RESTAURANT REVIEW: La Parrilla Grill

La Parrilla Grill offers a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy a quick meal after a hectic day of shopping.

Nestled in the Palms Crossing Shopping Center the restaurant has a cheery atmosphere, with bright orange chairs, wooden tables, and a long white tiled bar, where customers can sit and watch cooks prepare their food.

One of the best features of the restaurant, though, is its children's play area.  It features a brightly colored child-sized table and chairs. On it rest an abacus, blocks and push-pull toys.  Tables near the play area mean that parents can enjoy their meal while they keep an eye on their children.

As a parent of a 17-month-old who has trouble sitting still in restaurants, the play area made the meal a lot more enjoyable.

La Parrilla also offers good service. Our waiter competently explained the menu and our food came out within minutes of ordering, another plus when dining with a small child.

The food that arrived wasn't spectacular, and lacked presentation, but did a good job of filling me up.  The restaurant specializes in meat wrapped in pita bread - a variation on a quesadilla. I liked the chuleta pita, but wished the plate had a bit more flair. A brown pita on a white plate is somehow unappealing. If the pita had been served with a bit of tomato or the plate edged with chopped parsley it would have been more visually appealing.

My husband liked his combo de tacos al pastor. The tacos were a little thin, and didn't necessarily fill him up but they were tasty. The dish came with some pretty delicious beans.

We were both a bit disappointed when the waiter brought our dessert of tres leches in a small plastic to-go container. When I receive dessert in a to-go container it always disappoints me. It tells me that the chefs didn't prepare the dessert themselves and that they were two lazy to plate it.

 I liked La Parrilla Grill and I will probably return the next time I'm shopping at Palms Crossing. I think with just a little work on presentation the restaurant will soon have many more tired shoppers walking through its doors.

La Parilla Grill

• Palms Crossings, 3300 Expressway 83, Building 100, Suite 130, McAllen | 956-580-1064, 956-630-3505
• Hours: Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 12 to 11 p.m.

RATING

• Atmopshere: 4.5
• Service: 4
• Food: 3.5
• Overall: 4

Paige Lauren Deiner covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4425. You can reach her at (956) 683-4425.