The problem, of course, with most chain Mexican restaurants is that they taste bland. And people are always saying if you want authentic Mexican, you have to eat at some greasy spoon. Not so here. Even the soups, from $3.95 to $7.95, taste Latin.

Then there are the platillos Mexicanos, the Mexican specialties. Served, naturally, with rice, beans and tortillas. The carnitas have juicy, tender chunks of pork for $10.50. Fajitas mixtas is mixed chicken, beef and shrimp strips with bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms for $14.95.

Personally, I could have made a meal out of some of the appetizers, like nachoes for $3.25 and quesadilla for $3.00. Either, or both, and a cold Corona from the bar and I'm happy. I should also mention the marinated shrimp, which is octopus and fish with chile, tomato and onion served on a tostado for $5.95.

Real Mexican food in a nice surrounding. What a concept!

Now, if you feel like Italian, I can recommend Chianti, located inside of the shopping complex at the corner of Vineyard Avenue and Foothill Boulevard in Rancho Cucamonga. The first thing you notice here is that itÕs not owned by an Italian family, but by an East Indian named Singh. Well, why not? He likes Italian.

It should be noted here that we do not normally review a brand new restaurant. We usually wait about six months to give everyone a chance to settle in. But so many people told us about Chianti that we had to see what all the excitement was about.

To be fair, Chianti Restaurante Italiano is NOT the stereotypical checkered table cloth house. This is more properly Mediterranean cuisine with the rooms painted in pastels and imported furnishings. Part of this dining room used to be a shoe repair shop! You wouldn't know it to look at it.

Appetizers included a simple but tasty bruschetta, which is sliced garlic bread topped with tomato, garlic, oregano, fresh basil and olive oil for $4.50. We also enjoyed the mozzarella in carrozza, a lightly breaded, fried mozzarella cheese with basil and marinara sauce for $5.95.

Insalata Italiana is listed as a salad, but it is more like an Italian cold cut plate with Genoa salami, capicolla, ham, mortadella, provolone and fresh tomato at $5.95.

For our pasta we went to the fettucine con gambretti, a $9.95 dish with shrimp in cream sauce. My personal favorite was the filetto al pepe, which is a peppercorn filet mignon on the menu for $13.95. One member of the party thought the meat was over tenderized and must have been pretty tough to begin with. I disagree. Then there was the vitello saltinbocca. No relation to that exotic circus, this is a veal dish to die for, sauteed in white wine with sage and prosciutto for $11.95. If I was disappointed with anything, it was with the gnocchi, $7.95. But then I've never been big on gnocchi.

Deserts and liqueurs capped a beautiful evening. Both of these restaurants provide a marvelous evening out. But if you feel like Chinese, come back next month and I'll tell you about the Noble House.

For more information regarding Mexico Lindo Restaurant, 287 West La Cadena Dr. in Riverside, call (909) 686-6787.

For more information about Chianti Restaurante Italiano, 8045 N. Vineyard Ave. in Rancho Cucamonga, call (909) 941-7451.