Food find: Las Palmas

Maybe it's the horrible weather, but my palate would like to go south of the border. Along with the rest of me. Over the weekend, Tim and I spent some time trying to get ready for our vacation, which included thinking about food from warmer climates. We tried out Las Palmas, a Mexican food chain in the Chicagoland area with locations in Mundelein, Evanston and Westmont.

This place is a bit of a staple around here. I've been going there for years. The chips are a crunchy, thick corn mixture and the salsa a bit watery with bits of tomato, onion and cilantro. Yum. We also ordered some guacamole, which wasn't quite as spicy as the menu promised, but it was still tasty.

As for the main course, Tim and I both went with combos. I went for the taquito combo, which was topped with guac, sour cream, shredded lettuce and tomato along with a side of Mexican rice and beans. The rice is cooked in a combination of smoky spices and the beans are a bit smooth in consistentcy. As for the taquitos, I got shredded chicken, which was moist and flavorful. The outside was crunchy. They were great to dip in the toppings and beans. Yum!

Tim got the chimichanga meal. It came with two shredded chicken chimichangas that he said were delicious as well as the same toppings and sides. All in all, a real tasty favorite. At least my tastebuds are hot ...