Burrito Jax, Tako Loko, Tarek's Cafe, Panada Pizza & Point Pleasant Grocery

Burrito Jax (Tex Mex, 3117 Kempt), visited May 5, in honour of Cinco de Mayo. Messy Pork Burrito was ok, but the distribution of meat/cheese/sauce vs. vegetables was out of wack. Chicken Burrito bowl was fine, but not spectacular. Server was friendly. 2.5/5 (50%) chance of returning

Tako Loko (Tex Mex, 3248 Isleville), visited May 14. Ordered 5 tacos: Chorizo (sausage) was good but very salty, Fish was very good and tasted fresh, Pastor (pulled pork) was nice, Suadero (brisket) was just ok, Tinga (chicken) was great. Rice and beans were pretty bad. They were very busy and didn’t charge us for the rice and beans. The tacos were small and a bit pricey, but among the best in Halifax. 4.5/5 (90%) chance of returning

Tarek's Café (Mediterranean, 3045 Robie), visited May 18. Half & Half (beef and chicken shwarma plate) was piled high with salad and not quite enough meat. Falafel plate was also generous, and good, although the pickled bean salad wasn’t fabulous. 3.5/5 (70%) chance of returning

Panada Pizza (Pizza, 56 Supreme), visited May 26. $20.99 for a large one topping pizza and large garlic fingers is pretty good value. Not the best pizza in town, but a good, relatively cheap feed with friendly service. 3.5/5 (70%) chance of returning

Point Pleasant Grocery (Variety, 506 Tower), visited May 31. Not really an eatery, but arguably the best and only place to grab an ice cream before a walk in Point Pleasant Park. Scoops of Peanut Butter Mudslide and Peanut Butter Fudge Crunch were modest but fair. 5/5 (100%) chance of returning

Review #38 - Cantina Mexicana

Cantina Mexicana
Variety: Tex Mex
Address: 1551 South Park Street
Date Visited: Monday, June 11, 2012
Orders: Pork Burrito, Beef Burrito with chips & salsa

Taste: 7 + 3 = 11/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -1
Final Grade: 69% (Good)

(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)

Notes: "This one is probably going to end with vomit. I don't see how it can't." This is what T said after her first burrito. It certainly didn't help that they didn't take her onion allergy seriously (hence the negative point). To be fair, the Pork Burrito was tasty, but the Beef Burrito was nasty, even to a burrito connoisseur like J. The rice was nothing more than Uncle Bens and they didn't mesh well with the beans. Would have benefited greatly from some nice Mexican Rice. It also didn't help that the chips were totally stale. The place is only a few weeks old, so maybe they'll improve with experience, but they're off to a pretty rough start, by our account.

Addendum: The proprietor, via Twitter, has taken exception to my statement that his staff did not take the onion allergy concern seriously. To be clear: his staff did attempt to guide us through onion-free options, but unfortunately, they made a mistake. I stand by the statement, score, and negative point - people with dietary sensitivities need to be able to trust that the people who make their food know what they're talking about, or at least to admit when they're not sure so that the onus it put on the customer.

Review #22 - Mexicali Rosa's

Mexicali Rosa's
Variety: Tex Mex
Address: 5472 Spring Garden Road
Date Visited: Monday, August 15, 2011
Orders: Mexican Flag, Nachos

Taste: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -
Final Grade: 77% (Good)

(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)

Notes: The thing about Mexis is that it's incredib...ly average. You know what you can expect - consistent but unspectacular Tex Mex cuisine. This visit was the same as the last, which was the same as the one before that, which was the same as the one before that. Would love to see tamales added to the menu.