Family-owned La Carta de Oaxaca restaurant celebrates the food of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca with a superbly prepared menu in casual surroundings. Long tables promote communal, family-style eating and small portions and prices are conducive to sharing and sampling, tapas-style. For starters, there's a self-serve salsa bar with tortilla chips, guacamole, spicy fish soup (caldo de pescado) or beef meatballs and vegetable soup. All tortillas are house-made. Order several dishes, such as the house specialty, Mole' Negro Oaxaqueno (sweet chicken or pork over rice and tortillas). Other standouts include molotes (fried tortillas stuffed with potatoes and beef sausage), pork and hominy stew served with tortillas and vegetables, and empanadas with yellow curry sauce. The cinnamon-flavored coffee is the perfect way to conclude your meal. Full bar. Serving lunch Tue–Sat, dinner Mon–Sat. Late-night Fri–Sat. Closed Sun. One of Seattle magazine's 79 Best Restaurants of 2009.