With Mexican restaurants across the city, it takes a strong recommendation for me to go out of my way for a meal. But I’d heard that flavor rules at Casa Raul. This new place turned out to be worth the drive to Lookout Valley.
The Menu
All the expected can be found on the menu, but what sets this restaurant apart from others is the taste. Why else would there be crowds on a weekday evening, forcing the restaurant to stay open later than usual? People like this place.
* The order (for two): Guacamole ($3.25); lunch special steak fajitas ($5.99); lunch special chimichanga ($5.99); sopapilla ($3.50).
Guacamole can make or break a Tex-Mex meal, so thank goodness ours started with an excellent, albeit small, dish of guacamole. It tasted homemade and, though it wasn’t filled with chunks, it was thick and creamy and good. The salsa that comes with every meal was also very good. It had a little kick but not an overwhelming one. It was pretty much perfect.
Lunch specials are quite generous. The plate of fajitas arrived filled to the max with fixings, including steak that was tender and quite flavorful.
I ate half of the chimichanga before shedding the fried outer layer and digging into the chicken — nice chunks rather than processed and shredded. This is how chimichangas should be made.
I remember sopapillas from the past that were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and filled with honey, cinnamon and sugar. Casa Raul takes a different approach, serving two fried tortillas topped with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with chocolate and honey. These were very good, though I would prefer leaving off the chocolate and pouring on the honey.
If you go* Where: Casa Raul, 2502 Cummings Highway.* Phone: 821-5348.* Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. or later Wednesday-Saturday.* Price range: $2.99 (bean dip)-$14.99 (Tres Amigos Fajita).* Alcohol: Beer only.
* Best bets: Any of the fajitas; Mexican chef salad; gordita plate; tamale plate.
The Service
Though our waitress wasn’t fluent in English, she was certainly capable of taking our orders and giving her opinion of what we should order. She was a little eager to take our order and made us feel a little rushed, but better that than being a no-show.
The Space
It’s amazing what can be done with a little paint and elbow grease. The restaurant appeared as if it’d been scrubbed down since its past life as a pizza joint. Walls have been sponge-painted to cleverly hide outdated paneling. The original blue vinyl booths provide seating in one half of the restaurant. The second half carries a Tex-Mex cantina theme, with booths and tables covered in tooled leather. It’s a very interesting and appealing look. This is the best place to sit. Otherwise, you’ll feel like you’re in a 1960s-style diner.
The Verdict
Casa Raul is a needed addition on the west side of Lookout Mountain. There’s much to choose from in the Broad Street/St. Elmo neighborhood. And the busy area around Walmart in Lookout Valley offers some good choices. But there’s been nothing on Cummings Highway near the Chattanooga Nature Center until Casa Raul opened its doors. It’s not just good; it’s fun and friendly.