By Pamela Brownstein
To satisfy a hankering for authentic Mexican food, the Lunch Bunch didn’t have to go south of the border. Instead, we found just the spot on Lady’s Island at Rancho Grande.
Formerly La Hacienda, Rancho Grande is a family owned restaurant run by the friendly and capable manager Pedro Solorio.

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We started with one serious appetizer: the Rancho Grande sampler. The giant platter was filled with beef nachos, taquitos, cheese quesadilla, chori queso dip, and lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. The dip was incredible, we all loved it, and the quesadilla bites were so soft, warm and cheesy. The sampler is a must-have for a hungry family or large group.
The menu options are seemingly endless. They serve many varieties of fajitas, at least 30 combination plates and more than 20 lunch specials.
Elizabeth, April and I all ordered quesadillas. April had the lunch special #12: one cheese quesadilla, rice and one beef taco. Elizabeth had just a chicken and cheese quesadilla that she likes with extra sour cream and Cholula hot sauce. I tried the lunch special #17: a beef and cheese quesadilla served with rice and steamed vegetables.
Heather chose the lunch Chimichanga — one flour tortilla deep fried, filled with chicken and beans then topped with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, nacho cheese and guacamole. I have to admit I had a tinge of food envy because her chimichanga looked awesome, and apparently it tasted as good as it looked because there were no left overs.

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Buck ordered his favorite, the lunch special #6. He said the beef burrito, taco and rice were delicious.
Our guest Lunch Buncher, Daniel Brownstein, was really hungry and filled up on the dinner combination #2 — one taco, one enchilada and one chalupa.
For dessert, Pedro brought out a plate of churros, fried twisted dough with sugar, cinnamon and honey, with ice cream, and a plate of sopapillas, fried flour tortillas with honey, butter and cinnamon, also with ice cream. Even though we were so full, it’s futile to resist the lure of fried dough and ice cream. April and I liked the churros best — they reminded me of my semester abroad in Salamanca, Spain, when we used to eat churros con chocolate all the time — while Elizabeth and Buck raved about the yummy sopapillas. Flan and fried ice cream are also offered.
Rancho Grande is located at 136 Sea Island Parkway, Suite 4 &amp; 6, in the Grayco shopping center on Lady’s Island. Call 843-524-0405.