When driving on the 10 freeway between Grand and Barranca in the West Covina area, you'll find a row of restaurants called (obviously) Restaurant Row. If you take the time to read the names of those restaurants, you'll recognize many of those names, & chances are the Mariposa Inn will NOT be one of them. 1. The menu. In thirty years of my family & I eating at the Mariposa, the menu hasn't changed, for one good reason. It never had to! Unlike the El Torito & other big-chain Mexican restaurants which are looking each month for the next greatest thing in Mexican cooking, the staff at the Mariposa Inn is kicking back, focusing their energy on good cooking, not fixing the "maquina" that doesn't need to be fixed in the first place. 2. The combos. In the middle of said Mariposa Inn menu, you'll find the tried-and-true combos. Burritos, tacos, enchiladas, chili rellenos, tamales, you name it. You want it, it's there with rice and beans. Whether you get that or something else on the menu, it's served up quick. In the meantime, you get chips that are warm & salty, the best-tasting salsa I've had in any Mexican restaurant. That salsa's so good. 3. The atmosphere. If you eat there during the daytime, the daylight lights up the front of the restaurant nicely, but if you want a truly remarkable dining experience, try the Mariposa Inn at night. It won't be as well-lit as other places, but it will be lit up just enough for you to feel like you've really found a unique place to eat. The tables, chairs, & booths have an older architectural feel to them, & when you look up at the old-style iron chandeliers, you'll definitely feel like you went back in time a bit. Here's an especially good reason to try the Mariposa Inn. Right next to it is an El Torito. If you want to truly appreciate the Mariposa Inn, try out the El Torito first, & then later on in the week, check out the Mariposa Inn.
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