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    Review: La Casita Authentic Mexican Grill

    La Casita sits in an unassuming building on Bethel Road, near the intersection of Godown Road. The small stone building is actually quite charming from the outside, and once inside you’ll find that the interior is a match. A cozy and intimate setup not unsimilar to other Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Columbus… only smaller. It almost feels like you’re dining in someone’s living room, who also happens to have a bar along the back wall.

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    The menu at La Casita is pretty standard fare. You’ve got your choice of dozens of numbered menu items that include burritos, fajitas, salads, seafood, margaritas and more. I tasted a variety of dishes from the traditional Americanized offerings to the more authentic ethnic dishes.

    The Tostada de Pulpo ($5.29) is a flat corn tortilla topped with sauteed octopus bits, fresh pico de gallo and slices of avocado. This dish is served in a standard sized bowl, but included a piece of oversized parchment paper that made it a bit awkward to eat. The octopus was very fresh and the flavors balanced nicely with the creamy avocado and the salty pico de gallo. This dish is not listed as an appetizer, but the portion is sized well to share with a friend if ordered as such.

    The tacos on the menu can be ordered individually or in sets of three, and come in both traditional (corn tortilla, cilantro, onion) and American (flour tortilla, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion) versions. I ordered the Taco al Pastor ($1.99) in the traditional style and the Fish Taco ($3.25) in the American style.

    The pastor was great. Well seasoned, and cooked nicely. The fish taco on the other hand was a bit underwhelming. The fish seemed flavorless and watery, and perhaps simply by comparison to the pastor and the octopus dish prior, wasn’t holding up to my expectations.

    The Chile Relleno ($3.49) is a pretty standard version of this classic Mexican dish: a roasted, breaded and fried poblano pepper stuffed with cheese and topped with a mild red sauce and more melted cheese. It wasn’t bad for the price, but lacked any sort of defining characteristics. The sauce even seemed a bit watered down, as you might visibly notice in my photo above. The rest of the flavors were fine, but I found myself bored with it about half way through.

    For something of the Tex-Mex variety, I chose the Chimichanga Combo Platter ($10.29) which includes one chicken and one beef chimichanga topped with ranchero sauce and served with the standard sides of mexican rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole. Of the two, the beef chimichanga was better. The meat had a better flavor and better seasoning. I’m not sure if the chicken was marinated or flavored at all, and the other ingredients within the tortilla did nothing to help it. The guacamole was well prepared, but the rice and beans were average at best.

    Overall, I was primarily satisfied by everything that I tasted at La Casita. Nothing really blew me away, but the octopus came the closest. There are hundreds of Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Central Ohio that are along the same lines at La Casita, and for the most part they’re all doing the same menu with the same ingredients.

    I’m under the impression that La Casita was perhaps a better restaurant when it first opened and had less competition, but times have changed and Columbus has grown up a bit. You can head nearby to the Los Guachos restaurant for some truly amazing Tacos Al Pastor, or over to Cuco’s Taqueria on Henderson for a great Torta. If there’s a standout item (or items) at La Casita, I’ve not been able to find it (which can easily be the case in Mexican restaurants where menu items number up into the triple-digits). But I would love to hear some feedback on other menu items that might be worth trying on a return visit.

    If anything, La Casita stands out when it comes to charm. The small cozy interior makes for a unique visit, even if the food is standard fare. The restaurant also has a large patio on the side, which would be a nice retreat on a Friday night, as long as you don’t mind the view of the parking lot.

    La Casita is located at 1355 Bethel Road. Their hours are Monday through Thursday, 11am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday, 11am to 11pm and Sunday 11am to 10pm. La Casita has no website, but can be reached by phone at 614-457-0823.

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    Morgan Kelley
    Morgan Kelleyhttps://columbusunderground.com
    I'm the former Restaurant & Food Critic of Columbus Underground. I love all types of food, and I'm not afraid to try anything once. I strive to adhere to the Association of Food Journalists guidelines, which means I don't do special foodie events, I pay for all of my meals in full and I will always share with you my honest and unbiased opinion.
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