It was an institution that influenced generations of Arkansans in many ways. You could make the case that it affected our tastes, our fashions, our music and our perceptions of other cultures and lifestyles. There was hardly a person in the central region of the Land of Opportunity whose life was not touched in some way by the establishment during its prime. It was truly an important place.
I am referring, of course, to Casa Bonita.
Anchored in a shopping center at Asher and University in Little Rock, Casa Bonita opened in 1969, and immediately became a hit with thousands of Arkies. The reason was simple: from the moment you walked in the front door, you knew you weren't inside just another sit-down restaurant.
You were funneled into a line that ended up at a counter where your food was immediately waiting. The primary fare, which you were subtly encouraged to pick up, was the "deluxe dinner," which consisted of two tacos, two enchiladas, rice and refried beans. (There has been an ongoing debate about the quality of the food, and it won't be resolved here. Suffice it to say, most of us rubes who frequented Casa Bonita didn't know good Tex-Mex when we tasted it, so it really didn't matter.)
You were then led to one of several rooms, each with a different theme, all resembling different locations in a villa. You first ventured through the "plaza,"and might find yourself in a large banquet room or a small and intimate alcove or niche. There were strings of lights adorning plastic palm trees and strung overhead, and while there was darkness in the corners and ceilings, there was still a festive ambience in the place that inspired comfort, curiosity and wonder at the same time.
There were mariachi singers who meandered around the premises. One in particular I remember was a guy with a smooth tenor voice who people called "Nacho." (I'm pretty sure that wasn't his name.) His rendition of "Guantanamera" was memorable.
At every table was a small vertical dowel rod about a foot tall, anchored in a small, square wooden base. Attached to the rod by a string was a small, square piece of cloth. Want another taco or enchilada? Raise the "flag,"and the friendly waitstaff, always on the alert, would bring what you wanted almost instantaneously.
Waiting at the end of the meal were sopaipillas, small fried pastries that were hollow on the inside and into which you poured copious amounts of honey. They were light, delicious and almost worth the price of the visit themselves.
After dinner, a visit to the game room was in order. There were arcade games and other amusements, including our family favorite: ski ball.
Needless to say, Casa Bonita was more than just a visit to a restaurant. It was an experience of sight, sound, smell and taste that was, up until that time, unmatched. And for a while, the Casa Bonita location in Little Rock was the most popular Mexican restaurant in the country.
Eventually, the popularity of Casa Bonita began to wane, and in spite of several attempts at revival, it saw its last customer in 2005. But during its prime, it was an incredible dining experience, and it is still fondly remembered by those of us who frequently visited there. There wasn't another place quite like it.
Doug Chastain is a retired teacher and large-vehicle transportation specialist for the Siloam Springs School District. (OK, he drives a bus.) He is also a grass maintenance technician at Camp Siloam. (Yeah, he mows the lawn.) You can contact him at [email protected].