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I had just been thinking that I was due for some Mexican food when I learned that La Parrilla had just opened for business at Turkey Creek, in the space formerly occupied by Vinny & Me. The Grub Spouse, The Grub Sprout and I decided to put the new restaurant through its paces on a recent weeknight.

The space itself has retained a lot of the Mediterranean aesthetics that once greeted Vinny & Me diners. However, the tile floors and the faux-earthen walls seem to have translated well to the room’s new Mexican theme. Otherwise, the restaurant is just about ethnically neutral, practically devoid of the obligatory sombreros and maracas that clutter up many a mom-and-pop venture.

Several flat-screens are mounted on the walls, particularly around the bar area. Most were showing sports coverage, although the one nearest the door was playing Spanish-language programming. (Incidentally, I originally thought this restaurant might be part of an Atlanta-based chain doing business under the same name, but after comparing the chain’s Web site to this local restaurant’s menu, I now believe that it’s not.)

We were escorted to a booth and handed freshly wiped down menus (nice, although I really wouldn’t have minded the wet menus being dried first). Overall, La Parrilla’s fare is typical of what you’ll find at most independently owned Mexican restaurants. Various dips and nacho creations are on the appetizer menu, while entrees are divided into fajita, chicken, seafood, burrito, quesadilla, enchilada, taco, chimichanga and vegetarian dishes. Soups, salads, a lunch menu and a kids’ menu fill out the selections.

Most of the steak-based dinners are clustered in the Especialidades section, which is where The Spouse was lured in by the Especial La Casa — sliced beef and chicken grilled with cactus, onions, tomatoes, refried beans and two tortillas. I thought the Enchiladas La Parrilla sounded quite appetizing — three enchiladas stuffed with shrimp, crabmeat, onion, tomato and melted cheese and accompanied by rice. (The Sprout ordered nothing, having already had dinner with his buddies at — wait for it — a different Mexican-food restaurant. That’s a teenager for ya.)

Our food was delivered in a timely manner, with my enchiladas coming out first, followed by The Spouse’s entrée. However, we only spied sizzling beef on the plate, sans the promised chicken. We brought this to the server’s attention, and he told us the chicken would be coming out on a separate plate. Indeed, it did, a couple of minutes later, although I’m not sure this wasn’t so much the plan as it was a rectified kitchen mistake.

At any rate, I enjoyed the enchiladas very much. The shrimp were tender and juicy, and the crabmeat added a lot of flavor to the mix. I liked the fact that the cheese sauce was slathered on to one side instead of on top. The Spouse’s beef and chicken morsels were nicely seasoned, and the beef wasn’t as gristly as what I often find in comparable dishes. The cactus, which looked a lot like strips of green pepper, was mild in flavor and somewhat rubbery in texture.

The sights and smells must have gotten to The Sprout; by the time we boxed up our leftovers and ordered a cheesecake chimichanga for dessert, he was ready to grab a third spoon and help us out. The pastry-crusted cheesecake was a little unwieldy to cut into bites, but it was still a tasty treat, enhanced by a scoop of ice cream topped with sprinkles and raspberry drizzle.

In general, La Parrilla doesn’t break any new ground, but it does provide Turkey Creek diners with a more traditional Mexican-food experience.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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