La Casona De Victoria - Pátzcuaro

We sent our orders in two weeks ahead so that it would all be ready for our group. The food sounded more delicious than it actually was. I would rate their cuisine as mediocre. The service was excellent. Our wait person was amicable and very efficient.

It's difficult to give the appropriate stars to a restaurant because one diner may have received a great meal. Another may have not. Or the food could be universally great, but the service may be dismal. Or vice versa. I have opted for Three Stars, which is in the middle almost but tilting toward the higher end.Here's the deal: At this writing, this restaurant is relatively new, a few months maybe. My wife and I entered on a Sunday just as the traditional Mexican lunch schedule of 2-4 p.m. was beginning. We walked in to find the place unoccupied apart from a young man in his 20s sitting at a corner table eating something. He was not a customer, but probably a family member. This is a restaurant run by a family if I am not mistaken. We sat and waited about two-to-three minutes. Nothing happened. So the young man stood up and walked directly by our table with nary a grunt or acknowledgement and into a connecting room. He then returned, walking right by us again without a word and sat back down at his table in the far corner.A moment later the waitress arrived. She was deadpan. She offered no menu, but said they had this and that. No prices mentioned, of course. I opted for pollo con mole and my wife ordered stuffed pork. The deadpan waitress departed. A couple of minutes later she returned with a little appetizer of chips and guacamole. It was pretty good.We had ordered agua de blackberry. She brought that, and it was quite good. A reasonable time passed, and the main dishes arrived. My pollo con mole was excellent, and the largest serving I've ever received in a restaurant of this very typical Mexican dish. My wife said her stuffed pork was a little dry.A couple of times during the meal a young woman who was also connected to the restaurant in some way, a family member, walked by and asked if everything was okay. At least she knew how to smile.So there you have it. The bill was a bit steep at 220 pesos for what we received, but it was certainly not outlandish, and my pollo con mole was exceptional. Will we return? Possibly but probably not.Note to all restaurants: Smile at the customers. Have a written menu to offer them, and make sure the dishes are excellent all around.And remember you only get one chance to make a first impression.

La comida es excelente, saludable, con ingredientes de alta calidad y un sabor delicioso.