Out to Eat! Casa de Ramos

Chris and I both have a love for Mexican food, and who wouldn't? Cheesy, flavorful goodness wrapped up in warm tortillas bathed in spicy love. Or some variation of that.

When we first moved to Los Angeles, we started to seek out local restaurants that would help fill the voids of the places we grew up with, and of course a great Mexican restaurant was one of our top priorities. We were looking for a very specific combination of things for the experience:

-excellent chips and salsa that flow freely from the time you sit down at the table
-stellar margaritas (in both flavor and potency!)
-near to our home, preferably somewhere that wouldn't have traffic between us and it and would have (free) parking available when we got there
-diverse but not pretentious menu
-delicious food (obviously!)
-comfortable atmosphere and friendly service
-a price point that won't break the bank if we visit on a regular basis. For us coming to LA from Alabama, "cheap" is not a realistic term.

After some online research and review-hunting along with a LOT of trial and error, we stumbled upon Casa de Ramos, a small establishment in Glendale just down the street from us.

The chips and salsa were not exactly what we thought we were looking for but are extremely tasty nonetheless and plentiful to boot. The chips are heartier than the typical restaurant chips and the salsa has a smoky flavor. If you ask them for mild you'll get another similar salsa with less smokiness and heat (personally I like to mix the two for a nice balance of both).

The margaritas are light and tangy with just the right amount of sweetness and a good kick from the tequila. The serving is generous without being a fishbowl. 

We've tried a few different things from the menu but quickly fell into the habit of ordering our favorites on most trips. Chris's combo includes a taco (he chooses beef and every time proclaims "I always forget how good this beef is!"), a cheese enchilada and a tamale, served with rice and beans. ($11 for this meal)

Can we please discuss how amazing this cheese looks??!

I usually opt for the less intimidating one-item combo, a cheese enchilada along with the rice and beans, NO green onion. ($8.50)

Note the dividing line before diving into the lusciousness. Encourages a modicum of self-restraint and the joy of leftovers.

We're happy to have found "our" local Mexican place. I only wish they were open seven days a week, but alas they are closed on Sundays.

Cheers!