In California, there are hundreds of Mexican food restaurants ranging from the very small and authentic establishments to large chains, with everything in between. Californians love their Mexican food, and so do we here at Grow in Wellness.

So, what sets La Sirena Grill apart from the other Mexican restaurants out there? La Sirena brands themselves, as “the mex-eco eatery.” They use quality ingredients from local, organic farms and use sustainable practices. Their motto is “to preserve the planet, minimize waste, and maximize sustainability while serving outstanding food.” They serve grass-fed beef, organic free-range chicken, all natural pork, sustainable seafood and wild caught salmon. They also use organic greens, organic eggs and even organic milk for the horchata.

La Sirena Grill uses only trans-fat free oil and does not use lard in making their beans. The restaurant’s effort for sustainability goes beyond the menu with earth-friendly to-go packaging and their menus are printed on 100% recycled paper with soy-based ink.

It’s a casual, “order at the counter” restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant uses reclaimed wood in the dining room and there is bench seating outside. The South Laguna Beach location has about 20 craft beers on tap and most are from local breweries, which are changed daily.

This is all wonderful, but how does the food taste? The food is very good. A favorite item is the blackened wild salmon salad. Made with organic mixed greens, avocados, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, papaya salsa and roasted bell peppers with lime-cilantro dressing. The delicious papaya salsa adds a slight sweetness and cools down the spice of the blackened salmon. The avocado lime salad is another very popular dish made with a variety of vegetables, crispy onions and your choice of protein.

They have traditional Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, taquitos, burritos, tacos, fajitas and tortas. They also have a nice variety at the salsa bar including mild to spicy salsa and fresh cilantro, onions, lime wedges and the spicy jalapeno carrots.

All the vegetarian items on the menu can be made vegan. The pinto and black beans are cooked slow and seasoned, without using lard. Dishes are made with pure vegetable stock instead of beef or chicken.

The freshness and quality of each dish is evident in every bite, which is the ultimate in “fresh-Mex.” There are four locations, two in Laguna Beach, one in Irvine and one in El Segundo. It is definitely a healthy option worth trying for all you Mexican food lovers out there.

(review originally posted 11/30/16)