She: Mi Casa offers 200 menu items, give or take, if you include the dizzying combinations of tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chalupas and tostaguacs. I had plenty of time to count them because someone got lost, sucked into the vehicular vortex of Central Park.

He: Rather than continue to drive around in circles, I called the restaurant, and owner Jaime Martinez forever endeared himself to me by patiently talking this frustrated driver through the traffic maze. He even stood outside in the scorching afternoon heat to greet me when I, at long last, arrived at his establishment.

She: I didn't mind the wait, which gave me a chance to study my surroundings.

Tall windows and muted colors give the three-month-old Mi Casa a clean and airy feel. Here and there, the soft teal and beige walls are given splashes of color in the form of vibrant Mexican-motif textiles. The dining area, with wall-hugging booths surrounding tables in the center, is more spacious than the restaurant's exterior suggests.

The other reason I didn't mind the wait was because I was noshing on warm, fresh, crisp tortilla chips and zesty homemade salsa, which are immediately delivered to all diners' tables. I chased them with invigorating iced tea ($1.40, free refills, and the thoughtful server eventually left a small pitcher on the table on this 95-degree day).

He: By the time I got there, I was considering sticking my head in a 46-ounce margarita ($10.25), but downsized to a refreshing, more moderate 12-ouncer ($4).

She: I had been to Mi Casa before, and I lobbied for the chori-queso appetizer.

He: And I thank you. A bowl of melted Monterey Jack was charged up by crumbled chorizo, and the combination of the smooth cheese and spicy sausage was addictive.

She: So much so that I vowed to re-create it at home, and the owner kindly gave up the secret ingredients. I won't reveal them here because he was unaware we could broadcast them in a review, but his elegant manners suggest that he would be unable to refuse any diner's request for the recipe. He: My entrée was "Fajitas Cavo de Acha" ($12.50), and a sizzling skillet arrived, heaped with seared shrimp and scallops nestled in slices of sautéed tomato, onion and green pepper.