Nice Touches Set La Adelita Apart from Other Mexican Restaurants

La Adelita Mexican Restaurant

Location: 15732 S. Route 59, Plainfield

Information: 815-577-6101, http://www.laadelitamexrest.com/main.html

Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1o a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

Attention to detail is important at . You can tell from the white tablecloths, which offer a sharp contrast to the brown wood chairs, and the vivid hand-painted murals, all of which create an inviting dining atmosphere. It's hard to believe that just a couple of years ago this was once a Wendy's fast-food restaurant.

Most Mexican restaurants serve chips and salsa before a meal, and it's always something of a roll of the dice as to what will arrive at your table. So, I'm happy to report that LaAdelita's was perfect. The cilantro was prominent, but not overbearing, and it was light on the green onions and easy on the burn-your-tastebuds spiciness.

The same was true for the guacamole. I tend to favor heavy on lime, which this was, and the use of fresh avocados was obvious. It was far superior to what you'd typically find in most restaurants -- one of the high points of the meal.

The restaurant is named after Adelita, a real woman who fought in the 1910 Mexican Revolution and is now a folk hero of sorts in her native country. Her story is told in the sleek colorful menu that's so large that it's bound together by a plastic spiral. It's interesting reading, and gives the place a feeling of authenticity that's sometimes lacking in those Mexican places that claim to serve burritos as big as your head.

I'm always curious about the "la sopa del día" -- aka soup of the day -- and on this particular day they were offereing a savory chicken soup ($4) that's notable because four of the fixings are served on the side. The diner makes the dish his own by adding cilantro, hot peppers, onions and brown rice to suit his taste.

This was a really pleasant surprise and a lot fun. And the bonus, great-tasting, personally seasoned soup.

When I inquired about the more popular menu items, our friendly waiter, who was also the manager, shed some light on the wide variety of choices.

"Molcajetes means bowl and the dinner is served in the container shown in the menu photo," Jose Velazquez informed me. "These entrées are our most popular week day items."

The revolucionario de asada, priced at $15, is offered in the molcajetes section and contains grilled skirt steak, shrimp, grilled cactus, mushrooms and shrimp. A treat to be sure as the combination and flavors were amazing.

Next up, the shredded beef and cheese chimichanga, $9. The order was very large and not as crispy as others I've tasted, but not bad. There's a hint of onions in the filling, which has a tomato base sauce. Rice, beans and sour cream complement this dish. In addition to shredded beef, you can choose from chicken, ground beef and stea.

To accompany the meal, we ordered a frozen strawberry margarita with a special request for a light pour of tequila, which they had no problem filling. The rim was garnished with sugar, and the drink had just the right amount of ice to strawberries. Delicious and very large, $5.

A full bar is located in the front of the restaurant with two televisions, which can be distracting if you're planning a quiet dinner. A local crowd had gathered while we were there and appeared to be having an enjoyable time.

My only other suggestion to the owners would be to adjust the heat. It was a tad bit on the chilly side, and some diners were wearing their coats.