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Steph checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca "I checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca." 2 hours ago... from foursquare

Mr checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca "I checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca." 2 hours ago... from foursquare

Sheila checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca "I checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca." 2 hours ago... from foursquare

madjagermeister tweeted La Carta de Oaxaca "@ChefSamTalbot gotta go to la carta de oaxaca in ballard for dinner and go to volunteer park in capitol hill and climb the water tower" 7 hours ago... from twitter

Kari checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca "I checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca." 1 day ago... from foursquare

Cassie checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca "I checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca." 1 day ago... from foursquare

Robert checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca "I checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca." 1 day ago... from foursquare

missdoomcookie checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca "I checked in at La Carta de Oaxaca (5431 Ballard Ave NW) on #Yelp http://t.co/WIizY7Od " 4 days ago... from yelp

m_hill tweeted La Carta de Oaxaca "I'm at La Carta De Oaxaca (5431 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle) http://t.co/26QmLW4B " 4 days ago... from twitter

MisakoHill tweeted La Carta de Oaxaca "I'm at La Carta De Oaxaca (5431 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle) http://t.co/nDrrdL1l " 5 days ago... from twitter

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thrill or kill

In Short

The bustle and bright lights behind big storefront windows make this cheery restaurant stand out along dark Ballard Avenue. A long family-style table, an open kitchen and large margaritas all contribute to the festive atmosphere. Dramatic black-and-white photos capturing southern Mexico rise up along the walls in an airy, white room that gets surprisingly warm.The FoodFrom tamales wrapped in banana leaf to barbecued pork in tortillas, Oaxacan food surpasses standard Mexican fare. Served in portions that are somewhere between tapas and small entree, each dish is homemade and wholesome. Although the kitchen shies away from hot seasoning, a serve-yourself salsa bar spices things up. The house specialty of chicken in sweet mole negro, traditional posole (pork stew with hominy) and fish soup are all boldly flavored favorites. Vegetarians face limited choices involving beans and cheese.