La Parrilla

La Parrilla gives Clift Farm an energetic, full-service Mexican restaurant that knows its way around the universal language of chips, cheese dip and “should we order one more thing?” The regional restaurant group has locations across Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, but the menu goes beyond standard combination-plate autopilot. You can begin with warm cheese dip, guacamole prepared tableside and esquites tossed with mayonnaise, lime, cotija, bacon and chile powder. From there, the choices stretch from sizzling fajitas and enchiladas to tacos de tinga, birria quesadillas and generously loaded bowls. Then things get especially interesting for those of us who treat queso as both food group and research subject. Sweet plantains are available with several dishes, including the Cubano bowl, which layers shredded brisket, plantains, black beans, rice, guacamole and chipotle mayonnaise. This presents an important opportunity: take a sweet plantain and dip it directly into the cheese dip. Salty, creamy, sweet, perfect. Go wild. The Queso Trail demands curiosity. La Parrilla may be a regional chain, but regional arrivals help tell the story of how quickly Madison is growing. This is an easy crowd-pleaser when the table wants different things, the children need chips immediately and at least one person considers tableside guacamole a form of entertainment.