheap Carlos and Peppes with an awesome happy hour (Marcos and Peppes which used to be in Westmount), Mexis could never compete for me. Of course nothing can compare to Montreal for happy hour deals, but that's another rant!

Their free chips and salsa were uneventful (especially when compared to Lonestar's chips and salsa) and the resto was always extremely cheap with them.

I prefer going to Ahora or Agave Grill. I only went for drinks and sometimes a guac and chips. They were just lucky to have the locations they did.

I sure hope that the name change incurs menu changes.

I was at the one on Bank near Lansdowne back March 20th for my sisters 19th birthday. I was not impressed and will not be returning. Mediocre at best.

OK, lots of misinformation here. As one of the people involved with Rosa's/Mexicali's from the start, let me give a bit of a history lesson. The original Rosa's Cantina opened by Ottawa U in 1978. It was a success, but had no liquor licence and was too small for expansion. So a second location was opened on Bank Street, with a liquor licence. But the original owners didn't like the impersonality of using the same name for both restaurants, so they called it Mexicali Rosa's. They subsequently opened restaurants on Rideau Street (San Antonio's), in Toronto (Hernando's Hideaway) and on Dow's Lake (Cajun/creole food--can't remember the name anymore)--all with different names for the same reason. Enter an entrepreneur who sucked the original four partners into franchising under the Mexicali's name. So most of the restaurants were brought under the Mexicali Rosa's franchise umbrella, and new franchises were sold under that name. Because the original owners lost a good measure of control, and the entrepreneur was primarily interested in making a quick buck for himself, quality control was lost. Fortunately, the original Bank Street (which had outside investors--old clients and friends of the original four founders) had refused to allow itself to be sucked into the franchise scheme, so they weren't affected directly by the demise of the franchise company. But because the franchise company acquired all the trade names (with the exception of Rosa's Cantina), the Bank Street location was forced to revert to the name of Rosa's Cantina. It still continues to be owned by at least some of the original partners, original investors, and staff, so retains at least some of the original virtues that made it a success.

Just remembered--the Dow's Lake location was called "The Blue Bayou".

@OC
i started visiting the Bank location by Landsdown when it first opened and was one of my favorite restaurants. In the pas 10 years things slowly went down hill. My last visit a few years back was just bad. No care in the quality,portion size of the food. I doubt things have changed original owners or not. I could be wrong but I will wait until I read a review from a reputable reviewer before I spend any money at this restaurant.

The Bank Street location is now called "Clyde's Cantina" but the menu appears to be pretty much the same as it has been for years. We stopped in last night. I know it may not be "authentic" Mexican, but whatever it is, I have been a faithful customer since the place opened and I do get cravings for it from time to time. For me, service has always been relaxed, which is part of the charm: I appreciate that the margaritas are served on the rocks and don't come from a slushie machine, and also love the sangria. Nachos are the same as they've been for 33 years and that's the way I like them - just hot chips with cheese and red sauce, hot green salsa and sour cream on the side. I don't like nachos piled up with meat and vegetables. We had the cheese enchilada plate and the "mexican flag" combo both of which will be familiar to those who have dined there over the years. Both were served very hot with beans/rice and a bit of salad on the side.

I think of the food here as comfort food, and it is exactly what I was in the mood for last night. If you were a fan of Mexi's on Bank over the years, you can rest assured that it will be just what you remembered.

wasn't the one by ottawaU called las brisas during the 80s

I don't know if it is the same one that Old Curmudgeon is talking about but there was definitely a mexican restaurant called Las Brisas near Ottawa U. I remember it from the early 90's. I remember it being quite good too, at least to my less developed palate at the time! It was at the northeast corner of King Edward and Somerset if I remember correctly.

I have fond memories of dining at Mexi's as a kid, at the lovely Perth location (not sure if still there), as well as the defunct Dow's location. We went to the Dow's location last spring and it was absolutely awful. Overpriced, smaller servings, stale ingredients and there was no one but us on their sprawling patio. Kinda sad :-( It was a unique concept for Ottawa.

I ate at the Dow's lake location in September. It was truly and utterly awful. Horrible. Bland. Tasteless. The waiter disappeared for the entire meal and I could find any hot sauce. It was the worst meal I have had in a very long time. Someone else was paying, so I didn't feel comfortable complaining.

I go to Mexico for a week or two most winters-looking forward to retiring there (in way too long)...nothing here compares to the authentic stuff but Mexi's used to be ok and isn't anymore, as far as I can see on a 2-3 times a year check. Haven't yet tried Clyde's Cantina. I Find Ahora--not a Mexi connection-- has good food but it has a cafeteria feel.

I remember there was a solid crowd of drinkers at the banks Street location. It rocked on Fridays and Saturdays. Won't mention any names as I knew a lot of the families.