Mexican restaurant built on love

Elva Camarillo has cooked all her life - quick, flavorful, wonderful meals for her 10 children and now, her grandchildren.

Camarillo is spreading that love and homestyle cooking with her new Mexican family restaurant La Casita. Translated to English, La Casita means "Little House." The restaurant is located in the Glacier Discovery Center in West Glacier on U.S. Highway 2

The menu is spartan right now - featuring tacos, burritos and quesadillas along with a daily special, but everything is made from scratch.

They hand-make the tortillas everyday along with the sauces and condiments, like homemade salsa and guacamole.

The flavors are bright and fresh - the tacos, for example, are served with fresh lime wedges.

The restaurant is truly a family affair. All the employees are immediate family. Her husband Carlos and daughters Elva Irene and Liz also cook; and daughter Erelyn and son Eddy wait and bus tables.

Camarillo grew up in the Mexicalli Valley in Sonora, Mexico.

Her family had 11 children and she cooked for her brothers and sisters growing up.

"I like cooking so people can feel at home," she said. "It's all fresh every day. We prepare everything the same day. We're used to big crowds. You cook it fast, but you cook it good, too."

Her personal favorite is her mole oaxaqueno, which isn't made quickly.

It takes hours, made with a slow-cooked garlic chicken stock, a blend of roasted spices, including, sesame, cinnamon and clove and grilled chile arbol pepper served over rice with grilled pork or chicken.

They also serve authentic Mexican sodas, sweetened with sugar, not high fructose corn syrup.

The restaurant also likely has the least expensive menu in the Glacier Park area. A chicken or steak taco is $3.50, a burrito $7.50.

The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.