It really should not have taken me five years to review Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant on 700 East in Salt Lake City. I had heard so many glowing things about Mi Casita's twin in Utah County that I assumed its originality and quality could not be duplicated in a city overly abundant with Mexican eateries.
Yet the glow I felt after our recent dinner was not just one of satisfaction after our pleasant and satisfying meal, but also one of embarrassment. Here was a quaint little place, almost under my nose, and I almost dismissed it as another clone.The decor is simple yet colorful. Christmas tree lights twinkle along one of the interior archways, snapshots of satisfied diners are pasted on the walls by the register, Mayan sculptures line the shelves around the opening dining area, and calendars with gothic pictures of Mexican saints hang on the walls. It was as if a little bit of the charm of New Mexico had been plopped along one of the city's main drags that could be easily overlooked.
Our waitress was busily attending to the other diners during our weeknight visit. Rather than respond to our tedious questions about the menu (it is hard to decide among the specials on the five pages) she jauntily told us to close our eyes and just pick one.
Not only did we end up with a very good carne con chili Colorado and carne tomatillos (both $7), but we also blindly chose a combination plate, some cheese enchiladas with salsa verde, and a homemade tamale ($2.50) covered with salsa ranchera. Our blind taste test was anything but bland.
We chuckled a bit when the large serving of enchiladas came, covered with a tasty green tomatillo sauce, topped with sour cream and adorned with two black olives right next to each other, like two crossed eyes. Not only did the dish open our eyes to the quality of the kitchen, but it stimulated our taste buds, too.
The smoky red sauce with the chile Colorado was just the right temperature; we also relished the tart enough tang of the tomatillo and onion sauce with our other good sized entree. The pieces of meat were a bit chewy, but the sauces carried each dish.
The combination plate ($5.50) with tamale, relleno and beef enchilada, offered a sampling of the sauces, each described on the front of the menu. The ranchera, made up of three chilies, tomatoes, onions and cilantro, was especially good.
Each of the plates is good size, and, except for one miscue, served piping hot to the table. The pale, creamy refritos, were highlighted by melted jack and cheddar cheese. A guacamole salad ($3.25) atop lettuce and freshly chopped onion was also nicely prepared. The salsa fresca complemented the bottomless bowls of warm corn chips.
Other specials on the extensive menu include crab enchilada ; chile verde ; machaca, shredded beef cooked with onions, tomatoes and peppers, ; chimichanga ; huachinango vera cruzana, red snapper simmered with tomatoes, green pepper and green olive sauce ($7.25); chilaquiles con chorizo, tortilla chips cooked with sausage, tomatoes, and onions and topped with salsa fresca ; carnitas ($7.50); and the Mi Casita Special ($8.50), a crab filled omelette topped with melted cheese, avocado, tomatoes and olives.
Several huevos (or egg) dishes as well as a cross section of combination plates round out the menu including enchiladas, rellenos, tamales, tacos, burritos, taquitos and tostados.
Mi Casita's reputation might originate from its well-known relative in Utah County, but based on our recent dinner, the Salt Lake rendition holds its own quite well.
Rating: * * *
Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant, 2160 S. 700 East, 487-8036. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.; until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday. Accepts check with guarantee card and major credit cards.