Frankly, it’s hard to differentiate one Mexican restaurant from another. The basics — tortilla chips, tacos, and beans and rice — usually taste the same. Springfield boasts at least one notable exception, but it’s what La Mex doesn’t have that makes it special.
First of all, there are no piñatas at La Mex. That’s right, there’s a Mexican
restaurant in central Illinois that doesn’t have paper piñatas hanging from
the ceiling — and not a striped Mexican blanket to be found anywhere. It’s refreshing
to be able to enjoy Mexican cuisine without being surrounded by decorations
that evoke a Tijuana side street. Yes, the restaurant’s neon-orange exterior
does scream for attention. But inside, the walls are awash in terra cotta and
accented with vibrant hues of orange, purple, and teal. The atmosphere gets
high marks for being refreshingly subdued and elegant, with oak panels, large
vases of silk sunflowers and selected use of pottery and artwork. Iron chandeliers
and a large mural depicting a woman making tortillas by hand hang in one of
the four dining rooms.
The restaurant is owned by Celia and Margrito Carlos of Morris and managed
by one of their eight children, Raudel Carlos. The family also owns La Mex restaurants
in five other cities in Illinois, as well as Alaska and Mexico. The family,
from south central Mexico, moved to the United States in 1975. When they began
scouting sites a few years ago, there were only a couple Mexican restaurants
in Springfield. By the time they opened here in September 2003, La Mex had ample
competition.
Complicating things, Raudel Carlos readily admits there were problems when
La Mex opened, including computer glitches and the wait staff. Those kinks,
he says, have been worked out. “I want people to give us a second chance,” Carlos
says. I dined there twice recently and was satisfied with every aspect of the
experience, from the food to the service.
La Mex’s menu, which consists of many family recipes, reflects variations
of authentic Mexican dishes. “We make everything from scratch,” Carlos says.
“No sauce comes in a can.” Some recipes had to be reinvented because of the
inability to get all the fresh ingredients they would find in Mexico. The chicken
mole, for instance, would be made with seven kinds of peppers in his native
country, but is made here using two kinds — a red pepper and chili red hot pepper.
He also won’t hesitate to steer customers to the best dishes and give them honest
opinions about others.
As soon as I was seated, a basket of tortilla chips and two kinds of fresh
salsa (green and red) were delivered to my table. The green salsa, made with
tomatillas, had a kick and was my favorite.
I have sampled several dishes during my visits there, including the Chicken
Mole, a huge platter of chicken breast strips cooked in a rich gravy-like pepper
sauce and served with flour tortillas. The mole, which traditionally has a hint
of chocolate, provides a medley of spices without burning the tongue.
My favorite dishes are the Chili Rellenos (a sweet green pepper filled with
cheese and dipped in egg batter and fried, then covered in a rich red pepper
sauce). I use chili rellenos as the benchmark for Mexican restaurants. Some
places produce blobs of cheese mixed with a pepper that has been overcooked
to the point of disintegration. La Mex, however, offers a dish that maintains
the pepper’s heat and texture while melding it nicely with the cheese and sauce.
I also like the Pollo Ranchero, a mixture of strips of chicken breast cooked
in a light, green chili sauce with onions and topped with cheese. It is served
with flour tortillas, so you could make your own soft taco.
The homemade guacamole is thick and chunky. The margaritas are smooth and
sweet.
The extensive menu includes flautas, quesadillas, tostadas, tacos, enchiladas,
burritos, chimichangas, and fajitas. There are vegetarian plates, salads, and
special dinners, including Carlos’ favorite: Carne a La Tampiquena (skirt steak
butter fried and topped with two cheeses and enchiladas Poblanas, and served
with rice, beans and sour cream and guacamole.) Other dinners include Chile
Rojo (beef simmered in spiced chili sauce with flour tortillas) and Bistec Con
Rajas (grilled steak seasoned with poblano peppers, onions and cheese melted
on top with flour tortillas).
There are daily specials, such as a taco plate for $5.95 on Mondays and any
burrito for $5.95 on Wednesdays. Lunch specials are served from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
and dinner specials are served from 4-10 p.m. Beverages include margaritas,
specialty drinks, wines, beer and soft drinks.
La Mex is located at 2830 Stevenson Dr., Springfield. Phone:
217-585-6767. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 11
a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.
Food mood music
August Mrozowski, owner of Augie’s Front Burner, is dishing up a little
mood music to accompany his culinary creations.
Mrozowski has produced a CD containing songs composed and performed by Phil
Minardi, featuring titles like “Fine Wine” and “Black Bean Cakes.”
Included with the CD are a few of Mrozowski’s recipes, such as Sesame-Encrusted
Yellowfin Tuna, Key Lime Pie and Strawberries with Sabayon.
Here’s a sample recipe:
Gazpacho Soup
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cucumbers
3 peppers
4 tomatoes
1/4 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon basil
2 drops each of Tabasco, Lea & Perrins
1 quart tomato juice
1/2 quart V-8 juice
Chop all vegetables into small dices. Put vegetables in large container, and
add oil, vinegar and all other seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Add juices and mix
again. Refrigerate several hours. Serve chilled with croutons and avocado pieces.
The CD is available at Augie’s Front Burner, 109 S. Fifth St., Springfield.
Phone: 217-544-6979. Web site: www.augiesfrontburner.com.
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This article appears in Mar 25-31, 2004.
