Lala’s Mexican Café is an authentic Mexican food restaurant with a healthy twist. Founded in Dallas last year by chef Michelle Mireles who started the restaurant with the desire to serve “good, clean food for you mind, body, and soul.” All of the ingredients used for the plates are organic, non-gmo, pasture-raised, and grass-fed. In addition, the menu includes low-carb, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and paleo options for customers with special diets. Lala’s is a restaurant that merges the popular trend of healthy eating with fast, casual dining; making it a great restaurant for everyone.

Michelle’s been an active and healthy woman since a young age, practicing yoga and exercising regularly. Her inspiration for Lala’s came after the realization that there were no Mexican restaurants with healthy food options that matched her active lifestyle. She saw the opportunity to open a Mexican restaurant for people with a healthy lifestyle who enjoyed authentic Mexican food.

The first item we sampled was the zesty and sweet Frozen Margarita Organica made with organic tequila, organic lemon juice, and non-gmo zero sugar triple sec for $9.50. I really liked the idea of a “skinny” margarita with only 100 calories compared to other margaritas that may add up to 500 calories. Their blend was delicious without the guilt of lots of calories and high amounts of sugar typical margaritas have.

The margaritas were served with organic crispy and crunchy corn tortillas with an order of “Queso Blanco” (priced at $4.50 and made with a Mexican cheese blend, rajas and arrowroot powder). They also came with a $2.50 trio of salsas: house mild, ranchero spicy, and habanero hot. All four of these were made in small matches that felt fresh and made from scratch.

My favorite dish was the Enchiladas with Tomattilo Sauce subbed with zucchini “tortilla” and stuffed with spinach and a Mexican cheese blend. This plate came with a side of red cabbage and another of riced broccoli (that perfectly replaced rice.) This plate priced $10.75 tasted and felt like homemade food made at my grandmother’s house. Everything tasted freshly made, with real ingredients, and no greasy textures or weird additives.

 

My second favorite dish, the Mexican herb quinoa bowl, tasted like an authentic burrito without the tortilla. This plate priced at $11.50 is served with spinach, black beans, avocado slices, apple cider vinegar cucumbers, non-gmo corn & poblano mix, and verde sauce. Both of these plates had the same (or even better) flavor and spice of traditional Mexican plates without the guilt of unhealthy ingredients. The restaurant seems like an opportunity for people who want to eat healthy without giving up their love for flavorful Mexican food.

Aside from the delicious food, the restaurant had a great vibe and family feel. As soon as I set foot on the restaurant I got a sense of the traditional cozy and homey Mexican houses. She named the restaurant Lala’s after her grandmother who´s authentic recipes had been passed from generation to generation. The vibrant green chairs, upbeat music, and Mexican details hanging on the walls also pay tribute to her grandmother’s energetic vibes. To add to the positive vibes, the restaurant is decorated with two huge car hoods. One has the quote “Whatever makes your soul happy, do that”, and the other “A life without Mexican food is no life at all.”

The staff was lovely and fun; our server brought us our “Jugo Verde Mimosas” and joked that our mimosas were still healthy despite having alcohol since they had green juice made with veggies in them. Side note: I also recommend this green juice with a twist of Champagne made from nopales, kiwi, parsley, cucumber, pineapple, spinach & celery. The nice staff seems like a commonality with reviews on Yelp saying: “we were greeted by two friendly staff members and they even asked if this was our first time at Lala’s. Our first experience kicked off to a great start, having this personal connection with our waiter was important.”

Overall I would 100% recommend this restaurant to any Mexican food lover who is looking for a healthy but tasty alternative to their favorite plates. Prices are super reasonable ranging from $8 to the most expensive $21. It’s a family and kids friendly atmosphere where one can enjoy a nice healthy margarita with friends while still eating healthy and delicious meals. I really hope this healthy restaurant trend keeps growing in Dallas and more people like Michelle bring clean delicious food to the residents of this amazing city.