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Palo Alto Online

Fresh Mex

by Anthony Silk

Mexican restaurants are not hard to come by. As you head down El Camino Real, you can easily be overwhelmed by the taquerias and Taco Bells that line the street.

When I headed to Celia's in Palo Alto, I already had a good idea of what to expect. The question was, did they have what it takes to set them apart from the pack: fresh ingredients, original dishes and friendly service. A good margarita wouldn't hurt either.

Celia's has been around the Bay Area for 35 years, and currently has nine locations in the East Bay and the Peninsula and one in Port Orchard, Wash. Despite developing into a modest chain, the restaurant continues to pride itself on freshly made salsa and guacamole, skinless chicken and lean meats, and tortillas made without lard. It may not be the easiest way to be successful, but nothing in the restaurant business ever is.

Everything about the restaurant, in fact, comes off as fresh, including the wonderful covered patio, with its brightly painted walls surrounding a couple of dozen tables and chairs. It's enclosed just enough to make you forget you are only a couple of hundred feet away from busy El Camino Real. The restaurant is just as pleasant inside, although why anyone would pass up the courtyard, especially during the summer, is a mystery to me.

Meals started, of course, with chips and salsa. Celia's chips are thicker than I generally like, but crisp. They were salty enough to keep you munching on them dry, but don't be tempted. The two salsas that came alongside were excellent. The first was a zippy pico de gallo, loaded with tomatoes and onions. It made me understand the thick chips: better to keep the condiment on without breaking. The second salsa was a more traditional tomato-based sauce. It, too, had a pleasant zing -- perfect for those, like myself, who can't take too much heat in their dips.

Appetizers at Celia's are listed along with drinks, for those who are looking for more of a happy-hour meal. It is the standard fare, ranging from nachos ($5.65) to guacamole ($5.30). The former were just more of the thick chips liberally covered with beans, cheese, chopped tomatoes and jalapeŇos. Good, but not out of this world. The guacamole, on the other hand, was excellent -- thick, creamy and rich. Also very good were the chimichanguitas ($5.75), a miniaturized version of the classic chimichanga, filled with chicken. Perfect finger food.

Main dishes, like at many Mexican restaurants, are divided into a la carte and house specialties. One nice thing that Celia's does is offer pequenos , or smaller versions of many of the regular dishes, for those who get overwhelmed by how much food is being offered on a single plate these days.

I started with the mole enchiladas ($11.05 with two enchiladas, or $8.75 for one on the pequenos menu). Mole with its rich chocolate base, is a difficult dish to master, so I often use it as a baseline test for any Mexican restaurant. But Celia's pulls it off quite nicely, mixing the subtle flavors into an intoxicating sauce. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, the shredded chicken inside didn't match up, having an almost rubbery texture, as from overcooking.

It was surprising, because my chicken expresso burrito ($10.35) was perfectly cooked and tender throughout. The burrito was literally rounded out with a filling of rice, beans and cheese and topped with a thick slather of the wonderful guacamole. If that weren't enough, it was covered with onions, tomatoes, cheese and Celia's secret "special sauce." For another dollar, you can have it drenched with melted cheese, but that may be too much, as it was a terrific meal and a half to begin with.

I ended up taking almost half home; even cold it made an excellent lunch the next day. The burrito came with a side of coleslaw made from nice, crisp cabbage slices marinated in an Italian-style dressing. It was a pleasant change from the standard chips, especially considering we still had a full basket sitting on the table. The burrito, like all of Celia's dishes, can be made with either refried or whole beans, the latter being a healthier alternative.

My companion on my second outing wanted some sizzle with his meal and opted for steak fajitas ($12.85), which seem to be required by law to come out on a steamy, cast-iron plate. It was a fine dish, but not unlike the hundreds of other fajita platters I've had over the years. I would avoid the flour tortillas in the future, though, as after a few minutes waiting in their serving dish they became sealed, and nearly impossible to pull apart.

On that visit, I ordered something I've never had before: arroz con pollo ($12.15). The dish was like a Mexican stew, made from sauteed chicken breasts, mushrooms and onions, and served in a large bowl of rice and Celia's special tomato-based sauce. It was wonderful -- thick and hearty, perhaps more appropriate for a winter's day, but I didn't care.

When it comes to dessert, skip right to the bottom of the list and order the sopapillas ($5.35). Here the tortilla chips have been deep-fried and covered with cinnamon-sugar and honey and served with a healthy portion of vanilla ice cream. It easily serves two and satisfies a week's worth of sugar cravings.

If you are craving liquid refreshment, Celia's has a full bar. Although the specialty of the house may be the very tasty homemade margaritas ($5.25 and up, depending on the quality of tequila used), don't overlook the list of "different and exciting" drinks, including the appropriately named "Celia's Loco" ($7.75), made from Grenadine, pineapple and orange juices, and four kinds of rum. You'll be happy for more than an hour with that one.

Service on both visits was very good, although our server seemed to disappear after delivering the check (a common occurrence recently at other restaurants). I like feeling free to linger, but I'd also like to be able to pay right away and leave whenever I want.

For food and atmosphere alone, I'd put Celia's in the top tier of local Mexican restaurants. I'll have to wait a few weeks for the "Best of" list, to see if Weekly readers agree.

Celia's, 3740 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, (650) 843-0643; 1850 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, (650) 321-8227;
Hours: Mon. - Thu.: 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.; Fri. - Sat.: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sun.: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Atmosphere: Bright and cheerful, with an excellent outdoor patio.

Highlights: Guacamole ($5.30), expresso burrito ($10.35), sopapillas (5.35).

Price Range: Appetizers: $4.45 - $9, Entrees: $6 - $15, Desserts: $2.85 - $5.35.
Reservations: No Credit Cards: Yes Lot Parking: Yes Alcohol: Yes Takeout: Yes Highchairs: Yes Wheelchair access: Yes Banquet: Yes Catering: Yes Outdoor seating: Yes Noise level: Avg. Bathrooms: Avg.