Tu Casa - Portland, Maine

At Marya's suggestion, my husband and I recently tried Tu Casa, located at 70 Washington Avenue in Portland. Tu Casa features Salvadoran cuisine, which is similar to Mexican in that the staples include beans, rice, tortillas and tamales.

I had been correctly warned that there's not much in the way of atmosphere at Tu Casa. The dining room is simple, with a handful of tables and minimal wall decor. A television in the corner was broadcasting CNN in Spanish the day we dined. The entire restaurant smelled like grease from frying.

It wasn't clear when we walked in whether counter or table service prevailed. When we were handed menus (a new version debuted that very day), we decided to take a seat to peruse them and a few moments later someone came over to take our order. As the restaurant started to fill up half way through our meal, I did notice that most people ordered at the counter, then sat down to await their lunch.

We ordered Pupusas (an El Salvadoran classic) and Tamales as appetizers, and at the suggestion of our "waiter," Enchiladas and a Veggie Burrito as our entrees. We helped ourselves to a bottled water out of the cooler by the door as we waited 15 minutes or so for our lunch. The appetizers and entrees arrived all at once. The Pupusa ($1.75), a flat, white cornmeal cake stuffed with cheese and herbs was rather bland and very chewy. Even dousing it with hot sauce didn't give it enough flavor to make it worth the calories. While we ate only a few bites of the Pupusa, we devoured the accompanying crisp and tangy cabbage slaw (meant to top the pupusa).

The Tamale ($1.95) consisted of tender, moist chicken and diced yuca cooked in a thick cornmeal dough. The menu indicated that the tamale was wrapped and steamed in a banana leaf, though it was missing from the presentation. Banana leaves are characteristic for Salvadoran tamales, rather than the corn husks used in most Mexican versions. Though Tu Casa's version was far superior to Mesa Verde's, the flavors were bland and hot sauce did not compliment the thick corn meal exterior.

The Veggie Burrito ($5.95) was a giant flour tortilla that held a medley of finely diced broccoli, yellow squash, zucchini, lettuce, rice and refried beans. The ingredients tasted as though they had been simmering for hours; the consistency was almost that of a puree, a bit mushy for my taste. The broccoli added an interesting flavor to the burrito, but I still had to douse it in hot sauce to get the desired kick. Though a completely different style, I still prefer Granny's burritos which is more of a "Mexican wrap-style sandwich." I love the choice of tortilla shells (chili is my favorite), whole (not re-fried) beans, chunks of tomatoes, fresh lettuce, rice and cheese - and - as my readers know, Triple X hot sauce.

My husband's Crispy Enchiladas ($7.95) were the surprise hit of the day. Two crisp, homemade tortilla shells were thicker than the store bought version. The shells were topped with chicken that had simmered in mole sauce, fresh slices of avocado, crisp cabbage, chopped tomato, lettuce and cheese. The enchiladas were served with a generous portion of seasoned rice and refried beans that were definitely not from a can. My husband finished every morsel of this dish, with a little help from me.

We were looking forward to trying the fried plantains and flan, but the two people - one cooking and the other taking orders and serving - were busy trying to handle the small lunch-time crowd. We suspected it would be another 15 minutes to get the desserts, and this Type A personality didn't care to wait.

Tu Casa has many loyal patrons who rave about the price point and authenticity of the cuisine. If you're seeking Salvadoran fare, Tu Casa is likely your only choice in Portland. If you're simply seeking a "cheap eat" there are better choices within walking distance of Tu Casa that are in the same price range.