Whenever I'm on a road trip and pull into a smaller town, rolling the dice on Mexican food can be a gamble. In my experience, a lot of small-town spots tend to mute their bold, traditional flavors to cater to local palates. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect pulling up to La Mexicana in DeMotte, but I decided to give it a shot.
The meal didn't start off on the highest note for me. They serve warm/heated salsa with their chips. I know some people love a warm salsa, but it's just not my thing at all.
Luckily, as soon as the main plate hit the table, any initial doubts vanished. I ordered the carne asada plate, which came out to just under $20, pretty much fair market value these days, and honestly a bit cheaper than what you'd pay in a larger city.
The carne asada itself was flat-out incredible. The steak was seasoned to perfection, retaining all the rich, bold flavors that made me fall in love with Mexican cuisine in the first place. Hands down, this was easily among the best carne asada I've ever had.
The portion size was fair: not a ridiculously massive heap, but certainly enough to leave you full and satisfied. The plate also featured grilled cactus (nopales), which isn't something you see on every standard carne asada plate. While cactus isn't personally my favorite, I wanted to eat the dish as the chef intended, and I really respect them including it.
This was an easy 5-star experience. Given how far off the beaten path DeMotte is for me, I have no idea when I'll ever be back in the area. But if you're driving through on a road trip and craving legit Mexican food, don't let the small-town setting fool you. This place delivers. read more