I tried Lucky Lopez out for lunch yesterday. For starters any attempt at Mexican food in Beijing is commendable - the cuisine may look simple, but it's difficult to get right.
The decor and "Chipotle"-esque layout and serving concept are definitely spot-on and perfect for the CBD lunch time crowd. The owner seems like a sharp businessman who knows very well what he wants to accomplish with his business.
As for the food, I give it mixed reviews for my first impression.
For starters, I appreciated the fresh ingredients - the toppings and tortillas tasted fresh and hand-made (as opposed to squeezed out of a bottle or scooped out of a can).
But on the flipside, the barbacoa and carnita meat fillings I had in my two tacos were a tad cold - perhaps because I was in there after 2pm for a late lunch, but something for the management to keep in mind. Overall the flavoring of the meat was a bit too mild for my tastes as well (I'm from Texas and now call California my home in the US, so I do know a thing or two about Tex-mex and Mexican food in general). I think they need to refine their slow cooking process for these two particular items.
I tried the chicken burrito as well - they come generously portioned and can definitely fill you up - but again, the chicken was a tad bland. The tortillas are decent as well, but not quite on the same par as those Ruth's hand-made tortillas (which I presume are hand-made by someone named "Ruth") you can buy in Jenny Lou's and April Gourmet.
The Tortilla chips are pretty good - nice crispiness and taste, but they could stand to give out a little more in their portions (they come as a complimentary side dish to most orders).
And last but certainly not least is the salsa. I tried the mango flavored, picante and salsa verde - they were all hand made but slightly watered down and the portions were a bit too small for my tastes (it's very difficult to dip the chips in the little plastic cups they come in). I suggest they just leave out big containers of them as they do at Rubio's in the States. It may be more expensive to do so in the short term, but I think by doing so (along with being more generous with the chips portions) should entice people to come back more.
All criticisms aside, I'm rooting for this place - given a few key adjustments Lucky Lopez should do well and be able to expand to other branches in the capital.
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