Friday, July 7, 2000

Casa Herrera offers tasty variety

By Glenn Dromgoole
Special to the Reporter-News

Whatever your preference in Mexican food, Casa Herrera probably has a special dinner to suit your taste.

The menu lists 36 different Mexican dinner combinations, and that doesn’t count five fajita options, four burrito dinners, six low cholesterol choices, three egg dishes, and six items on the children’s menu.

So that makes, let’s see, 60 different dining options. Oh, and there are another 10 items listed under “American food.”

It’s hard to go wrong with the good old standby Number 1, the Casa Herrera Mexican Dinner, consisting of two enchiladas, one taco, refried beans and rice ($6.25). I’m partial to Number 3, the three-enchilada plate (beef or cheese) with rice and beans ($6.25). Number 5, the Supreme Dinner — a taco, a tamale, two enchiladas, rice, beans, guacamole — is a good value ($7.25) for the hearty eater. Another personal preference is Number 26, two chile rellenos, rice, beans, guacamole, flour tortillas ($7.25).

Whatever the choice, I’ve always found Casa Herrera to offer tasty food at reasonable prices. And with so many choices, you could eat there for months without repeating yourself.

But, of course, that’s not the way we eat Mexican food, is it? We tend to have our favorites and stick with them. For years, I ate little but cheese enchiladas at Casa Herrera, double rice, no beans. Then I branched out to chile rellenos.

These days you’re more likely to find me at the lunch buffet, sampling the beef and chicken enchiladas, the spicy enchiladas rancheras, perhaps a little brisket with vegetables, or picadillo (ground meat with potatoes and peppers), maybe a taco or two.

The lunch buffet, served from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., is popular with hungry workers, but Casa Herrera also offers nine lunch specials from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday for $4.99.

On a recent visit, my young lunch companion devoured four tacos on the lunch buffet, then polished off a plateful of cinnamon puffs and a couple of sopapillas, all for $3.29. (A bowl of grated cheese was an additional 75 cents.)

I paid $5.29 for the adult buffet, made two trips (OK, three, if you count dessert) and felt I more than got my money’s worth.

Chris and Liz Herrera and their family have been feeding Mexican food to Abilenians and visitors for 24 years. They’ve been at their “new” location out by the mall for nine years now.

They have continued to succeed in an ever more competitive dining environment by providing consistently good food (Liz points out that three chefs have been with Casa Herrera for 22, 17 and 15 years), generous portions, prompt service, a pleasant atmosphere, and affordable prices — a proven formula for success.

Glenn Dromgoole is an Abilene author who has eaten in restaurants all his life. For previous restaurant reviews and a complete directory of Abilene restaurants, visit www.EATabilene.com.

IF YOU GO ...

Casa Herrera Mexican Restaurant

4109 Ridgemont Drive

Casa Herrera is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11-2 and 5-10 Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

The lunch buffet ($5.29) is served from 11:30-1:30 Monday through Friday. The Sunday buffet is $6.99 and is served from 11-2.

Credit cards and checks are accepted. Reservations are accepted Monday through Thursday. For reservations or for information about catering or private parties in the restaurant’s upstairs room (it seats 90) call 692-7065.