Su Casa: Tasty lunch and fast service, too

1:39 p.m. Arrived at Su Casa restaurant, 4013 W. Broad St.

1:40 p.m. Seated by hostess. Chips and salsa brought to table.

1:41 p.m. Placed order for the $4.75 quezadilla lunch special and a glass of unsweetened iced tea.

1:46 p.m. Food arrived at table.

This was probably my fourth or fifth trip to Su Casa but the first time there for lunch. The one thing that struck me on previous visits for dinner was the quick service even when the place was full.

I've waited longer at many "fast-food" restaurants for an order of fries than I've waited at Su Casa for a meal.

The first time it happened, I told myself the food couldn't be good. They had to have just thrown it together any old way. I was wrong.

The speedy service was no different during lunch.

I hardly had a chance to eat a few tortilla chips dipped in salsa before my order was in front of me -- a chicken quezadilla and a beef quezadilla, garnished with a mound of shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, a half slice of tomato, tasty guacamole and a dab of sour cream.

The chicken quezadilla was tastier than the beef one. The beef wasn't as tender as I would have liked, and the cheesy sauce was a little runny. Usually I can take or leave guacamole, but I wanted more of this guacamole.

And there could have been a little more meat in the quezadillas.

Simplicity seems to be Su Casa's key to fast service and success. Flour or corn tortilla, cheese and meat -- a lot of the dishes have the same basic ingredients. Different sauces and different cooking methods (fried versus grilled versus baked) provide variety. Looking at other diners' plates, they tended to look alike -- and like mine.

The lunch menu has 14 dishes, mostly $4.75. All come with beef; you pay 50 cents more if you want chicken. Special No. 1, El Rapido, includes a taco, enchilada and rice or beans.

There are a couple of $6.50 dishes on the lunch menu: the lunch fajitas and huevos con chorizo. On previous visits my dinner companion has ordered the dinner fajitas. You get a hefty portion of meat, peppers and onions for $9.95. He gave them a definite thumbs up, was reluctant to share and could have used another tortilla.

Although the menu describes the restaurant as offering authentic Mexican fare, the menu also has a couple of Greek dishes -- Greek grilled chicken and chicken souvlaki.

Su Casa is a neat little place. My lunch was $6.94 plus tip. The dessert menu includes Mexican and Greek items. I got baklava for $1.95.

Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or .