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You can"t judge a South American restaurant by the quality of its margarita. Or so we learned at La Zarza, whose cucumber-and-jalapeño version imparted a sense of expectation that the kitchen couldn"t fulfill. The menu featured a disappointing rib eye that lacked the earthy intensity we"ve experienced with similar cuts. Paella faltered too--the lobster meat lacked flavor, the calamari was chewy, and the chorizo too bland. Skip dessert and head straight for the bar--as drinking destinations go, you could do worse.

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