Walking into La Indita was a bit off-putting: the medium-sized, heavily decorated restaurant smelled a little suspect and stale. Luckily, the mix of American Indian and Mexican food was more than enough to make for a great dining experience.

La Indita, 622 N. Fourth Ave., has been a Tucson staple since 1983 and has remained true to its roots. Literally meaning “”the little Indian woman,”” the restaurant’s varied and extensive menu is inspired by Maria Garcia’s recipes. Garcia specialized in “”Tarascan”” food, which is a combination of Mexican and American Indian cuisine, according to the restaurant. The family-owned business has not strayed far from Garcia’s vision, and for good reason.

Once seated in one of the hardwood booths lining the walls, a bowl of homemade, warm, crispy tortilla chips was placed alongside some homemade salsa. Both were amazing, and tempting to fill up on. The menu is very large, featuring a variety of appetizers (nachos, guacamole and cheese crisps), combinations, breakfast items (only available at certain times), desserts and daily specials. La Indita specializes in chili relleno and chicken enchiladas with green sauce, but everything I tried was very tasty.

Unfortunately, the food took about 35 minutes, but due to some great last-minute decision making, the full order of guacamole as an appetizer ($6 for a full order, and $4 for a half order) came in handy. Don’t let the size deceive you; the full order is more than enough for three or four people. The guacamole wasn’t too salty and had a definite taste of lime in it, which was surprising and very tangy. It was served with more warm, homemade tortilla chips and was great.

For the main entrée, a few items were sampled, beginning with the Monday special, carne asada. It arrived with rice, beans and one huge tortilla. The carne asada was seasoned perfectly, and in combination with the tortilla, cheese, lettuce and some sour cream, was a good choice at a great price (about $7).

Next were combination plates two and four, which combined, allowed the eater to sample a variety of the restaurant’s specialties. The chicken taco was warm and crispy, the tamale was tangy (you need to like corn to enjoy it), the cheese enchilada didn’t have much sauce and was therefore nice and simple, and the chili relleno was subtle and mild. The combination winner was the chicken enchilada, however, which was amazing. It would be worth a second trip just to order the enchiladas alone. The combinations are served with rice and beans, and are absolutely huge, not to mention very reasonably priced (about $10).

Even though the service was slow, everything at La Indita was savory and authentic. The large menu offers a variety of choices, sure to please most customers, and almost every entrée can be made vegetarian upon request. Most ranged from $6-$9, and if you are feeling adventurous, you can sample fun dishes with items like Indian fry bread and prickly pear toppings.

Despite the fact that Tucson offers decent Mexican food at pretty much every corner on every street, La Indita has remained true to its Tarascan roots and has a loyal clientele. The delicious food and respectable prices are reason enough to visit La Indita; the genuine family feel is an added bonus.

La Indita is open every day of the week, with varying times. They also offer take-out.