Grade: A-
La Hacienda isn't exactly on one of Muncie's best-known strips, so its location on South Madison Street can be a bit tricky to find.
Once you step inside you feel like you've discovered something great. The restaurant is warm and full of bright colors, decorated with red, yellow, and green Christmas lights. There are tables in the main dining room and booths near the bar. Miniature houses rest on a ledge of fake snow just below various artwork, bags of onions, longhorns and cacti that hang from the walls.
La Hacienda, 2620 S. Madison St., boasts authentic Mexican cuisine full of flavor. All dinners include tortilla chips and salsa, fried rice and refried beans. The service is fast but almost too fast.
We didn't have time to enjoy the nachos before our waitress brought our servings of onion and noodle soup, and the entrees came while we were still enjoying the first few spoonfuls. The food, however, more than made up for the minor timing inconvenience.
Compared to other local Mexican restaurants like Puerto Vallarta, La Hacienda's food is a bit spicier, which could be good or bad depending on your taste. The restaurant also has a smaller variety of dishes, but what they do have is excellent. Entrees include burritos, enchiladas, tamales, taco salads, quesadillas, tacos and tostadas.
For those who don't like Mexican food, there is a "North of the Border" section of the menu that lists hamburgers, fish, chicken and pork tenderloin. Those who are over the age of 21 can buy assorted mixed drinks and beers.
My chicken quesadilla, which cost $9.80, was probably the best I've ever had. Instead of using a tortilla, the chicken, Colby cheese and tomato sauce was encased by a scrumptious fried tart, covered with Monterey Jack cheese with a side of sour cream.
My friend's huge "macho burrito," at $8.95, looked equally promising. It was filled with beef, tomatoes, refried beans, lettuce, jalapeno peppers and onions and covered with melted cheese.
Students might find La Hacienda's prices a bit daunting, but they are comparable to many local restaurants. Most entrees are between $8 and $10.
Patron Andrew Cook eats at La Hacienda once a month with his family.
"It's just a nice place to come to," he said. "It's a good atmosphere and the people who work here are nice."
Owner Charles Manis was raised in Muncie but said his inspiration to start the restaurant came from the time he and his wife spent in Fort Wayne in the early '70s.
"You couldn't purchase a taco in Muncie in the '70s," Manis said. "It wasn't a popular thing in the Midwest, but in Fort Wayne you could. They had four or five mom-and-pop places, so I decided to experiment."
Manis got some recipe ideas by talking to other restaurant owners and spent a few days in the kitchen of one restaurant to observe. After getting the experience and ideas he needed, he moved back to Muncie and opened La Hacienda in 1978.
"We have a pretty good reputation here in town, and I take a lot of pride in that," Manis said. "As far as quality food and service go, it's not always the easiest thing to get accomplished. But we do an above-average job, and I take satisfaction in that."
La Hacienda is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with lunch specials served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is also open on Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.
The dining room is reserved for dinners only, and a 15 percent gratuity is added for parties of 10 or more. For more information, call 289-0909.
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