It’s hard to know exactly where to start. In this case, however, I’ll start with no available spaces in an overflowing parking lot with little to no lighting and a pronounced plethora of potholes. Can you say “Casa Mexicana”? I knew you could!
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Looking Forward to the Outing
Actually, I should back up a bit (cue the beep, beep, beep of reverse gear…). A long time friend who stopped through Rice Lake on his way back from a fishing trip had mentioned that “the next time you are in the Rice Lake area, you should stop at a restaurant there called “Casa Mexicana”. They have really good Mexican food!
So, when another recent business obligation routed me through the area, Lauren and I decided to stop for dinner. If you have read my reviews, you likely know that finding a good Mexican venue in Northern Illinois was like finding hen’s teeth. Difficult at best. I was looking forward to the outing.
A Packed House
Like I said, the parking lot was OMG full, and we ended up parking a block away. As I have always stated, a full parking lot is usually a very good sign. And apparently, that sign is still a good one. Walking through the front door, it appeared there were two possibilities for the crowds we encountered: 1) we had walked in on a $100-bill per person giveaway, or 2) that we had stumbled upon the location of a modern day cockfight. Neither was apparently the case. But a packed house was the reality. Packed… to put it mildly!
Actually, there was a table available, and we were seated immediately. Within seconds, a server appeared with a basket of tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa – a darn good start, I thought. And soon another server stopped by to see if we would like a beverage. The obvious answer was yes… but let me take a short break here.
Huge Menu
It seemed possible that every resident in Rice Lake – and their children – were at the restaurant that evening. Maybe due to a break in the cold weather? I dunno. But the place was jammed , and the noise level was at about eleven (from the movie This Is Spinal Tap: “That’s one louder, isn’t it?”). Perhaps akin to the noise level at a Braves – Twins game. In either case, it was very loud.
We started to munch on the chips and salsa, sip on a tasty margarita, sample the small order of guacamole, and peruse the dictionary-sized menu on which there were at least 100 items from which to choose. I later counted them and found 189 items, not including drink types! (As I stated in a review from long ago, “I’ve seen fewer items on a Chinese Dinner Menu”). No matter, despite the din, we started to enjoy the evening – even though we were seated right next to a birthday celebration. And I do mean celebration! The guac, by the way, was quite good!
Our Dinner Selections
Lauren ordered the Enchiladas Suizaz – at $15.50. It consisted of “Four flour tortillas stuffed with grilled chicken slices topped with green sauce, cheese sauce and sour cream.” I selected something from the Especialidades section of the menu called Tinga. At $17.50, they were described as “A favorite, unique to Casa Mexicana; shredded pork with our homemade chipotle sauce mixed with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Served with rice, beans, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo.
Both dinners were brought out fairly quickly. Hot dinners on fairly hot plates. Kudos… Not the best plating / presentation (could have also used some additional lime wedges and cilantro sprigs), but, then again, I had not expected it. Lauren’s dinner did not come with any extras, but there were four giant enchiladas that covered the entire plate. My dinner covered the entire plate as well, and rice, beans, and more (see description above) accompanied my entrée. Neither Lauren nor I could finish our dinners – the portion sizes were huge – and we piled the remainder into “to go” boxes.
Waiters Worked as a Team
I’ll say this about Casa Mexicana. The waiters – all guys as far as I could tell – worked as a team. It seemed as if no one had a specific area or specific tables to serve. And they fired on all cylinders! The food was very good, and I can only imagine what was going on in the kitchen. I do imagine that all staff had been through the drill before and was used to the pressure of the number of dinners they served that evening.
And This is “a Wrap”
With the exceptions of 1) a “surcharge” to use a credit card, and 2) the noise level – a very real distraction – and a few other small details, I commend Casa Mexicana on a very decent evening out and a very good dinner. There were spices, but nothing was overly hot – and that’s a plus.
If there is a slower and quieter night on which to visit, we definitely will. From what we observed, though, I doubt there is a quieter night. Even so, we’ll most likely be back. Thanks Casa Mexicana, you have earned a solid 3 ½ Zin rating with your fine performance!
Your Table is Waiting…
Ralph Pancetta
Casa Mexicana is located at 421 South Main St in Rice Lake, WI.
