Great food in a nice setting
Formerly an El Charro Mexican restaurant, this location "down in a hole" underwent extensive renovations in late 2007, to reopen as a member of the Memphis-area Casa Mexicana chain. Having not yet had the pleasure of trying this brand, I was eager to make the drive to Oxford to give it a taste.

The new owners' renovations have done a little to make the business easier to spot from West Jackson Avenue: They added plenty of neon and a fresh coat of paint to the exterior. Now it's a little easier to spot, although its location down a steep hill makes it easy to miss.

Inside, dark tiles and accents give the dining room a cozy, intimate feeling. The waitstaff is dressed in crisp white shirts with black pants. It certainly seems nicer than your run-of-the-mill area Mexican eateries!

Warm, thin tortilla chips and salsa were quickly dispatched to the table and drink & appetizer orders were immediately taken. My family and I opted for our staple app, Queso Fundido ($5.49). It arrived at the table with mind boggling quickness. This Fundido is served on a skillet with plenty of melted cheese, onions, green bell peppers and sizzling chorizo (Mexican sausage). The dish is served with flour tortillas for dipping or stuffing, but for some reason our table of three only received two of the warm and soft tortillas. That was okay; the Fundido was just as good on the chips. And good it was! The flavors managed to blend together nicely, without any one element adding too much to the mix.

As for entrées, we went for diversity. One family member ordered the Parrillada Mexicana, a fajita-style sizzling platter heaped with strips of beef, chicken, pork, shrimp and chorizo ($11.25 for one, $20.99 for two).

This dish earned high marks all around, especially for the tender pork and wonderful shrimp. As with most fajita dishes at Mexican restaurants, this one was served with the requisite "beans, rice and salad" side dish. The beans and rice were nothing special, but the included guacamole was very creamy and tangy, with a distinctly citrus-y note.

Another member ordered a big platter of enchiladas, here named Enchiladas Mexicanisimas ($7.25). Featured are one each grilled chicken, beef, cheese and a potato enchilada. The entire ensemble is topped with lettuce, sour cream, tomato, grated cheese and potatoes. The potatoes used were nice chunks, roasted and very lightly seasoned. The dish overall rated a little better than average. The diner noted that nothing stood out as being fantastically great, but nothing was below par, either.

For my entrée, I picked an old favorite of pork Carintas ($8.79). The dish included about six medium sized cubes of super moist and tender pork along with rice and beans. As mentioned earlier, they're nothing special. But the carnitas - how wonderful. The plate is served with a steak knife but virtually no effort was required to slice through this wonderful meat. Wrap up a pulled apart piece of this pork along with some lime juice and a little of the side salad in the warm tortillas served on the side and you've got yourself a little slice of pork heaven.

Although I've yet to try all the Mexican restaurants in North Mississippi (or even Oxford) I can say this one has risen to the top in most categories. It's very nice inside, the waitstaff is friendly and the food is, with few exceptions, above average. Minor disappoints included poorly sweetened tea, a slow to be refilled drink glass and so-so salsa. These are not the things, however, to get in the way of a return visit. There are some intriguing entries on the menu, like the Molecajete (chicken, beef, shrimp, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, 'special sauce' and mozzarella cheese.) It's served in a mortar, like one might use to make homemade sauces and pastes. The desserts include one called a Changarito, that's a deep fried tortilla stuffed with cheesecake, topped with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and a cherry.

How very un-Mexican restaurant like. How very good.
   [08 Mar 2008 23:34:33]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Carnitas, Parrillada Mexicana

     ­Tom Servo, ChefMoz - MS editor