$ - inexpensive
Mexican
Mexican and Michoacan Tarascan Indian Food
La India is a small, inexpensive restaurant. They serve Mexican and Michoacan Tarascan Indian food, which is a little different than the Sonoran-style Mexican food usually served in Tucson.
They are very veg-friendly, and most vegetarian menu items can be made vegan by holding the cheese.
- Kid-Friendly
- Outdoor Seating
Added by Suzanne on Jun 9 04 (updated Jun 9 04)
Reviews
It was a year ago, but I still remember how much I enjoyed La Indita (and I am personally not a huge Latin/Spanish cuisine fan). I got a combination with spinach enchilada and potato taco (very unique and not bland at all; greasy, but only to the level of most home-grown mexican food). The beans and rice are wonderful (lots of vegetables in the rice!) -and I hate rice. The salsa was quite good: we needed several refills.
They understand and do not stare when you request something be prepared vegan, and on certain nights of the month (Fridays, I believe) they request that one pays in cash or check only because they donate most of the profit from that night to a chosen local charity! They have a convenient ATM if you arrive unprepared...
La Indita is wonderful! The food is so colorful and flavorful -- I cannot recommend it enough. What I find so exceptional about it is that ordering vegan Mexicann is a cinch. My favorites are the Spinach Enchildas followed by the Ranch-style Flat Enchiladas and the Tarascan tacos. The beans and rice that accompany the entrees are excellent. Vegetarian menu items are starred and for vegan simply ask for no cheese.
I went to la indita for breakfast for the first time recently; before I had only ordered lunch. It was a weekend and they had some specials without eggs, which is great, and they weren't all breakfast-y kinds of things on the brunch menu. Our waiter was really, really nice to us. We had a great time. The food is kind of like Maya Quetzal: native or Guatamalan-ish, with things like tomato sauce and spinach where you wouldn't expect it in standard Mexican food. But the portions are bigger at Indita, and they serve breakfast, at least on weekends.
I LOVE LA INDITA. When my husband and I go out for dinner, we almost always end up at La Indita or Guilin (Chinese food). La Indita offers the standard Sonoran Mexican options, but they also serve Native American-Mexican food. And it's just amazing.
The whole place has a very homey feel. The dishes are sometimes chipped, and the cooking feels like you've stepped into someone's kitchen. Provided, of course, that whoever owns the kitchen is a fantastic cook.
There are a ton of vegetarian options, most of which can be made vegan by leaving off the cheese. A couple of items contain eggs. My favorite dish is the bean Tarascan tacos; my husband loves the spinach and nut Tarascan tacos. Also excellent are the mushroom chalupas, spinach enchiladas, mushroom or potato tacos...I could go on for hours. The rice and beans are both vegan (no chicken stock or lard). And you get all this good food for a great price. My husband I usually spend about $15 for the two of us, tip included. (But we don't buy drinks.)
They do serve beer and wine--though the wine is Franzia (wine in a box), which I remember with distaste from my college days. Best stick with your standard Mexican beer favorites if you're ordering booze. They don't have margaritas, which is too bad.
I really can't say enough good things about the food here. It can be a little greasy, but that's part of why it tastes so damn good. They make their own chips and salsa (even make the corn tortillas before they fry them), and the chips are the best ones in all of Tucson. I have to ration my intake or else I'm always full by the time my dinner arrives.
Tucson is packed with great Mexican food, and I think La Indita is the best of the best. Definitely recommended.
This is probably the easiest place to get vegan Mexican food in Tucson. Most waiters will know what you mean when you request vegan preparation, but to be on the safe side you might want to say "no cheese" instead of "vegan."
All vegetarian items are clearly marked, and most of them can be made vegan by omitting cheese. The cooking style seems to be Tarasco/O'odham fusion, so it straddles both sides of the border, creating unique dishes that you won't be able to find anywhere else.
My personal favorites are the spinach enchiladas and the potato taco. The latter includes some kind of sugar vinegar, which imparts such a fantastic flavor to the whole thing. It's a little greasy, though.
My only complaint: No vegan dessert! Not even a humble bunuelo. Oh well.