luna modern mexican kitchen

impressive but also a letdown. mexican cuisine is much more diverse than many people realize and perhaps having "modern" in the name upped my expectations, but i did not consider my visit to be a life-changing experience.
it was nice to see a mexican restaurant in a theme other than the stereotypical one found throughout the usa. the design represents the "modern". another thing that represents the "modern" is the plating techniques that are not often used at mexican restaurants. it is easy to discern that actual culinary training is being put to good use here and i have always been impressed by nicely plated dishes.
menu selections do not push the envelope however, and i did not think that the flavors were up to the level of the presentation. very nice tequila display and selection although i was not drinking. for me, luna modern mexicankitchenwas acceptable but fell a bit short food-wise.

we have had some real good luck with what i would call, "upscale mexican" restaurants. in oc we have several good options for this genre of cuisine. sol cocina, gabbi's, cha cha's, and some would even include javier's in the mix (i wouldn't though!). the trend has even spread to the inland empire, and lucky for us we were going to be meeting up with our good friend anthony, and his wife sabrina. luna modern mexicankitchenis kind of in an awkward area, so if you are not looking for it you might miss it. the area is dominated by some office buildings and the aroma of lone star steakhouse nearby. in fact, luna is located on the bottom floor of one of these office buildings. after entering the restaurant we had the feeling we were not in corona anymore. the vibe here reminded us of a vegas restaurant. a high tower of all the tequilas they feature are enclosed in a glass case behind the hostess stand, the lighting, and the woo