As there any other kind of restaurant out there that gives out what amounts to an all-you-can-eat appetizer to munch on while you wait to order and then receive your meal? I don’t think so. And yet this is standard practice at Tex-Mex restaurants around the country. Garcia’s is no different. From the moment I sat down for lunch there was a basket of chips in front of me, waiting to be slathered in delicious salsa. Yum.

I’ve eaten dinner at Garcia’s quite a few times, but realized that I had never dropped by for lunch. Prices are pretty reasonable, but don’t expect quick dining – this is still sit-down service. The menu is a bit smaller than the regular dinner menu, but contains enough variety to satisfy.

For lunch, I tried the Taco Loco, regular chicken tacos, a burrito and a quesadilla. The Taco Loco is one of the few things I had never had there, and it was quite good. I filled the three small flour tortillas with mixed beef and chicken bathed in white cheese, while the lettuce, salsa and guacamole gave the dish a wonderful texture. I enjoyed this dish, and would definitely order it again. In many ways it reminds me of another favorite of mine – fajitas. Building one’s own meal allows the diner to control the ingredients and maybe leave out some items. Plus, it’s fun.

I was surprised, however, that the other items were not all that good. The chicken tacos were rather plain, and the chicken was dry. The bean burrito was likewise fairly plain and flavorless. Usually the beans have a more robust flavor, and the chicken in the tacos is well-seasoned and moist.

Let me say that I’ve had many meals at Garcia’s, and think that Garcia’s Tex-Mex is as good as any around. Garcia’s make great margaritas, and the daily specials are always worth ordering. Moreover, Garcia’s make the best fish tacos in town. While fish tacos may sound strange, anyone who’s tried them knows that they’re a real treat. I say that I’m surprised because I’ve eaten at Garcia’s many times in the past and have never had a dish I didn’t like – including the ones that I sampled for this review. Perhaps it was the time of day (I arrived at 1 p.m., after the lunch rush), or maybe the cook was having an off day. Whatever the case, I was underwhelmed by my visit this time, and hope that it was an aberration rather than a trend.

As with many restaurants, the lunch menu also includes a children’s menu with a few Tex-Mex offerings as well as some “safe” food such as macaroni and cheese. Purely as a side note, I wish restaurants would offer a “teen menu” in addition to their kids’ and seniors’ menus. A “teen menu” could trade quantity of food for quality, and then save on dishwashing costs by serving the food in a trough. Just a thought.

In the meantime, despite my experience with this particular visit to Garcia’s, I’ll be back to give them another chance. When I do return, I’ll give a status update.

— Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, please contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail at malexieff@bgdailynews.com.

GARCIA’S GRILL

1689 Campbell Lane

• 842-6100

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Price range: $6 to $10

Libation situation: Full bar

Smoking: Yes