Neil S.
Yelp
Chamblee and the Atlanta metro area as a whole possess a ton of casual, no frills places serving authentic bites, but few offer more composed and regional focused dishes in an appealing setting. Oaxaca ranks among the few to do the latter, which led my wife and I to try it out on a recent weekend dinner.
The restaurant is located on the ground floor of a large mixed residential and retail complex. A garage around the corner of the restaurant contains ample parking. The ambiance here feels open and industrial, with furnishings such as basket lamps and wicker chairs adding to the unique vibe. We found service here excellent, with staff possessing a great knowledge of the menu and acting attentively throughout our meal.
The highlight of our dinner came with our first courses. Our favorite bite of the evening was the tetela de pato. This dish, described as a take on a tamale, comprised tender duck encased in moist masa dough and dressed with the perfect amount of rich, and not-too-sweet tamarind mole. The textures and flavors all worked quite well. We also liked the hamachi tostada with sashimi quality fish seasoned well with lime and chili. The salsas, served with high quality chips, made for pleasant munching but felt spicy pricey at $10.
Our main courses fared less well than the appetizers. We opted for the octopus huarache and the pork belly gorditas. The former brought an ample quantity of tender tentacles atop a thick, masa flatbread spread with mashed potatoes and served alongside a green mole. While the concept intrigued, the dish suffered from a lack of flavor in that the bland mashed potatoes and masa base made for a boring bite despite ample dousings of the mole and salsas. The pork belly gordita fared better with tender, rich meat and good seasoning, but felt more akin to what one would find up the road at the excellent but low key taquerias rather than a finer dining dish.
Ultimately, the food at Oaxaca merits a visit for fans of authentic Mexican food in nicer than usual environs. Higher end prices and some lackluster items may prevent us from returning soon, but the restaurant is worth a try for some unique bites in a sit down atmosphere.