Raul's adds heat to Mexican offerings

Raul's cuts a flashy figure, decked out with reddish-orange walls, red booths and purple plastic tablecloths. Several murals and an S-shaped bar cut from light wood ring the North Charleston restaurant, distinguishing the place from a run-of-the-mill Mexican eatery.

Another distinguishing characteristic?

Raul's arsenal of authentic tacos ($2.75), set with onions and cilantro, red or green salsa, and wrapped in corn tortillas. Choose from steak, chicken, marinated pork or beef, beef tongue or fish -- swordfish the day we tried -- with an orange mango salsa.

The carne en su jugo ($9.75) doubles (or triples) as Raul's signature dish, as well as a stew or soup. It fits somewhere between the two, as few or perhaps no other area restaurants list the Guadalajara specialty on their menus. It's certainly worth a taste, bite or slurp, combining bacon, cilantro, onions, radishes and avocado to create a smoky, well-seasoned broth.

Raul's is a hospitable place, too. The complimentary salsa is contained in squirt bottles, meaning that it's thinner than most blends, which allows it to escape from narrow nozzles. But careful, there's a bit of heat.

And the day of our visit, we were given tamales on the house wrapped in corn husks and filled with beef. They're not on the menu, mind you, but they'd make a strong addition.

Burritos, tortas, enchiladas and chiles rellenos ($9) also are selections. Though for our the money, our next order might just be the Pollo Acapulco ($10.25), chicken in parchment paper that's flavored with citrus marinade, white wine, butter and a garlic-chile reduction sauce.