Lopez - the Mexican Food Hunt Continues

OK, so my hunt for good inexpensive Mexican food continues. I had a coupon for 20% off food on Mondays so I decided to give Lopez on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights a try. First off I have to tell you that I am a little confused about the name. On the web I have seen this restaurant referred to as Lopez on Lee, Lopez Bar & Grill and Lopez Southwestern Food Club; for ease I will just refer to as Lopez. It is located at 2196 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, near the Cedar intersection and the Cedar-Lee Theaters. Walking in one knows right away that this is not your typical Mexican restaurant. The room is done in warm tones and feels classy and southwestern. The feeling is inviting and upscale, but fun. The chips and salsa are good, the chips come in a small paper bag, the salsa is good with a nice flavor. The menu is also upscale, so I decide to go for a couple of smaller items. I picked the Puffy Fish Taco and the Calamari. The taco was good, although the shell was not very puffy. The walleye on the Taco was excellent, well cooked and flavorful. I had trouble finding the lime cilantro yogurt sauce. The portion size was a little off balance, there seemed too much fish for the small taco shell and vegetables. Make this in a larger shell with more sauce and they would have a clear winner. The Calamari was excellent, lightly fried and served over shredded cabbage with a senstional red pepper dipping sauce. Really well done and a nice if not huge portion. Overall Lopez does not disappoint, the food is very good reinterpretations of Mexican and Southwest food. Unfortunately, this is a bit more upscale; the prices and portion sizes mean that while a place I would recommend, this is not the place for inexpensive Mexican dining. Of course if I am going to be disappointed, this is the way to go; keep Lopez in mind for when you want to go a bit fancy or to impress that certain significant other.