May 18, 2005
"We really tried"
In a textbook illustration of schadenfreude, I chuckled when I saw today that Las Mesas has breathed its last. After (temporarily) losing their beer-and-wine licence, they never recovered, despite opening occasionally for "Mexican breakfast". After initially welcoming me and others last July, the shop's owner disappeared, replaced by a changing stream of hapless, arithmetic-impaired waiters. If they didn't forget to put chicken into your chicken enchilada, they gave out wrong change -- or both. The last time I visited, they confusingly deducted tax from the refund they gave after they realised they didn't have the ingredients to make the dish I had requested. Although I am sad to see the chic décor and the lush outdoor garden go, Las Mesas never made good use of either. Good riddance to this mediocre restaurant.
Some local businesses have saddened me greatly when they closed, especially when it happened prematurely. Opening a small business of any kind, not just a restaurant, takes great courage: running it effectively and building a loyal clientele takes an impressive amount of dedication and energy. Las Mesas, however, squandered its great location, cheap an' easy food, and nice décor by providing indifferent food, shabby service, and erratic opening hours.