Bites Nearby: Casa Toro Mexican Grill

Tucked away in the Fairmont Village Shopping Center on Route 309 in Coopersburg is . Described as a restaurant that serves authentic Mexican cuisine, my family and I visited one evening on the recommendation of a friend.

Upon walking in I noted that there were already people waiting for a table. Reviews online mentioned that they do not take reservations, but thankfully it was not exceptionally busy and we didn't have to wait long to be seated.

The bar area was full and the restaurant's happy hour specials may have been part of the reason for that. Every Monday through Saturday, from 4:30 to 6:30pm, Casa Toro offers house margaritas for $5 and half off appetizers--except for ceviche, which is a refreshing 'cocktail' made with shrimp, fish, scallops, fresh lime juice, and garnished with avocado and homemade tortilla chips.

We were seated quickly and my son was quite happy to see a pack of crayons at the table, and that the table itself was covered in paper. While he went to work on drawing, my husband and I studied the menu while enjoying complimentary chips and salsa that were obviously freshly made.

We skipped appetizers in hopes of being able to finish our main courses, although the fried avocado sounded delicious. It was described as a whole, fresh avocado stuffed with ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, onions and peppers.

Since I was unable to choose just one selection I opted for a combo platter. The Combo Toro included a chicken burrito, two cheese enchiladas and three flautitas with red or green (I chose green) sauce. It also included rice, sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo. The generous portions were more than enough for two meals, and well worth the price of almost $15.

My husband also chose a combo. He decided upon the Tres Amigos that included two cheese enchiladas with red or green sauce, a beef or chicken taco and a chicken tostada.

Other menu selections included Fajitas Toro, served with a choice of chicken, steak, shrimp, or a combination of all the meats, and served with onions, peppers, rice and refried beans. The Salmon Tropical--grilled salmon topped with house-made tropical mango sauce and served with a green salad and rice--also sounded interesting.

My son had another moment of happiness when his meal arrived. He chose the Cheese Mex-Sandwich, which was a kind of grilled cheese. He picked a side of nachos with cheese and when it was brought to the table he was elated. Not only was there a huge pile of nachos, but there were two sandwiches.

Other selections from the Little Amigos menu include chicken fingers, a cheeseburger, taquitos, a hot dog with cheese, and quesadillas.

Since we were all full from our entrees we skipped dessert, but I did notice another table of guests enjoying Fried Ice Cream. Also on the menu for dessert was Tres Leches--a light cake soaked in a mixture of three kinds of milk, vanilla and Kahlua, and served with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

The dining room offers both booth and table seating, and was dimly lit, providing a relaxed setting for our meal and putting us in the mood for an evening in Mexico. I have to admit that my watermelon margarita helped with that as well. At $8 it was the best margarita I’ve ever had, although I am partial to watermelon.

Casa Toro also offers catering for any occasion, from simple get-togethers to larger special events.

The restaurant is located in the Fairmont Village Shopping Center at 7001 Route 309 in Coopersburg. It is open Monday through Thursday, from 11:30am to 9pm; Friday and Saturday, from 11:30am to 10pm; and Sunday, from 4 to 9pm. Call 610-282-8888 for more information. 

Casa Toro accepts major credit cards. You can find their complete menu and sign up for a weekly newsletter on their website.