Mexi-Casa - Review #2

Mexi-Casa 1778 W Lincoln Ave Anaheim, CA 92801 (714) 635-2612 Listing on Yahoo! Local Listing on Ask.com's Citysearch No known official website

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Here we have our first guest review in a while, this time of Mexi-Casa in Anaheim from guest reviewer "GrindzHound." Like James, who reviewed Mexi-Casa for us before, GrindzHound also thought Mexi-Casa's mild salsa tasted like V-8 juice even though they each made their appraisals without being aware of the other's report. Still, they each sing high praises for this long-time, inexpensive Anaheim eatery.

Since the 1960's or thereabouts, Mexi-Casa restaurant in Anaheim has been serving up generously portioned meals at pauper's prices in what was once an area with few Mexican eateries unless of course Taco Bell is considered real Mexican food. They've been doing it long before anyone in OC could even pronounce the word ta·que·ría. It started out humbly enough 40+ years ago down a dark industrial street in a small shack of a restaurant with a close-up view of Interstate 5. More recently Mexi-Casa moved, continuing it's humble journey down to West Lincoln Avenue. Yeah, this is Americanized Mexican food but its consistently tasty and an EXCELLENT value or dare I say cheap? It would be doing a disservice to this not often talked about institution to call it cheap food. Mexi-Casa has been quietly feeding hungry families and college students since LBJ and the Beatles.

Mexi-Casa's loyal following shows up every day whether its faded neon sign happens to be lit or not. This is the type of neighborhood place that I wish were everywhere but then again if it were, it would be called El Tor-eat-oh. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy eating at some corporate dining establishments, but my heart, soul and stomach rumbles for neighborhood joints. Mexi-Casa has "that" character and is a great value, those are two attributes that any hound can admire.

Some menu highlights include (Prices are from memory and are approximate):

*Combination Lunch $3-$4 most are two items with rice and beans. The price, I kid you not!
*Combination Dinner $4-$5 most are two items with rice and beans.
*Cheese Chips - Roasted in the oven to a toasty bubbly perfection. $2.50-$3.25
*Chili Relleno - Cheesy saucy good. $2.75
*Guacamole - Just plain old Hass avocados. $2.25-$3.00
*Albondigas soup - Mild and soothing. $1.75-$2.75
*Side Salad - with homemade blue cheese dressing. (Request that the lettuce is well drained or you’ll get a soupy mess) $1.75
*Chile Verde with tortillas- Mmmmm, clear my sinuses. $4.00
*Beef Tacos - Shell and meat are deep fried together for a meaty roasted flavor. $1.75
*Bean Tostada - Large, simply a tortilla overpiled (if that’s a word) with lettuce cheese and salsa. $2.25
*Meat Tostada - Same as bean tostada (or meat & bean) $3.25

Chowhounder's note: The mild salsa is like a mildly spicy and slightly chunky V-8 juice. The hot salsa is a chunkier, hotter version. Neither will be mistaken for salsa fresca or pico de gallo but they accompany the food well.

More Mexi-Casa entries:

• Mexi-Casa Cinco de Mayo Review

Mexi-Casa - Cinco de Mayo Review

Date of Visit: May 5, 2006

Mexi-Casa Mexican Food
1778 W Lincoln Ave
Anaheim, CA 92801

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Address

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Here's James checking in with his fifth guest review, this time of Mexi-Casa in Anaheim. I'd been there once before with him and his wife Lori and have to say I was shocked at how low their prices were. The menu looked like it had been printed in 1974. This was almost two years ago. When he called recently to say he had a review of Mexi-Casa he was working on I asked if the menus were still the same. He said they were new ones and that the prices had gone up but not very much.

At about 7p.m. on May 5, 2006 I went to Mexi-Casa restaurant at 1778 W. Lincoln ave. in Anaheim, CA with my wife and son. It was pretty crowded, but since we only had the two of us and a baby, it only took like 5 minutes for us to be seated. My wife ordered machaca (which is good at Mexi-Casa, btw) and I ordered a combo plate with a chile relleno and a chicken enchilada. There were new menus at Mexi-Casa, I think because they had just raised their prices, which are still VERY low (I think a Coke used to be 65 cents and now it's like 85 cents). The chile relleno had a light colored gravy-like sauce which looked like it had green chiles in it. It was so tasty when I took a bite that I kept eating from it until it was gone, before starting on anything else like beans, rice or the enchilada. I even forgot to take a picture until it was mostly gone. The salsa here tastes a little bit like V-8 juice to me -- it's not chunky. If it's too hot for you (it is for my wife) you can ask for the mild version. If you haven't been to the Mexi-Casa, come try it. I'd give it 3.5 Speedys, and I feel like adding half a Speedy for the reasonable prices, which enable you to get an appetizer and drinks and not cringe when the waitress brings the check.

More Mexi-Casa entries:

• Mexi-Casa Review #2