Photo courtesy of EatAtMexico.com.Where:

Mexico, Pacific PlaceWhen: LunchWhat Does $13 Get Ya? A tequila chicken Caesar ($12.99). Hit up your neighbor for help with tax + tip.Recommended: I can’t imagine I’ll return.I can find all kinds of great reasons to hit up the most corporate of chain restaurants: Service at Applebee’s is always spot on; the Royal Red Robin burger is a thing of beauty that has never been equaled (yes, the one with the egg); and at an over-crowded music festival, seeking refuge in an abandoned TGI Friday’s had its perks. And they all have one thing in common: They get you in an out better than the rest. For some people, that’s a turn-off. For me, it’s comforting. ‘Cause, let’s face it, we’re not bellying up to the Chili’s bar for the atmosphere.This is why it astounds me that Pacific Place’s Mexico, the epitome of U.S.-mall cuisine, had such a hard time dealing with my party of 9ish recently for lunch. A new friend of mine has a knack for curating lunches downtown for yuppies like myself, mixing it up with friends and a couple fresh faces. While Mexico ain’t making any tourist books, it’s perfect for our purposes: lunch, conversation, and fewer drinks than we’d like. Why it took nearly 90 minutes for us to accomplish this feat is beyond me. I take that back, I’ve got a pretty good idea where 20 minutes went: fumbling with, and settling the check. You’re a glossy business lunch target. We can’t possibly be the first group to ask you to split up a check. And, really, did that burrito really have to come out so much later than those tacos?On the food side of the coin, I was satisfied with my salad at first (even if they forget to hold the tortilla strips). But, here we are, at 4 o’clock, and I’ll be damned if my happy hour appetite isn’t in overdrive. Oh, well, what do you expect for $13? I can answer that: more than what Mexico is capable of.