El Rancho Grande offers generous portions of authentic Mexican food in a family-style setting.

If you love good Mexican food, this is a great time to be alive and living in Central Oregon.

It’s difficult to fathom, but there was a time when finding decent huevos rancheros or chile verde around these parts was akin to picking gold nuggets out of Whychus Creek. There was a time when the word chipotle meant absolutely nothing.

Times change. Chipotle is a household word. And Mexican food has come into its own in Central Oregon.

The burrito and the bean, the tostada and the tamale, they are ubiquitous. And happily, the festive fare from south of the border is here to stay.

But it pays to be discriminating.

El Rancho Grande is a little Mexican restaurant in Sisters that offers a slightly different take on a traditional theme. The restaurant, which opened a new branch in Redmond in September of 2005 and is planning to open a Bend location at the Cascade Village complex, is owned by partners Rafael and Lorena Rodriguez and Macedonio and Maria Robles, who hail from Jalisco (Guadalajara is in this Mexican state and so is Puerto Vallarta) a region where food has long been a passion.

Besides the standards, the menu reflects a regional flair.

Ever try camarones chiapanecos, pollo el ranch grande or cochinita pibil?

And there are more Epicurean surprises where those came from. Arrachera Dominguera, chimi-changa jarocha, camarones a la diabla? The El Rancho Grande chefs all hail from Mexico.

”It’s very authentic, from Jalisco,” said manager and owner Rafael Rodriguez. ”In Jalisco, you would see a lot of this stuff.”

Picture an outdoor mercado in Guadalajara, its stalls bursting with colorful chiles, fruit, vegetables, herbs, meat and cheese. It’s a bustling place where locals shop with an eye toward that evening’s meal.

Now pan to a cafe in Sisters. The large (hot) plate in front of you is piled with sauteed prawns, mushrooms, jalapenos, cilantro and onions, beans and rice – camarones chiapanecos.

Visualize the connection?

Arrachera Dominguera is sliced skirt steak cooked over charcoal and served with rice and beans. Chimichanga jarocha is a mixture of crabs, scallops, prawns, sauteed onions, tomatoes, cilantro and mushrooms, mildly seasoned. It’s served nestled inside a crisp rolled tortilla smothered with a ”secret” sauce and served with sour cream and guacamole. Camarones a la diabla is sauteed prawns with mushrooms and onions in a ”very special” sauce. It’s served with rice, beans and tortillas.

Of course, if you’re hungry for a taco or an enchilada, El Rancho Grande will be happy to accommodate you. The restaurant features nine varieties of enchiladas, 11 types of burritos and six styles of nachos.

Rodriguez also recommends the margaritas to complement the generous portions of the restaurant.

El Rancho Grande is a friendly place with a motif that melds two cultures. Call the decor rodeo-mex.

El Rancho Grande

Location: 150 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Price Range: $8 to $20 dinner, $5.50 to $8 lunch

Alcoholic Beverages: Full bar

Kids’ Menu: Yes

Reservations: Recommended for lunch parties of eight or more

Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover

Contact: 549-3594