Graciela's Cuisine - Asian/mexican fusion?

Graciela's Cuisine




Graciela's is a newcomer to Tyler and is located just south of 5th on Broadway.  They are located in a space previously occupied by a former catering/restaurant place whose name I can't recall.  We were driving by and saw several employees waving at us to come in and give it a try.

The spread:  Well I was a little confused by the menu.  It seems to be some sort of fusion between traditional Mexican food (not Tex-mex) and American Chinese food.  The menu ranges from various types of fried rice to moles, enchiladas, and soups.  They have quesadillas and a spicy guacamole amongst other items on the appetizers menu.

The verdict:  Well again, this is one of those places that I want to like, but falls short.  The waitstaff was really trying hard, but didn't fully understand the menu.  The food took a LONG time to come out for lunch.  The spicy guacamole was at a very high heat level and the enchiladas my wife tried were nearly inedible they were so spicy.  I also tried the consume and it was basically a beef broth with some vegetables and rice, it was very nice and light.  The rice and beans were a little bland for me, but I think they were in line with the traditional Mexican taste profile.  My overall impression is that the kitchen and concept are not fully developed - passionate and young, but still immature.  The location is going to be hard to overcome, but there is a lot of passion and hard work going into this endevour.

Edible Tyler Roses: 3 out of 5, The food is average to good, there is a lot of room for growth.