La Casita

1355 BETHEL ROAD

614-457-0823, www. lacasitacolumbus.com

Oct. 12 (out of five) The menu has expanded to an unwieldy size, but this reliable old Mexican restaurant still gets the classics mostly right

salsa and chips; Original Margarita; “El Amigo”; torta ahogada; birria; chicken tamale; tacos with barbacoa, carnitas or al pastor meat and rice and beans; ceviche de pescado

When evaluating a restaurant, it’s instructive to ask a two-part question: “What is this business trying to be, and how well is it achieving that goal?”

Applying this test to Iguanas Fresh Mexican Grill, the answer to the first part seems to be “the prototype for a chain of fast-casual restaurants with crowd-pleasing food, a salsa bar and speedy service.”

The answer to the second part of the question: “Iguanas is nailing it.”

No wonder this new Lewis Center eatery offering a drive-through window and an ambience a couple of grades above standard fastfood operations is usually busy. The big, open place with colorful lizard decorations, brick pillars and a kitschy beach-style bar is notably orderly, too.

Upon entering, customers are asked to select a table or booth and peruse a menu. A server, possibly wearing a headset, will soon appear and deliver a little metal bucket of warm corn tortilla chips. Food is ordered at the counter, as are adult beverages such as a Dos Equis draft beer ($3.49) or a nondescript, if inexpensive, margarita ($5.99).

Diners should also make a trip — make that numerous trips — to the complimentary salsa bar. The well-maintained dip buffet offers bold salsas that are rich, smoky and spicy (chipotle); bright and tart (tomatillo); and zippy and fruity with roasted chilies and tomatoes (“caliente”). Attention, capsaicin fiends: Fiery pickled vegetables are available there, too.

Most items dotting the large, well-organized menu are sold a la carte or as entrees. This basically means a $1 price differential for OK Mexican rice and refried beans that are, well, definitely worth a dollar. (Unless otherwise specified, a la carte prices will follow.)

The fish taco ($3.49), made with uncommonly cleantasting, crisp-yet-tender tilapia, is a good one. Like the similar but pricier shrimp taco ($4.49), it’s garnished with scads of red cabbage, pico de gallo and a zesty mayo-based sauce.

All taco proteins — these include shredded beef, carne asada (flavorful but chewy when I tried it) and chicken “tinga” (here, nicely seasoned pulled chicken) — can be ordered “traditional” (flour tortilla, lettuce, grated cheese) or, my preference, “Baja”-style with warm, soft corn tortillas; onions; cilantro; and tangy-creamy guacamole.

Want a chili boost for your filling? Order it “fuego” for chipotle sauce or “diablo” for habanero sauce. Befitting this establishment’s genre, fillings can occupy heftier packages such as burritos, enchiladas and gloriously

messy tortas encased inside respectable toasted telera rolls ($9 to $11).

Machaca is a shreddedbeef preparation that’s popular in northern Mexico, where flour tortillas are often eaten. The restaurant combines both of those components to create its machaca burrito ($8.99). Stuffed with juicy and delicious, brisket-type beef accented with eggs, guacamole, peppers and onions plus the usual fixings, it’s one of the better burritos around.