Mexican on Main Street with a Touch of

Kindness is the Perfect Dining Combination

By Lisa Kampeter

Sometimes you just need a night out, and when it’s with the girls, even better. For this month’s Dining Divas outing, the comradery and bonding were way more important than the dinner and the restaurant. And when you add an amusing waiter to the mix, you’re bound to have an entertaining time.

I can’t tell you how many times I’d passed La Tia and Pancho’s Cantina & Grill on Main Street in St. Charles; yet, I’d never stopped in. As a matter of fact, I’d never noticed the place. As a person who could probably eat Mexican food every other day of the week, I’m not sure how I missed it. But at the high recommendation of the Knowledgeable Diva, we decided to check it out. Arriving early, I enjoyed some alone time with the Seasoned Diva and Carlos our waiter. Although quite often I had no idea what he was saying, Carlos’ pleasant smile was often accompanied by a mischievous snicker. I could tell right away he was the perfect man for the job of managing the Divas.

We had to remind the Unhappy Diva that English was Carlos’ second language when she wasn’t thrilled that he brought her the wrong drink.   And the Supervising Diva had to control one end of our table and limit the number of questions they asked him.   Carlos was a rock star handling us all and our large group.   The restaurant’s policy of only one complimentary basket of tortilla chips per table was an issue to some, but thankfully the discussion was the bigger deal than the actual number of complimentary baskets we received.

The Generous Diva ordered the Mexican Roll appetizer for the table, and it was deep-fried deliciousness. This version of southwest egg rolls was filled with cheese, chicken, beans, corn, and spinach, and another Diva made a satisfying meal out of it. The Shrimp and Steak Fajitas, the Chicken Arroz, the Popeye Quesadilla, and the Carnitas got two thumbs up by several in the group. However, one Diva thought her Enchiladas Suiza was slightly dry, while a couple others thought their meals were mediocre. Rarely does everyone love their meals, but I loved this place. Oh, and everyone agreed that the margaritas were delicious and so was the roasted salsa.

Plus, Carlos won us all over when he brought the table deep-fried ice cream. “Probably the best I’ve ever had,” said one Diva, and we agreed. I openly hugged Carlos when I left as he was such a delight to me and to the group. Although I thought I was special, I discovered he hugged everyone as they left.  Carlos really had the best attitude. We know it’s tough to wait on a large group. You’ve got 15 women ranging from early 40s to early 70s, with type A personalities to easygoing; yet he always had a smile on his face. And, he surprised us with an incredible dessert.

As a bonus, he said his goodbyes with a hug. What a great gesture! This world could use more hugs and more Carlos’s these days. That’s reason enough to visit again and why I’ll never just pass the restaurant again without noticing it.

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