Thumbs down on HC de Monterrey on Contituyentes

Dpreefer · 3 Weeks Ago

I was smacking my lips for some good Mexican food and for convenience sake, I went to the corner of Constituyentes and 30th, which is loaded with good eats. In one corner you can find HC de Monterrey, El Fogon, los Huaraches, Nativo and La Pesca. That's a lot to choose from.

I was surprised to see that El Fogon is no more, but has been replaced by what seems like a fly-by-night operation, or maybe they are just waiting for their signs and equipment to arrive in order to establish their own identity. It is a surprise because El Fogon is so good, and this 3rd branch they opened was really not bad, although a step below the original on 30th and 32nd.

So I decided to try the HC, being anothe super fan of the HC de Monterrey on Primera Sur. I had not had the chance to try the two new HC's on Constituyentes and the CTM, so why not now? Sit, I did. Eat I did. OMIGAWD! What a grand dissapointment!

This is not the same operation at all. The old HC was far from luxurious, but the food was freshly grilled to perfection with a great arrechera tang. Sometimes you had to wait a bit to get served, but they were busy for a good reason.

The new operation seems to be another attempt to take good Mexican grill food and turn it into a fast food operation. After I placed my order, the food was served within 4 or 5 minutes. The meat had to have been cooked in large batches and sat waiting in a hot plate for the next order. It seemed fried and not grilled at all, and the flavor was flat and the meat too tough. I should have known that this was different, and not in a good way, when the waiter unceremoniously dumped on my table a tiny styrofoam cup of indifferent salsa and another small cup of mayonnaise. (Mayonnaise????) What happened to the basket of totopos and the good salsas I was used to?

I found that if you wanted them, you had to order totopos as an additional charge, which I did. They also came in a New York minute.................but they were baked and not fried. They tasted like cardboard and have no right to accompany a Mexican meal. These were not totopos. They were stale crackers!

I know that everyone loves the old HC de Monterrey, and it was with great anticipation that we heard that there would now be 3 of them to make our pleasures multiply. But do not be fooled. This is not the same operation, and you will be happier in almost any good dive in Playa. I would love to hear reports about the original location and the other new one on the CTM. Are they all terrible now? Did some smartie from Mexico City scarf up the name and try to pass it off as some great tradition when it is just McDonald's in a serape?

I just hate it when someone ruins a good thing, but make no mistake. This new HC de Monterrey is no good thing. My wish is that they go out of business faster than the El Fogon that was their neighbor, and now that I think of it, my guess is that El Fogon closed up so that they did not have to share the reputation for bad food that will certainly follow this deceptive operation.

You have been warned!

Jacko · 3 Weeks Ago

And I found it absolutely delightful in February! I hope they have not destroyed one of my favorite value places to eat.

(granted, their little styrofoam cups of "sauces" went unopened by me....)

Michele · 3 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacko

And I found it absolutely delightful in February! I hope they have not destroyed one of my favorite value places to eat.

(granted, their little styrofoam cups of "sauces" went unopened by me....)

Ooooh, then you missed out on the delicious garlic crema for the potato. I can't help my self and put it on eveything!!

I have always preferred my own aracherra to HC's (in any of it's incarnations) so, I won't jump up and down about DP's commentary. In a pinch, when you just just don't feel like cooking, it's a good, moderately priced meal out. Mine was overcooked (read: cooked, sliced and recooked) last night when we stopped in for a late bite on the way home from Isla Mujeres. Actually, I think my friend Laurie got my order and visa versa. I was too tired to care.

**Susie Q Roo** · 3 Weeks Ago

Hmmm... I think what you mistook for mayonaise was the garlic cream. In 4 years here I have never received chips and salsa at any of the HC locations. My experience has been the exact opposite of yours. Before the 1st St location changed owners, I found the meat tough and much less flavorful than before. I was quite pleased to find that the new location actually cooked to order and the meat was delicious. I have never had a bad experience there. Not to deny that you did, but please give it another chance. They obviously had a bad night. Perhaps that explains why you and Michele both had a less than stellar experience there.

I could be wrong, but I believe El Fogon is just undergoing a face lift.

Jacko · 3 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michele

Ooooh, then you missed out on the delicious garlic crema for the potato. I can't help my self and put it on eveything!!

I have always preferred my own aracherra to HC's (in any of it's incarnations) so, I won't jump up and down about DP's commentary. In a pinch, when you just just don't feel like cooking, it's a good, moderately priced meal out. Mine was overcooked (read: cooked, sliced and recooked) last night when we stopped in for a late bite on the way home from Isla Mujeres. Actually, I think my friend Laurie got my order and visa versa. I was too tired to care.

I always have the onion!

And its not the sauce...its the styrofoam

I hope that if I don't open it and give it back to them, they might reuse it.

Styrines are some bad stuff. They are outlawed in my business.

**Shammy** · 3 Weeks Ago

I saw people eating at El Fogon today -

Is it NOT El Fogon anymore, even though the sign says it is?

Jacko · 3 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shammy

I saw people eating at El Fogon today -

Is it NOT El Fogon anymore, even though the sign says it is?

Hmmmmmmmmm...curiouser and curiouser...

............................ ............

ronp3660 · 3 Weeks Ago

I've read conflicting information on what time the new HC de Monterrey closes. Is it 7 PM or something like 11 PM or midnight? We are looking forward to trying out the new location on a Saturday night.

And I hope that they were just having an off night. The old location was one of my all-time favorites.

**Susie Q Roo** · 3 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronp3660

I've read conflicting information on what time the new HC de Monterrey closes. Is it 7 PM or something like 11 PM or midnight? We are looking forward to trying out the new location on a Saturday night.

And I hope that they were just having an off night. The old location was one of my all-time favorites.

I don't know the exact time, but they're open late, for sure.

**Heather** · 3 Weeks Ago

I've eaten at the new HC location on Constituyentes 5 times and it has been just as good as its old location, in fact, I had a better experience because I wasn't forced to deal with all the smoke from the grill. Even at the "old" location, the salsa and garlic crema was brought to the table in styrofoam cups.

Of course, it's possible for any restaurant to have a bad night, not trying to discount your experience at all.

LEAP · 3 Weeks Ago

We just ate at the new location at the end of March and everyone in our group LOVED it!

**james** · 3 Weeks Ago

The only thing consistent in Mexico is the inconsistency. It is very reliable.

It is impossible to praise or condemn based on one experience.

Dijo · 3 Weeks Ago

the end of January and both places served excellent food with great service. Our arracherra (HC) was freshly grilled and medium rare, exactly what we ordered. Loved the "huge" baked potatoe with the garlic sauce.

The el pastor at El Fogon was extremely good and fresh off the roast, not heated up left-overs that we got at Carboncitas one night. Hope it was just a bad night at HC and that El Fogon is still there when we come back.

J Man · 3 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronp3660

I've read conflicting information on what time the new HC de Monterrey closes. Is it 7 PM or something like 11 PM or midnight? We are looking forward to trying out the new location on a Saturday night.

And I hope that they were just having an off night. The old location was one of my all-time favorites.

The new location closes late which would be around 11 pm or midnight. I was there at New yearss, and that was what they told me.

**Mindbender** · 3 Weeks Ago

I'm tucking into a take-away paquete nacional from HC's right now.

Yummy.

3 Weeks Ago	#1 (permalink)
Dpreefer way into it Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 169	Thumbs down on HC de Monterrey on Contituyentes I was smacking my lips for some good Mexican food and for convenience sake, I went to the corner of Constituyentes and 30th, which is loaded with good eats. In one corner you can find HC de Monterrey, El Fogon, los Huaraches, Nativo and La Pesca. That's a lot to choose from. I was surprised to see that El Fogon is no more, but has been replaced by what seems like a fly-by-night operation, or maybe they are just waiting for their signs and equipment to arrive in order to establish their own identity. It is a surprise because El Fogon is so good, and this 3rd branch they opened was really not bad, although a step below the original on 30th and 32nd. So I decided to try the HC, being anothe super fan of the HC de Monterrey on Primera Sur. I had not had the chance to try the two new HC's on Constituyentes and the CTM, so why not now? Sit, I did. Eat I did. OMIGAWD! What a grand dissapointment! This is not the same operation at all. The old HC was far from luxurious, but the food was freshly grilled to perfection with a great arrechera tang. Sometimes you had to wait a bit to get served, but they were busy for a good reason. The new operation seems to be another attempt to take good Mexican grill food and turn it into a fast food operation. After I placed my order, the food was served within 4 or 5 minutes. The meat had to have been cooked in large batches and sat waiting in a hot plate for the next order. It seemed fried and not grilled at all, and the flavor was flat and the meat too tough. I should have known that this was different, and not in a good way, when the waiter unceremoniously dumped on my table a tiny styrofoam cup of indifferent salsa and another small cup of mayonnaise. (Mayonnaise????) What happened to the basket of totopos and the good salsas I was used to? I found that if you wanted them, you had to order totopos as an additional charge, which I did. They also came in a New York minute.................but they were baked and not fried. They tasted like cardboard and have no right to accompany a Mexican meal. These were not totopos. They were stale crackers! I know that everyone loves the old HC de Monterrey, and it was with great anticipation that we heard that there would now be 3 of them to make our pleasures multiply. But do not be fooled. This is not the same operation, and you will be happier in almost any good dive in Playa. I would love to hear reports about the original location and the other new one on the CTM. Are they all terrible now? Did some smartie from Mexico City scarf up the name and try to pass it off as some great tradition when it is just McDonald's in a serape? I just hate it when someone ruins a good thing, but make no mistake. This new HC de Monterrey is no good thing. My wish is that they go out of business faster than the El Fogon that was their neighbor, and now that I think of it, my guess is that El Fogon closed up so that they did not have to share the reputation for bad food that will certainly follow this deceptive operation. You have been warned! __________________

3 Weeks Ago	#12 (permalink)
james beach geek admin Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: 10 year Playa resident lost in Kullavik, Sweden Posts: 9,487	The only thing consistent in Mexico is the inconsistency. It is very reliable. It is impossible to praise or condemn based on one experience. __________________ My lovely house is for sale Get your own signature countdown image! Thanks for taking the time to read the announcement!

3 Weeks Ago	#13 (permalink)
Dijo life=playa Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 792	We ate at both El Fogon and HC Monterrey the end of January and both places served excellent food with great service. Our arracherra (HC) was freshly grilled and medium rare, exactly what we ordered. Loved the "huge" baked potatoe with the garlic sauce. The el pastor at El Fogon was extremely good and fresh off the roast, not heated up left-overs that we got at Carboncitas one night. Hope it was just a bad night at HC and that El Fogon is still there when we come back.

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3 Weeks Ago	#2 (permalink)
Jacko añejo Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 16,539	And I found it absolutely delightful in February! I hope they have not destroyed one of my favorite value places to eat. (granted, their little styrofoam cups of "sauces" went unopened by me....)

3 Weeks Ago	#4 (permalink)
Susie Q Roo Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Q Roo Posts: 9,182	Hmmm... I think what you mistook for mayonaise was the garlic cream. In 4 years here I have never received chips and salsa at any of the HC locations. My experience has been the exact opposite of yours. Before the 1st St location changed owners, I found the meat tough and much less flavorful than before. I was quite pleased to find that the new location actually cooked to order and the meat was delicious. I have never had a bad experience there. Not to deny that you did, but please give it another chance. They obviously had a bad night. Perhaps that explains why you and Michele both had a less than stellar experience there. I could be wrong, but I believe El Fogon is just undergoing a face lift.

3 Weeks Ago	#6 (permalink)
Shammy Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 9,648	I saw people eating at El Fogon today - Is it NOT El Fogon anymore, even though the sign says it is?

3 Weeks Ago	#8 (permalink)
ronp3660 ruined Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgetown, Texas Posts: 87	I've read conflicting information on what time the new HC de Monterrey closes. Is it 7 PM or something like 11 PM or midnight? We are looking forward to trying out the new location on a Saturday night. And I hope that they were just having an off night. The old location was one of my all-time favorites.

3 Weeks Ago	#10 (permalink)
Heather Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 7,988	I've eaten at the new HC location on Constituyentes 5 times and it has been just as good as its old location, in fact, I had a better experience because I wasn't forced to deal with all the smoke from the grill. Even at the "old" location, the salsa and garlic crema was brought to the table in styrofoam cups. Of course, it's possible for any restaurant to have a bad night, not trying to discount your experience at all.

3 Weeks Ago	#11 (permalink)
LEAP way into it Join Date: May 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 102	We just ate at the new location at the end of March and everyone in our group LOVED it!

3 Weeks Ago	#15 (permalink)
Mindbender Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 2,738	I'm tucking into a take-away paquete nacional from HC's right now. Yummy.

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