CRAVE FACTOR: Mole (mow-lay) is a complex Mexican sauce that can consist of over 30 ingredients depending on the region of origin. It sounds complicated. What is not hard to figure is that the national sauce of Mexico is delicious, and La Carta De Oaxaca is the best place to get it in Seattle.
Placed in the middle of Ballard, La Carta is a no-nonsense operation where bare-bones décor matches its food. The highlight of the simple menu is the mole negro Oaxaqueno, a traditional recipe of the sauce with the option of having it poured over chicken or pork. To complete the act, the protein is accompanied by white rice and tortillas. I found La Carta’s mole beautifully simple, and a bit sweet at the end. To no be able to differentiate an individual flavor is a testament to the recipe’s proportions. Throw in some chips and guacamole and you’re still walking out for under fifteen bucks.
Busy until ten, La Carta and its salsa bar are open to eleven on the weekdays and midnight on the weekends. Make it a point to check out one of Mexico’s finest imports.
Photo: Jon Meyer 
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