Is bigger truly better? If you're talking about La Merced in Mesa, then the answer is yes. And the locals know this to be true.
See also: - Federal Pizza: Empire-Building on Central Avenue - Suds (Mostly) Trump the Grub at Scottsdale's Brat Haus
The six-year-old restaurant takes its name from Mexico City's largest traditional food market, a fact that seems to contrast its small, unassuming space in a near-vacant strip mall but not its gigantic plates of boldly flavored eats.
Here's an excerpt from this week's review:
"To experience the biggest and best of what La Merced has to offer, the Casuela a la Mexicana, requires the assistance of a few hungry friends. The feast, containing eight dishes laid out together on a platter accented with avocado halves and taco fixin's, includes standouts such as thin, peppery beefsteak slathered in grilled onions, chunks of tender pork in a spicy green chile sauce, and small cubes of carnitas tinged with garlic and a lip-smacking bit of char. Whether you're one of those who packs the meat into tortillas, puts a sample of each on a plate, or stabs at whatever's nearest on the platter, this meal's a steal at $32.99."
Hungry for more big bites? Read my full review of La Merced in Mesa.
