One day we got the hankerin for Mexican Food lunch and set out for a place that was supposedly in business but wasn’t anymore when we got there, just like so many other Mexican places in Great Falls here today gone tomorrow. So La Cocina was 2nd choice.
We had not visited La Cocina since right after it opened, when it was regularly jammed at lunch time. Not so jammed on this Thursday afternoon.
My impression the first visit had been “almost good, but not quite excellent”. As though there was just a bit of spice missing from dishes, or just a bit of heat missing from the hot sauces, or something.
Pleased to say our impression this visit was “great food” and great spot for lunch.
The service was excellent, the chips were excellent, the salsa while not all that hot was very tasty, and the food this time around really impressed us. Maybe not up to the standards of a good Mexican restaurant in Phoenix, and maybe not as good as Mexican places in Billings or Dillon, but far and away better than anything else we have experienced in Great Falls. (Possible exception: 9th St. Taco Shop, but the service there is so, so slow.)
The partner went with some sort of thing covered in mole sauce, maybe enchiladas. I took a taste and it was good though sweet mole.
My choice was the La Cocina Burrito filled with shredded beef and topped with all sorts of goodies including sour cream and guacamole, with rice and beans on the side. If it was up to me that beef would have a bit of spice to it like maybe a machaca mix, but it was still quite good and done perfectly, not too dry and not too watery. The rice and beans were also good.
Also if it was up to me this restaurant would have a nice house red sauce with some heat to it to douse things like burritos, but alas there’s just Tapatio at the table which is not my favorite.
All things considered however a very tasty and satisfying lunch. Then to top it all off this lunch was a bargain! Lunch menu prices had both our choices at something like $12.99, so lunch for two and one Pepsi rang up at $28.50 before tips. That is a hell of a lunch bargain in 2024 Great Falls, Montana.
This place gets about an A- to A rating. Definitely one for return visits.