Dining In at 3 Chicas Mexican Kitchen

When we went to 3 Chicas Mexican Kitchen for the first time, we were a little unprepared. It really is a fast-food, serve-yourself-place with paper plates, plastic utensils and no glasses that aren't plastic or paper.  

We borrowed a wine opener at the cashier's desk, opened our wine and hoped for the best. And while it wasn't bad, it wasn't great. 

It is clearly, however, a Wyckoff favorite with a steady stream of customers coming to the counter to pick up orders that have been called in.  You can stand under the "Pickup Order" sign and watch your food being cooked. 

Owner Lee Parker, born in Paramus but transplanted to California early in his career, gained his experience in the restaurant business by working in restaurants in high school and college. While working in California, he fell in love with Mexican food.  

He started a small Mexican restaurant chain there, sold it, went to work for a telecom, got married and moved back to New Jersey, buying a house in Wyckoff and commuting to a job in Manhattan. 

"Then I decided to get into something again that was fun," he said. He opened 3 Chicas eight years ago in what he describes as a "class B" location, but with parking, a very important factor for customers. The restaurant, located on Wyckoff Avenue in a strip mall, is named for his wife and two daughters, now 9 and 12.  

The night we visited, most of the customers were there for takeout with only two of the tables occupied by "stay-in" diners.  "It's weather sensitive," Parker said. "Below freezing, more people pick up. Above freezing, more people stay and eat inside the restaurant."  

During the recession, Parker says, his business has remained steady, and "steady is the new up."   

For our dinner, we started with the guacamole, getting a large order for $6.95 and a small, 95-cent order of salsa, which was about the size of a medicine cup. With more people to share, you can get an extra large order of guacamole for $13.95 and an extra large order of salsa for $10.95. The salsa was nice, very fresh, fairly large chunks and spicy without burning.   

The guacamole was OK but not outstanding. The same could be said of the black bean vegetarian salad I ordered for $9.95. This consisted of romaine lettuce with a few shavings of jack and cheddar cheese, three or four tablespoons of black beans in the middle and small scoops of guacamole and sour cream on the side.  

For some reason, a side order of cheese quesadillas became soggy before they cooled enough to eat.  But my partner pronounced his tacos very good.  

In the end, it was a satisfactory meal, but there was nothing memorable about it. The final tab was $41 for two, which is a lot more than you'd spend at McDonalds. On the other hand, the guacamole is probably a lot better for you than hamburgers laced with hormones and antibiotics. And we did have more food than we could finish.   

Parker, who is 3 Chicas chief cook, said everything is prepared fresh every day. The service is very good, the staff very pleasant, and there is a children's menu. 

When we suggested to Parker that all the plastic was probably not as environmentally friendly as it could be, he said he had looked at utensils made from biodegradable materials but it would have made his operation much more costly and his prices higher than he thought would be good for business. Fair enough.  

If you're doing take-out, it doesn't matter. You'll have your own silverware at home. If you're eating at the restaurant, however, you're stuck with the lowest grade of plastic forks, knives and spoons. 

To dine in next time, I'd be tempted to take my own metal fork for the salad, then take it home and wash it.  

Food: Fair

Service:  Good

Entree Price Range: $8.95 - $11.95

BYOB

Credit Cards Accepted