The concept may be big in Southern California, but here in South Florida, healthy, hip fast-food restaurants are still a rarity. That may be one reason that Zona Fresca (Fresh Zone) on U.S. 1 in Fort Lauderdale, was packed Friday night. Another is that the fast-food grill serves very good, cheap, Baja-style Mexican food in a fun setting.

Red holiday lights add a festive glow outside; inside, the place will wake you up with its sunny yellow walls and colorful copies of paintings by Mexican artist Cabrales. The kitchen, visible to customers ordering at the counter, shows off clean stainless steel ovens. Seating is a mix of high-top and regular tables (there's room for 60 inside, where it's smoke-free), with a few tables on the front patio -- unfortunately the view is of the traffic on U.S. 1.

The slogan at Zona Fresca is ''Not your everyday Mexican food . . . Mexican food you can eat every day'' and after a visit, you'll see why. The restaurant gets its name from food that is made fresh, from scratch, daily. Co-owners Oscar de Armas and Tim Dobravolskis boast there's not even a can opener on the premises. There's no lard in the beans and they feature boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Crisp corn tortilla chips are made on site during the day; flour tortillas come from a local tortilla maker. No preservatives, MSG or lard are used and they chop up California's Hass avocado, preferred by many avocado lovers, for the guacamole.

Since food is made to order, tell the person at the counter whether you want cheese, sour cream and so on. The staff here is friendly, helpful and likely to get your order right. Further customize your selection at the salsa bar, where there is a habañero pepper sauce, salsa Fresca, tomatillos, pico de gallo, sliced limes, jalapeños, shredded cabbage and grilled serrano chili peppers.

The menu includes casual fare like burritos ($2.95-$6.50); tacos ($1.75-$2.25); salads (Baja Caesar, $4.75 or tostada, $5.95), quesadillas ($4.50-$6.40), nachos ($4.25-$6.10) and platters ($4.50-$6.95) like the chiles rellenos ($4.50) or taquitos ($4.95). Most items are available with chicken, steak, shrimp or fish.

On weekends, add ceviche ($6.99), with grouper and tiger shrimp ''cooked'' by the acid of the lime juice, with onions, olives, jalapeños, pico de gallo and corn tortilla chips.

Burritos excel here. The shrimp burrito ($6.50) includes marinated, charbroiled shrimp, teamed with Monterrey Jack, shredded cabbage and a rich sauce that tastes like it is mayonnaise-based -- but it is a crme frache mixed with chives, onions, a little vinegar and lime juice, along with some pinto beans and pico de gallo stuffed into a 12-inch flour tortilla and sliced in half. Despite all the additions, you can taste the supple shrimp.

The Siesta Maker ($6.25) lives up to its name -- another fat burrito filled with charbroiled chicken (or steak), Jack cheese, black or pinto beans, cilantro rice, grilled onions and peppers, sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole.

Get a side dish ($1.60) with black or pinto beans plus cilantro rice -- long-grain rice cooked with fresh cilantro and garlic, given a shot of lime and a dose of extra virgin olive oil.

Kids will like the two-taco combination plate -- chicken or steak ($4.75), shrimp or fish ($4.95) with some chopped onions -- plus whatever you add at the salsa bar. Our steak tacos were tender and juicy, filling layers of two soft-shell flour tortillas, which helps prevent sogginess (who wants a leaky taco?). The two-taco fish combo plate is stuffed with deep-fried grouper in a beer batter ($4.95) and comes with the cilantro rice, beans, pico de gallo and grilled onions. The fish taco wasn't as flavorful as the versions our companion ate on the streets of Southern California, but it's still pretty good.

For dessert, get flan ($1.75) or Mexican ''wedding cake'' cookies (three for 99 cents), crunchy pecan shortbread cookies covered with white powdered sugar. Like most items here, it won't taste like something you bought at a fast-food joint.