Every once in a while, the best thing in the world is a good bowl of beans.. Simple, Hearty Food
Framed by the limestone McAllister residence, Guadalajara Grill, a.k.a. Charlie's Bar and Piejo Cafe, occupies the outer rim of La Villita. Inside, though, the territory is pure south of the border. Mexican movie posters cover the high walls of a dining room that spills out through tall doors into a streetside patio. The food is made by hand from fresh ingredients, and the quality is apparent from the rice all the way to the fajita platters.

Beans and Rice
Hey, that's nice. The bean pot soup is a spicy bowl of pintos, cilantro, onion and the hint of a ham bone floating somewhere in the mix. It's ranch-style food at its simplest, offering the basic bean, rice, tortilla, cheese and meat Pentateuch of Mexican restaurants in an authentic and home-style presentation. The transition from meal to dessert hit a slight bump with the overly sweet tres leches cake, but I forgive easily when Spanish rice tastes this good.…