La Fonda

7838 Airline Hwy

Baton Rouge, LA 70815-8195

(225) 927-2535

http://www.lafondabr.com/

Rion

I haven't been to La Fonda since the mid-1990s. When Claire and I talk of places we need to go, I often mentioned La Fonda. Claire asked me to describe it and I said, "delicious, greasy Mexican." Some things never change. We were served the traditional chips and a very good salsa (often I find restaurant salsas to overuse cilantro), and a tasty bean dip for a change. I ordered the Deluxe Supreme Dinner which came in two parts. The first was a beef taco which was quite tasty and a chulupa which was like the taco, but on a flat shell. Then came the good part, a very cheesy homemade enchilada, a corn pork tamale with a hickory flavor and spanish rice with refried beans all smothered in chile con carne. I didn't finish the Shaquille sized plate, but did treat my diabetes to a delicious sopapilla with cinnamon sugar and honey that we dipped in whipped cream with a chocolate drizzle. I highly reccommend La Fonda, but I must suggest that you be within 20 minutes of a comfortable bed or couch after indulging.

Claire

In preparation for my visit to La Fonda, I did twice as much brisk walking on the treadmill earlier in the day as I normally do. If you knew my regular exercise routine you'd know this still doesn't translate to anything particularly impressive, but it gave me a sense of slightly-elevated well-being as I headed into what I had several times been told would be a Very Greasy And Delicious Meal. And indeed my main course- the House Chalupas, two hard corn tortillas smothered in refried beans and stringy melty cheddar cheese- fit this description perfectly, nestling snugly in the place between indulgent, tasty junk food and simple comfort food. But what really stuck with me, and somewhat took me by surprise, was the deliciousness of La Fonda's sauces.

Mexican is one of my favorite cuisines, but the reason for this has more to do with my addiction to chips and salsa than with anything else. I don't know quite why I love them so much- I'm not a huge fan of chips, even Tostitos, etc.- but I could probably literally eat most restaurant chips and salsa for a week and not get sick of them. La Fonda's chips are crunchy but entirely non-greasy, which may have been a disappointment were it not for the delectable salsa they were served with. Light and spicy, the salsa tasted strongly of fresh tomatos and onions, as if they had just that afternoon been plucked from someone's garden. The gaucamole tasted, simply, of fresh avocados with a hint of lemon juice among a few standard seasonings. And my only complaint about my chalupas was that the green salsa they featured as a topic wasn't plentiful enough it. It was slightly sweet and slightly sour and enhanced the dish even in the small portion. I'll try to ask for extra sauce next time though.

As Rion already alluded to, if you visit La Fonda, SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT. The sopapillas were, again, surprisingly non-greasy, almost light tasting, though perfectly moist and the cinnamon, sugar, honey, whipped cream and chocolate were fantastic.