Critic's Review
I drive by this place several times a week, and sometimes think I should give it another try. But the whole "Fresh" Mexican thing has come and gone; and I didn't like it much when it was in. These folks have pretty much the same menu as they did when they opened.
The place looks nicer than it did; they've added some small touches and the trees have grown in; It's a small space but suitable to eat in.
Specials are written on craft paper. Not very exciting.
The menus are on the counter in front of the order area. I ordered the same thing I had years ago, mainly because the taco offerings don't appeal to me, and I don't eat burritos or enchiladas.
So you order, you stand and you wait.
Picnic tables are outside for your dining pleasure.
They have the good ol' salsa bar; it's like a shot back in time, when edgy hot sauces and salsa were a new thing.
A bag was brought out in about 8 minutes; no signing with my finger today.
When I got home I opened the container to see a generous portion of meat and a good sized container of dressing.
To give some perspective on the portion, I filled a salad bowl and had quite a bit left over.
This is pretty much exactly what I got in 2012; the dressing is a bit watery but flavorful; the chicken on the dry side but overall a decent salad for $8.25. I didn't get chip and there was less cheese than last time, but largely the same offering. The chips get tossed anyway.
Conclusion
I drive by this place and I wonder how they're still open with this stale concept; but the formula is clear; consistent food at fair prices. While everyone else is jacking up prices and cutting back on ingredients; this place is serving the same stuff they served when they opened at a fair price.
Review 10/1/2012
The Whole Enchilada opened another location downtown despite an abundance of Mexican places on US1; with Jalisco across the street and Tijuana Flats just down the road. This location was an old auto service station; they did a pretty nice job turning it into a little restaurant.
The parking lot here is a bit challenging. There are 2 one way sections and you can't drive through from one side to the other.
I'm not a huge fan of the fast "fresh" mexican food; I like the sloppy, cheese refried bean stuff better, but I wanted to try the place. I did a cheat day yesterday, so i was looking for something on the menu without rice; I decided on a Mexican Caesar Salad with chicken for $7.95. After ordering I wandered over to the obligatory salsa bar and filled a couple of containers, and then waited.
They have nice table and chairs and the music wasn't nearly as offensive as the stuff they play on their website. The order was ready pretty quickly. When I got home, I laid it all out.
It was more salad than I expected. I wasn't eating the chips, but I did taste the salsas; the roasted tomato was interesting. I randomly dumped about 2/3 of the salad into a big bowl and poured on the dressing. The dressing reminded me of the garlic sauce that they used to have at Natural Chicken Kitchen; it was a little watery for a caesar dressing, but it was bursting with flavor. This is a great salad. I ended up eating the rest of eat a couple of hours later. I never really think of getting a salad at a mexican place, but this is a nice little low carb meal.
