I've driven past this little restaurant many a time, heading up the Carlsbad highway; I decided to drop in late one night.  The restaurant is small, but when I got there it was practically empty; only one other customer was dining.  Still, the place had a good "feel" (clean yet much-visited), so I sat down and began perusing the menu.

I've been feeling a bit under the weather, and wanted a hot beverage, but I'm not fond of either coffee or tea; I asked the waitress whether hot chocolate was available?  Surprisingly, it was.  Heh.  A small cup of not-quite-perfectly-mixed instant cocoa arrived.  Still, it turned out to be just what I needed.  Spread on the provided chips, the salsa, which looked to be simple pureed green jalapenos, also helped clear my sinuses.

Back to the menu.  Wow.  What a lot of possibles, in so many different categories...  Should I review their Mexican platters?  Their burgers or sandwiches?  Their pizza?  (The pizza surprised me; it takes quite a bit of equipment to make pizzas the right way, and most restaurants won't "also" serve it.)

Well, the friendly waitress mentioned that the cook made really good burgers, and pointed out their Mexican burger; I ordered.  I also ordered a chile relleno burrito, to try their Mexican cuisine.  The waitress left me a huge glass of Dr. Pepper, and went off with my order.

The burrito arrived first, traditional Mexican style, both ends open, chile and cheese wrapped in a fajita.  It was a bit more soupy than I usually like, but was an excellent mix of flavors.  The chile wasn't overly hot, but still toasted my taste buds fairly effectively.

The burger arrived promptly afterwards, a half-pound of meat on a bun, with lots of nice veggie toppings and a soft Mexican cheese.  Alongside was a mess o' nice crunchy french fries.  Eating the burger was problematic; every time I attempt to eat a well-topped burger, I wind up dripping toppings all over the place.  Ah well; c'est la vie.  I mopped up much of the spillage with the fries.  Good burger.

I'll have to go back sometime and sample the pizza; they have a few interesting varieties available.  For now, I'll have to give the place a high rating.  If you're looking for some pretty decent food, and trying to avoid the crowds (not during lunch; the waitress mentioned that while the place is semi-deserted at night, it's pretty busy 'round noon), La Salsa Grill is a good place to stop by.