Casa Ortega Mexican Restaurant

June 18, 2013

Pinon Hills, California – This place caught my eye a few years back. I wondered how a restaurant like this could survive being way out ‘in the middle of nowhere’. The next time I passed by I noticed there were a lot of cars in the parking lot one Friday night. They must be doing something right if the parking lot is busy. Curiosity kept this place in the back of my mind. So to satisfy my curiosity, I finally calendared a date to visit.

Open since October 2, 2002, Casa Ortega sits right on the border of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Because it is set back several yards off the highway, it is easy to miss if you aren’t careful. Ironically there’s a whole lot of nothin’ to the west (and east…and north…and south) so you’d think you would be able to find it easily. There are brightly painted rocks – red, white, and green to be exact – that line the driveway almost like runways lights to help guide you to the restaurant.

The beautifully and colorfully painted restaurant sits on a couple of acres. I didn’t get to walk around but it looks like there’s a lot more to the property than just the restaurant. Take a few minutes to look at the scene painted on the exterior as you walk toward the front door.

I could spend some time here describing the interior but if you go the home page of Casa Ortega’s website, the slideshow does a much better job of showing you than I ever could do telling you. Pay attention to the stained glass windows, wooden chairs, tables with tile inlay, plates, and bar area. There’s a ton of decorative objects hanging on the walls. Someone took a lot of time to collect the paintings and other artwork and carefully display them. Apparently they have live music and/or dancing judging from the speakers and lighting system (and disco ball!) suspended from the ceiling.

After I walked in, I was greeted by the owner and given the run of the bar dining room. (There’s also a banquet area available.) I read through the copious menu about three times before deciding on my dinner. In nicer Mexican restaurants like this, I usually like to test their carne asada. Today I went with their #11 combo: taco and enchilada ($10.95). Combos come with rice, and your choice of three types of beans: black, refried, or de la olla. Refried got the call today. Opting against a beer, I had iced tea ($2.85) instead.

Minutes later, my server brought the requisite chips and salsa. While munching the chips, I looked around the room. Take a look at the slideshow again. I felt like I was visiting a rancho from one of those old western movies.

Speaking of the chips and salsa, the salsa was watery. Ran right off the chip when I tried to scoop some up. The only thing that stayed on the chip was the diced onions and the cilantro. The taste was there with the garlic and onions, but way too watery. It left me disappointed.

My meal arrived fairly quickly. During the short wait, I noticed that my water and tea never got below half a glass before someone came by to fill them up. Now that we’re sufficiently hydrated, let’s dig in:

First, I used some of the chips to scoop up the refried beans. Good flavor and just the right amount of cheese on top. But, I wish the beans were thicker. As it was, they were borderline soupy. Other than that, nothing really special. A black olive used as garnish adds a nice touch.

Nothing special about the Spanish style rice, either, except it was a little dry, like it had been made earlier in the day and had been sitting around for a couple of hours. Outside of the dryness, it tasted like your typical Spanish rice.

Much as I don’t want to, I have to drop the rating a quarter point because of the salsa, refried beans, and rice. Even though those are considered sides, they are part of the whole of the meal.

The cheese enchilada was covered in a deep red enchilada sauce. Great flavor with just a bit of a kick. And just the right amount of cheese both inside and sprinkled on top. I could’ve easily had two or three more of these. Much later I noticed that the cheeses used in the enchilada must have been of a higher quality that you find in other Mexican restaurants because my body didn’t… well, let’s just leave it there. That alone warrants a return visit for me.

Finally, the shredded beef taco. It sat there on my plate, collapsed on its side under the weight of the ton of lettuce it was topped with. And not just lettuce. A substantial amount of juicy, savory, shredded beef formed a solid inner foundation. On top of the lettuce was more cheese. Not much, but enough to give the taco an added dimension of flavor. The sauce was a bit different from other taco sauces I’ve tasted. This one was much fresher, and had a tiny hint of citrus. The homemade hard taco shell lent even more to the authenticity. Another plus was that the hard shell didn’t shatter when I took a bite. It retained its integrity until nearly the last bite when the juices from the beef and sauce finally weakened it. Combined, all these different components made for a very delicious taco with the sauce bringing everything together. I could’ve eaten another one of these, too.

The portion size was about perfect for me today. I was full, but not too full. Casa Ortega has dessert but I did not have any today. Maybe next time.

If you are looking for an authentic Mexican restaurant while in you’re in the area, look no further than Casa Ortega. Key word here is “authentic”. And they make everything from scratch. Prices are a little higher than I expected but well worth it in terms of taste, quantity, service, and atmosphere.

Casa Ortega Mexican Restaurant – 4.25 forks. Recommended. Catering available.