Avilas- South of the Border (aka South of Lemmon)

If you haven’t seen Triple D (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) you are an idiot. If you feel at all bad about yourself after food escapades, DON’T. While the host, Guy Fieri, goes to some of the most delicious looking places in the world, he can’t seem to keep the food he samples out of his platinum blond beard. Well, sometimes it’s a beard, sometimes it looks like a creepy playground lurker swallowed his face. Anyways, Avila’s was a restaurant he tried, but his report was mainly on the Mole. No offense to Mole eaters out there, but you are gross. Well, I guess you might take offense to that, but I still mean it—who enjoys eating a chocolate/mocha based sauce on an enchilada? WOOF, you shouldn’t look at yourself in the mirror.

So, my dad and I finally got a chance to eat lunch around 2:30 last Friday, and I suggested Avila’s for lunch since it is semi-close to where we work. The parking lot (a six car parkway behind the restaurant) was full, so we waited for a car to leave. Once we got inside, you could tell the place was going to be pretty legit—looked like the same crowd that scalps for tickets outside of a Cowboys game. They sat us down at a table for two right next to a pretty flamboyant young couple—so my dad was immediately a little on edge. The chips and salsa came immediately, as did a waiter to take our drink orders. Tempted to get a margarita, I sadly had to order a diet coke—apparently drinking during the workday in front of your boss is not acceptable? The waiter asked if we would like some queso, which, to me, is an obvious—look at me buddy, I’m a little hungover and at a Mexican restaurant, does it look like I want a side of lettuce with my chips? The chips and salsa were ok, I prefer salsa to really set my mouth on fire, and this one was fresh, but mild. We both ordered. I got a special plate with a fajita taco and an enchilada with some tostado, he ordered crispy beef tacos. The queso came quickly, and was a little thick, but tasted better with some salsa mixed in—not the best, but edible. Looking around, Avila’s looks like someone’s house, and is decorated very “Spanish-y?” The specials, which change daily, are written on a chalkboard in Spanish, so that wasn’t too helpful, and I didn’t want to look like some white-y that doesn’t know a lick of Spanish, so I didn’t ask questions. For 2:30, the place was still crowded, but the food didn’t take long.
The food was good—my tostada was supposed to be a bean tostada, but came like a cup of queso in a chip cup (more queso—I’m not complaining). The enchilada was ok, too cheesy, but the fajita taco was delish—it came with fresh pico which enhanced the dish. Before I could ask my dad how his was, his plate was empty, with just taco grease left. Clearly he wasn’t complaining either.


All in all, pretty good spot. You definitely stick out if you are: a) white, and b) speaking English. But, the place was great, really good service and nice staff. Legit Diet coke.
My rating: 3 ½ chins
Scott’s rating: 3 chins