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Fitchburg diners enjoy a little bit of Sol

Samara Kalk Derby  —  10/15/2008 7:57 am

Casa de Lara in Fitchburg has for many years been one of the best Mexican restaurants in the area -- a bar that is set pretty low.

I was curious and a bit bewildered when seven months ago the restaurant changed owners and names. David Schutz -- the developer of the Hatchery Hill mixed-use development and a part owner of the nearby Tuscany Mediterranean Grill -- took over the Casa de Lara location overlooking Fish Hatchery Road in March and changed the name to Casa del Sol.

Casa de Lara, which opened its grand location in Fitchburg more than six years ago, was always extremely successful, crowded and reliable, unlike its State Street counterpart. The difference in quality between the two restaurants was always rather baffling.

Amil Alarcon Jr. and his family owned both locations, but sold the downtown restaurant last year. At the time it opened the Fitchburg location, the family also owned three Mexican restaurants in the Milwaukee area and planned to open another one off the coast of Honduras, where the Alarcons are from originally.

Schutz reports that Alarcon sold the Fitchburg restaurant because of "problems with management."

I'm glad to report that the quality hasn't gone down, although new manager Juan Catalogne has revamped the menu. The atmosphere looks fresher, with brightly colored walls, tasteful hanging plants and tchotchkes. A lively mural of women dancing decorates a wall between dining rooms. The restaurant has three dining rooms and a terrific wrap-around patio.

As soon as the customer sits down, the chips and salsa immediately appear. The basket of tortilla chips still has the Casa de Lara signature of pickled carrot, onion and jalapeno on top. The chips taste fresh, and the salsa has arbol chiles and a slow-burning chipotle.

The menu is large, but easy to navigate. My favorite menu item, the tilapia en salsa poblano y cilantro ($14.95), is a stunningly beautiful plate of food. The kitchen takes a mild fish and drenches it in salsa verde, camouflaging the tilapia and six large shrimp. After a few bites I was convinced I had been given a shrimp dish instead because shrimp was barely mentioned in the menu description. The seafood came with plenty of white rice, pineapple salsa and wonderful zucchini, sliced in thin strips.

The pollo mole ($11.95) is every bit as good as it was under the former owners. There were plenty of lean chicken pieces bathed in what must have been a cup of mole sauce. The mole is made from unsweetened chocolate, pumpkin seeds, roasted chiles, almonds and other nuts.

The chile relleno ($9.95), a smallish, roasted poblano pepper lightly breaded and stuffed with chicken, was sort of ho-hum and too soggy for my taste. But it had the right level of spice and lots of chicken meat. It can also be ordered with ground or shredded beef. It came topped with tomato sauce and Anejo cheese.

Likewise, the fish tacos were fine, but not outstanding, like the tacos at (here I go again) Tex Tubb's Taco Palace. Two tacos were filled with grilled tilapia, onions and garlic, and topped with avocado, tomato, cilantro and cabbage. A side of guacamole salsa with jalapeno and poblano peppers added a lot, said my companion who ordered them.

The enchiladas Tejanas ($8.95) followed the same pattern of being perfectly adequate. Three ground beef enchiladas were topped with chili con carne and melted cheddar cheese. The enchiladas also can be ordered with either shredded beef, shredded chicken or cheese.

The two large tamales ($8.50) that come in an order were stuffed with pork and enlivened by a nicely spicy verde sauce and pico de gallo on the side.

My favorite dish at Casa de Lara was always the seafood enchiladas. Playa del Carmen ($9.95) is the new version, which is less successful than the old one. Three enchiladas arrived filled with minced fish and topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese and scallions. There was supposed to be white sauce on top but I didn't taste it or the cilantro mentioned in the menu description.

All of the meals described here, with the exception of the tilapia, came with plenty of Mexican rice -- orange from achiote spice, with peas and carrots -- and what one companion described as "some of the best refried beans I've ever had."

There is a reasonably priced kids menu with six items (all $3.95) on the back of a Dora and Diego coloring sheet. The kids quesadilla seemed a little thin on cheese, but was served with sour cream, rice and beans.

Casa del Sol hasn't lost anything under its new ownership. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant, which seats about 300 when you factor in the deck, continues to be a well-run operation with efficient wait staff, good-sized portions and reasonable prices.

And when you consider the competition, it's still one of the finest Mexican restaurants around.

Casa Del Sol

Address: 3040 Cahill Main, Fitchburg

Phone: 663-8818

Hours: Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 8 p.m.

Notes: Large parking lot; wheelchair accessible; reservations encouraged for parties of five or more; credit cards, personal checks accpeted.

Samara Kalk Derby  —  10/15/2008 7:57 am