MANY years ago (about 8 or so) they used to be on the corner of Lawrence and Clark, closed down because of fire.

Same owners from what I understand… and BOMB-DIGGITY food back then too. They used to do quite a bit of really nice seafood dishes, like grilled red-snapper (very fresh tasting snapper) in this sweet-but-sharp red bell pepper sauce. I think I’ve figured out how to make it and it is awfully good (at least my version).

I’ve been a few times since to the present location and… it’s just NOT that great.

The bacony-shrimp opener is OK… not the best, but even a turd wrapped in bacon would certainly be a tastier option that the turd alone. As I said, it’s ok, not great.

I can forgive “ramekin-molded” rice. But way over-done shrimp so it’s stringy and any fish options that ain’t particularly fresh… is NO BUENO! And… they don’t serve that snapper with the lovely red-pepper sauce. The fish dish I did order was some crap ass tilapia (I HATE tilapia… garbage fish).

I’m sorry, but I would have to give this place a thumbs down.

Even $15, edmonton… it’s still $15 bucks. If you are gonna serve fish… Look, Sun-Wah on Argyle (a Chinese BBQ joint) has a WAY tasty Sole (probably Roughy) steamed in sweet wine with watercress and laupchong for $9.50. And it IS better than I could probably do at home.

Maybe it is that “I don’t get it”, but I think La Fonda has mediocre food. And it really is too bad because I was A HUGE FAN at their previous location.

When I go out, it IS because I’m not in the mood to cook… and I DO EXPECT that the dish I order would at least EQUAL what I CAN do at home. Or get close because I’m a pretty damned good cook.

Spending $15 on a plate of food is a LUXURY folks… $15 is still MORE than TWICE the minimum hourly wage as mandated by the federal govt. Think about that.

$7.25 an hr is what the MINIMUM WAGE is in this country. A $15 dish is 2hrs worth of work, pre-tax, to some people.