Nena's Restaurant

I wouldn't let my dogs eat this food.  You have been warned.

I  just had two very good meals at Nena's in two weeks.  This venerable Mexican eatery  in San Bernardino has been around since 1953 but was recently closed for 7 months.  It is now back for lunch on weekdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Yes, the food would probably be called Americanized Mexican food.  But it is very tasty Americanized Mexican food.  There are very reasonable lunch specials,  but they can get pricey if items are added.  For example, I opted for Lunch Special B., which is a Ground Beef Taco, Bean Tostada, and Rice.  At $6.95, the large quantity of food is a bargain.  But, of course, I had to build on the basic model.  And, after adding Refried Beans, a small side of Guacamole, and a Sprite, with tax and tip my bill swiftly rose to $19.  But I still consider the dining experiences to have been worthwhile.

Each time the basket of complimentary chips I received was piled generously with warm, homemade, and light but billowing, very slightly greasy Tortilla Chips.  To me slight grease on a fried tortilla chip is desirable.  Besides adding warmth and a little moisture, it attests that the chip did not just come out of a bag.  On both occasions--one with my longest serving legal secretary, and the other by myself--the chips held out for the whole meal, with some even left over.  The Guacamole used as a dip was cool, smooth, and creamy.  And, after dispatching most of the chips, enough still remained to adorn the taco and tostada.  Both taco and tostada were covered with shredded Iceberg Lettuce, chunks of bright red tomato, and yellow cheese (plus a few black olive rings on the tostada), although I was surprised that the taco contained ground beef, which was a little dry.  But I never specified the shredded beef I would have preferred.  Had I done so, I learned that the dish would have cost $1 more.  

The fried corn tortilla foundation for the taco was light and crispy, and a similar edible platform for the tostada was firm but malleable enough to bend slightly in the hand without breaking.  The yellow rice was moist and flavorful, and the tasty mashed refritos blended very well with the melted white and yellow cheeses that overlay the beans.  Homemade, thin red salsa provided for chips and as an accent for the taco and tostada contained onions and cilantro, and was more fiery than it appeared.  Piped in 50s and mariachi music all sung in Spanish, and the red tablecloths, called to mind fond memories of lazy days long past idling along the seashore of Ixtapa, Sonora Bay, and Huatulco with my bride.

This place is just across the street from where I work but I hardly ever eat there because there's a 50/50 chance you'll feel unwell afterwards. The food is very iffy. For example, the chips, which appear to be made there, are frequently incorrectly cooked or stale; the carne asada is gristly, and the place has a generally run-down look. I just ate there for the first time in a while and I wish I hadn't. I have to run to the bathroom now.