Walking through the front door of La Caretta is like walking into Mexico. The interior is reminiscent of a Mexican cantina. The outside is painted in bright, cheery colors, and the interior has earthy-colored stucco walls. The decor consists of cacti and other desert plants. The walls are hung with colorful sombreros and pictures depicting scenes of Mexico. At the entrance is a large map of Mexico. Even the tabletops are designed in a Southwestern motif. The scent of the food is extremely appealing, and the service is second to none.
There is no Tex-Mex here - the food is authentic Mexican with authentic seasonings and spices. The portion sizes are very large; there are usually enough leftovers to have for another later meal. A children’s menu has burgers, tacos, and chicken strips for the little amigos in your group.
On this particular visit, I brought my daughter here for lunch. She ordered one of the delicious combination platters with tacos, a burrito, and an enchilada. I had beef fajitas and a chili relleno, which has become my usual order here. Service was, as it always is, prompt, friendly, and efficient. In all the times we have eaten here, we have never gotten an incorrect order or food that was anything but delicious.
La Caretta has become one of our favorite places to eat in Springfield; we generally eat here at least two or three times per month. There are other Mexican restaurants in Springfield, but none so good as La Caretta, so when in Springfield, if it is authentic Mexican food that you want, La Caretta is the place to go. There is a second location at 3356 S. Campbell, which is just as good as the original location. The number for the South Campbell location is 417/890-0344.