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THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Amaranta Cocina Mexicana Restaurant Review

Westfield Topanga Mall
6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Unit 1029 (Victory Blvd.) Send to Phone
Canoga Park, CA 91303
818-610-3599
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Regional Mexican restaurant with a colorful dining room and a staggering selection of premium tequilas.

Cuisine

Open

Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner nightly, Brunch Sat.-Sun.

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Dining room at THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Amaranta Cocina Mexicana, Canoga Park, CAEduardo Rallo and his wife Sylvia opened Amaranta at the revamped Westfield Topanga Mall, naming their regional Mexican restaurant for the amaranth flower. Beyond the shocking pink entrance, clusters of glass globes hang by chains from the ceiling, casting light on the colorfully patterned booths and potted succulents. No matter what you order, expect fluffy corn tortillas and three salsas: mild red molcajetada, medium black quemada and spicy green doce arbolitos. Chef Sarah Rocio Gomez oversees a menu of Mexican classics, including chicken enchiladas topped with mole poblano and Michoacán-style marinated carnitas. We enjoy the silky whitefish ceviche. Quesadillas Mixtas resembles a trio of fried empanadas, filled alternately with Oaxacan and jack cheese, spicy crumbled chorizo and smoky poblano chilies. A roasted chile relleno is stuffed with seasoned ground beef and blanketed with tomatillo and chipotle sauces. The blond wood bar stocks 385 varieties of premium tequila and offers fifteen different margaritas, including pomegranate and mango. For teetotalers, fresh aguas frescas are highlighted by horchata, cinnamon-tinged rice milk. Save room for crispy churros filled with Bavarian cream.

User Ratings & Reviews for THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Amaranta Cocina Mexicana
Average rating    1
Reviews 1 - 1 of 11
Amaranta Cocina Mexicana
by BAGWIZ on 08/02/2008
 
I don't know about the rest of you, but I like Friday nights. After a long week of commuting and working, reaching Friday night feels a little like crossing the finish line after a hard 10K. Last night (Friday) was no exception. I finished my usual 90-minute crawl home from the South Bay and needed to relax, unwind and refresh. When my wife called and said we were going to Amaranta, I was happy. The finish line was near and one of Amaranta's superb margies would be waiting!

We got there and were seated in a booth because we told the hostess we planned to have dinner. We asked the hostess if it was still happy hour. She said, "yes". After ordering a round of drinks, we asked the waiter for the happy hour appetizer menu. He said, "Oh, we don't serve happy hour in the restaurant." He went on to tell us that if we wanted to move to the bar (about 10 feet away), we could order from the happy hour menu and get happy hour prices on our drinks. "You mean we aren't even getting happy hour prices on our drinks?" we ask. "No, you're not." the waiter replies. We ask to speak with the manager.

Eventually the manager comes over and we explain to him that as we were seated the hostess told us it was happy hour. She never explained that happy hour was only good at the bar area. We tried to explain that we also wanted to order dinner and that even if we couldn't order appetizers off the happy hour menu, we felt they should honor the happy hour prices for the drinks. The manager was firm and said he could not fix the situation.

Suddenly happy hour was no longer very happy and I was beginning to feel like my Friday finish line was just a cruel illusion. We've been to Amaranta at least a dozen times and we've told many friends to go there as well. But now that we know they don't care about us, why should any of us care about them? And just to be clear, this issue isn't about happy hour prices and whether or not we got them. There are many ways to tell a customer "no" and still keep them as a customer.

So "good-bye" Amaranta Cocina Mexicana. There are plenty of other places in LA to eat that DO care about having us as customers.
 
Reviews 1 - 1 of 11
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