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This is important:

Bring a hefty appetite to Miguel's at La Posada. We mean hefty.

It was a lesson learned the moment the guacamole appetizer ($12) came to the table.

It was a mountain of the avocado dip, given a heat with serrano chiles, a sweetness with tomatoes, an edge with garlic. It was served in a bowl and placed on a plate that spilled over with red, blue and golden corn chips.

Now we get suspect with big helpings — so often we find that what restaurants can't provide in quality, they try to make up for in quantity.

Not so at Miguel's. The dip was buttery, sweet and with a touch of heat. It packed as much flavor as it did heft.

The same was true with the Ceviche Jalisco ($14) appetizer tried on another visit. Tiny rock shrimp, sweet scallops and tilapia were "cooked" in lime juice and spiked with serranos. While we aren't big fans of the smaller-size shrimp — the flavor is weak — the calamari was tender, the scallop succulent, and the whole mixture almost decadent.

Appetizers were shared, but there was still almost too much, so use restraint unless you plan to feast on appetizers alone.

On the other hand, you don't want to miss some of these entrees.

The pan-seared cabrilla ($25) was a moist whitefish wrapped in a mild poblano chile, smoky from a wood firing. The fish was given a sweet edge with a mango relish, and a slow burn with a mole verde. The combination of flavors and textures made this a gracefully assertive dish.

The Pollo a la Brasa with Mole Verde ($20) is a boneless chicken breast brushed with olive oil and garlic and grilled so that it has a crispy outside and a moist in. The creamy mole sauce was on the bland side, but the chicken was so beautifully seasoned and cooked that the sauce was a non-issue.

The chile relleno ($22) was an oversize poblano spilling over with shrimp, cabrilla and scallops mixed up with a trio of Mexican cheeses. That chile was grilled over an open flame, but not dipped in an egg batter and fried, which is how the relleno is often served — a touch that wasn't missed. It was served with a generous side of tender black beans and a pile of rice.

The pork chops ($20) were a little dry from overcooking. But then they were so full of flavor, thanks to the sweet-spicy orange ancho chile sauce that topped it, that the dryness was barely noticed. A cloud-light roasted corn flan was a sublime touch to the dish, and the sinus-clearing serrano chile salsa cooled off with pineapple added another punchy layer of flavor.

Like the appetizers, the entrees were all generous servings, so plan on bringing home the next day's lunch.

Especially if you want dessert. We were only up for sharing, so we asked for two spoons with the flan ($7.50). Mistake. There was a battle of the spoons as we fought for bites of the creamy flan topped with sticky caramel sauce. It seems such a gentle, ideal end of a meal rich with Southwest and Mexican flavors.

Many of the dishes that were on the menu when Albert Hall (now with Acacia) was the opening chef in late 2003 are still there — Redha Kouchit is now the executive chef. That's OK; we like the nouvelle Mexican menu.

Service on both visits was attentive and well-informed. If you opt for eating in the expansive dining room, you'll be surrounded by original art; on the patio, you might overlook the well-lit pool at the adjoining La Posada Lodge.

But wherever you sit, bring your appetite with you.