The Carnation Ixtapa is on my very short list of favorite places to eat. 1) The service is excellent. All the staff there seem to be veteran employees who know what they are doing and can read between the lines when necessary. 2) There is something special about their salsa. It is the best in the world. I don't know why it is better than other Mexican restaurants or even the other Ixtapas in Duvall and Redmond Ridge, but it really is. 3) If you sit in the bar, you get a neighborhood feel like the locals really actually know each other. It is nice. 4) The burritos are excellent and probably more than you need to eat (but I always eat it all anyway) and the super nachos are the best of anywhere.
more