There’s no denying that I love Mexican food, and when it comes to the delicious delights from our neighbor to the south, I’m quite easily satisfied. Ranging from fast food like Taco Bell to Qdoba’s casual settings to a sophisticated, sit-down restaurant, I’m a sucker for any Mexican delight: tacos, burritos, enchiladas, chalupas, queso, quesadillas. You name it, I’ll eat it.

Naturally, when I heard about another Mexican restaurant in the area, 28th St.’s La Laguna, I had to try it. Based on the Google reviews, I was looking forward to authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price. On a cold, icy winter day, I perused their menu and ordered carry-out to eat from the comfort of my couch.

Their menu itself has lots of options; with chicken, beef, veggie, bean, and cheese options for any of their burritos, enchiladas, or tacos, they provide dozens of options for even the pickiest eater to choose from. I decided on chicken enchiladas and ordered chips and queso, my favorite component of Mexican cuisine, on the side.

Upon picking up the food, the restaurant itself was clean and quite appealing. The laid-back atmosphere was reflected in their colorful green and red booths, the restaurant was brought to life with vivid tablecloths. However, this ambiance was killed by the emptiness of the restaurant; there was not a single other person dining, rendering it rather lifeless. However, I attributed this to the horrid weather; after all, who would want to dine out in such icy conditions? Though I can’t attest to the service because I ordered carry out, the staff who helped us while we were there were polite and quick.

After arriving home, I quickly unpacked the food and was glad to see that it was still piping hot. At this point, I tried to ignore the cold atmosphere that I had just experienced and was looking forward to the delicious, authentic food that I read about in the reviews. Alas, I was given the polar opposite of what I was hoping for.

The bright orange queso was rubbery and lacking in true flavor. It could have been taken from a can, and I would have been none-the-wiser — not at all the genuine delight that I was craving. As for the enchiladas, they were not terrible but were undoubtedly missing the veritable flavor that all good Mexican food contains. They were quite bland, and I found myself eating cold leftovers from the night before rather than the steaming hot enchiladas.

I was thoroughly disappointed in the food from La Laguna, and with one entree averaging at about $10, I was expecting much better quality and taste. I quite honestly would rather have taken a quarter of the money I spent to Taco Bell to buy a chicken chalupa. With better restaurant options like El Arriero, which is just down the road from La Laguna, I will be taking my Mexican food cravings somewhere else.