La Hacienda
He said:
Located behind The District in South Jordan, La Hacienda manages to sit quietly out of the way of the nearby traffic and activity. It offers a friendly, relaxed space for dining and relaxing. Inside, the earth-toned orange walls let us know we found a Mexican restaurant, yet they didn’t overreach. They weren’t over the top, but calm, welcoming, and inviting. Additional spots of color came by way of brightly painted flowerpots, artificial fruits and vegetables in suspended baskets, and live plants. Beautiful, colorful, but used sparingly. I loved the paintings. The one hanging on the wall in front of me depicted a . . . well, it depicted a hacienda, its Spanish architecture evident. Another, hung over the reception desk, showed a pueblo with agave plants establishing a border around a cultivated farm.
After reviewing the menu, I asked the waitress to help me decide between the Bistek Ranchero and the Bistek Encebollado. Without hesitating, she recommended the Bistek Encebollado, so I ordered it. It came as a 10 oz. Ribeye steak, topped with grilled onions. The nicely seasoned onions had been grilled just short of caramelization, which left them with just a little crunch and a lot of flavor. Rice and refried beans dutifully flanked the steak. The rice, cooked with tomato juice, lacked any other ingredients, but had the perfect softness and light fluffiness. The beans were thin, though not watery, and also plain. The steak was slightly overcooked—easy to do with a thinly cut steak—but still enjoyable.
I decided to try the Fried Ice Cream to finish my meal. The crusted ice cream came in a fried tortilla shell, with whipped cream on top and drizzled with chocolate syrup. Unfortunately, it was served cold. That’s great for the ice cream, but the crust needed something more. A drizzle of honey or caramel might have helped, but I would have liked it to have been fried a bit more recently. Of course, that didn’t stop me from eating the entire thing.
La Hacienda felt like a middle-of-the-road restaurant. I enjoyed the atmosphere and my meal. Yet, nothing really stood out as exceptional. At the same time, nothing seemed particularly wrong about it, either.
She said:
La Hacienda wasn’t anything fancy, but it was comfortable and relaxing. Unlike many other Mexican restaurants we’ve frequented, it was understated. The walls were a Sienna shade of red, accented by woodgrain wainscotting in walnut and chestnut brown. Wrought iron sconces accented the walls, banking the windows on either side. They were a nice touch, especially since they were lit up. The dining room consisted of tables and booths. The tables were dark walnut stained tables with black chairs and the booths were upholstered with alternating ambers, oranges, and green. The background music was discernible, but not blaring in our ears.
I ordered the steak fajitas with flour tortillas. The steak was thinly sliced and had been sautéed with red and green bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. It was all pleasing to my palate and satisfying, but it was typical Mexican fare. I was impressed with the homemade grilled tortillas. They were lightly browned and a bit fluffy, not too flat, which made them wonderful to fill with steak, refried beans, and rice, and then to roll up and chow down while enjoying Brian’s company.
Conclusion:
La Hacienda offers traditional Tex-Mex cuisine at reasonable prices in a pleasant, comfortable, and welcoming setting.