Cafe Fiesta Fe

Cafe Fiesta Fe is no longer... Serna Brother's Restaurant has moved into this location.

This restaurant has permanently closed.

This is probably the best restaurant in Richland Center, and certainly the best Mexican restaurant in Richland Center, from my experience.

The restaurant itself has elegant decor, featuring slick hardwood floors, tasteful black-and-white pictures on the walls, and nice wooden tables and chairs.

Ultimately, however, it's just an average Mexican-style restaurant.  I found the service very friendly and helpful.  If you're looking for an adult beverage, they have a decent selection of beers on draft and in bottles.  Free chips and salsa were provided when I sat down.  I ordered guacamole as an appetizer, and while it may have had more onions and tomatoes than avocado, it was surprisingly creamy, rich, and flavorful.

For entrees, I had the Cabo San Lucas Salad, and pork tamales.  The salad consisted of crisp greens, well-seasoned chicken, fresh jicama, and additional fresh vegetables.  Cafe Fiesta Fe describes it as their most popular salad, and this is not surprising, as it was quite delicious.

The tamales were another story.  If I had to guess, I'd say the pork filling consisted of some sort of pork-loaf sliced into cylinders.  It tasted almost like a frozen breakfast sausage wrapped in masa.  More disturbing was a strange floral taste I got from the tamales; it was almost as though perfume had been sprayed on it just prior to serving.

As with any restaurant, Cafe Fiesta Fe had pros and cons.  The guacamole was nice, and the coconut cream pie I ordered for dessert tasted delicious, and freshly made.  As a professional baker, I do appreciate a place that serves good pie.