Jibarra Doesn't Live Up To Potential

On a warm, spring evening you can bask in the downtown Raleigh activity while drinking one of the many margaritas Jibarra Modern Mexican & Tequila Lounge has to offer. Inside the restaurant's front doors is the bar circling a thick, large column of shelved tequila bottles on display at its center. The dining areas' dividing walls don't reach the ceiling so there's plenty of openness to see the old freight stop's heavy ceiling pipes and red brick walls throughout the low-lit room. Tall and wide windows line the front of the restaurant, but are shaded with see-through screens so you can watch the sun set over the train tracks.

Jibarra relocated to the warehouse district of downtown Raleigh in January 2009 and is housed in the Depot building (98 years old) on West Davie Street at the end of the line of several restaurants, bars and nightclubs (The Pit, Humble Pie and Ess Lounge). Its historic and busy location seems ideal given the decor and food, which is a throwback to deep-rooted, traditional Mexican recipes with a modern twist. There is so much to like about Jibarra, which is owned by the Ibarra family— owners of the El Rodeo restaurant chain throughout the city. However, the food's taste doesn't quite hold to its attractive appearance and steep price.

Jibarra mixes rustic Mexican decor with modern designs. Pottery sits on top of a shelf above a chocolate-colored, wooden rectangle table arranged with all the dining essentials and clear blue cylinder glass votives complete with glowing candles. The earthy brown tones along with the Mexican rhythms on guitar (through speakers) create a mellow, but classical feel.

You will find many citrus and spicy flavors woven throughout Jibarra's menu. It includes lunch and dinner as well as a brunch on the weekend in an effort to cater to the timing of downtown crowds. They offer a Ceviches section of four citrus seafood selections. They offer small plates (appetizers) as well as bigger versions for dinner. Prices for large dinner plates range from $12 - $25. The appetizers seem moderate in price until they arrive.

The "Tortitas de Plátano Macho" was not what I expected. Usually plantains are served as a sweet tasting dessert after they've been fried because they're caramelized by their own fruit juices. However, this dish was not sweet at all. The baked plantains stuffed with black beans was beautifully arranged on top of a large pool of dark brown mole sauce with a zigzag drizzle of crema and queso fresco (fresh cheese) sauce on a white plate. The plantains (just two) were small and blackened— enough for two people to have a few tastes, but it was neither great tasting nor enough to eat.

The outside was blackened, but not crunchy while the center was spongy and tasted similar to cornmeal. The black beans masked the plantains' taste making the dish bland. The slight tang of the sauces didn't do much to enhance it either. At $7.50, I expected a more filling and thrillingly flavored dish.

The margaritas are unique, but the cheapest starts at $8. They also have a wide selection of Spanish and South American wines. The friendly server recommended the Cucumber Margarita, which isn't featured on their online menu. This drink is a blend of El Dadito Silver Tequila, triple sec and fresh citrus with a Tajin spice and salt rim. It's garnished with thinly cut slices of cucumber. The use of Tajin gives the drink a spicy kick and creates a savory and sweet mix with the combination of cucumber and citrus. My margarita glass, decorated with a pink hibiscus flower, was quickly empty, but this had more to do with the load of ice and its small size. Bring on the second!

The Chipotle Mango Margarita was more my style. It was sweeter, which contrasted better with its spicy ingredients. This blend of Del Gollado Gold Tequila, triple sec, chipotle reduction, mango puree and fresh citrus was topped off with a raw sugar and Tajin spice rim complete with hibiscus flower. It was delicious, but, again, quickly gone. Skimpy sizes all around for drinks.

The slow-cooked, bone-in North Carolina goat comes in both a small ($12) and large dinner plate ($25). The small plate version's meat, while tasty when edible, did not fall off the bone and fell short of my expectations. It was my first taste of goat, which had a small amount of mild and tender meat, but most bites were too chewy.

This dish comes with "potato confit" (three thin, ridged slices of cooked potato), guacamole and chunky salsa "molcajeteada" (means hot, and indeed it was). Each part is to be piled into a tortilla to eat.

The guacamole was superb. I wish I had ordered that with tortilla chips as my first appetizer. I would have been in a better mood if I had eaten that first although I'm not sure if the chips are plentiful. The combinations in the goat tortilla were tasty, but the goat was just too stubborn. Also, if you're sharing, three small tortillas is not a great number.

The taquitos stuffed with Mexican barbecued chicken were a tad too crispy and came in the magic number set of three. They are served with lettuce, crema, queso fresco and "salsa borracha," which means "drunk sauce" because it's made with beer or tequila. However, the yummy toppings couldn't mask the taste of burnt taquito shell.

One dessert redeems Jibarra slightly with a twist on flan, a traditional Spanish custard dessert. They use coconut and 18-month cured cheese plated with a dollop of whipped cream and small, candied papaya squares on the side. These papaya pieces taste like flavorless caramel bits alone, but enhance the bite of flan. I'm not a big custard dessert fan, but the use of coconut really gave it a new depth of flavor. The flan was a nice surprise.

I left Jibarra feeling slightly hungry and unsatisfied— yes, after sharing three appetizers and a dessert. It appears as if the owners know Jibarra needs some tweaking. The wait service asked a number of times about the food and left behind a comment card to rate the service, food and price. I also received an e-mail asking for the same feedback since I made an online reservation. I commend them for trying and hope they adjust accordingly.

The owners would have reasons to be concerned given the turnaround of businesses in the same location. Jibarra dresses itself up for a crowd that might only come once if it doesn't give the customer more bang for the buck. There are too many other choices nearby. Jibarra clearly wants to be upscale, but the quality of food on the plate doesn't justify its pricing. It won't thrive on the nightlife crowd with its small and expensive cocktails and 11 p.m. closing time. Jibarra has some work to do if it wants to compete with other fine-dining in the area or it needs to be more reasonable with its customer expectations.

Jibarra Modern Mexican & Tequila Lounge is located at 327 W. Davie St., Suite 102, Raleigh, N.C. 27601. It is open for lunch Tuesday - Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2: 30 p.m.; dinner Tuesday - Thursday, 5-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5-11 p.m., and Sunday, 5-9 p.m.; and brunch Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.