| Food | * * * 1/2 |
| Service | * * |
| Ambience | * * |
| Value | 8.0 |
| Cost | $ |
| Dish | Price |
Value | Rating | |
| Carnitas Platter | $7.95 or $25/4 |
* * * * | * * * 1/2 |
As soon as you even approach OTMC, you know the wait is going to be long. We waited about 45 minutes and that was a short wait! When we left at about 9pm, there were still a lot of people waiting for a table. While waiting outside, you can watch two ladies preparing the cornmeal and masa harina with a little water, and the hot grill; resulting in freshly cooked, handmade tortillas. I could watch for hours!
The OTMC goes several rooms deep and is a New York City block long, with a different theme in each room. Our room was a bit garishly decorated, with white ceiling fans and lots of red, white and green decor. Almost as soon as we sat down, they armed us (10) with 3 baskets of chips, with delicious spicy salsa. They also brought us, on request (no charge) a couple of fresh flour tortillas with butter pats. Mmm! A few of us decided to order some special drinks. I went with the house margarita, which was served inexplicably in a martini glass, with all the salt, tequila, and lime juice swirled together in the glass--no salty rim, no chance for me to try out my own truncated version of the body shot--definitely not worth the $4.75. I would have been better off with the special fruit drinks others in our group tried. Outwardly, they had the appearance of tequila sunrises; a mixture one could swirl together into a pretty orange and red conglomeration and tasted like a creamy fruit punch (but fresh and natural). As for entrees, half of us ordered the Carnitas special, and half went elsewhere (chimichanga, tostada, burrito, all the old standards). The carnitas came with a big plate of refried beans and rice, and a communal plate of great chunks of fresh avocado, tomato, onion, and sprigs of cilantro; plus, we wrapped them in fresh corn and flour tortillas (I tell you, you can get great flour tortillas everywhere, but for great fresh corn tortillas, this is the only place!). Our total bill: tax, tip, everything, was about $7/person, beverages notwithstanding.
When in San Diego, see the San Diego zoo, visit the Balboa Park Museums, and eat at Old Town Market Cafe, without exception.