Where Javier’s left off

Less usual in a Mexican restaurant altogether is fried calamari served with their light fresh tomato sauce, which also appears on several fish entrées. The calamari were a bit under-seasoned and slightly under-fried — the delicate batter on the rings could have been a little browner. We thought the very fresh sauce needed some salt and heat, both readily available on the table. With a bit of doctoring, it was delicious.

We wanted to try the tortilla soup but sad to say, this one needs work — it was quite greasy. Our very helpful waiter, Danny, didn’t charge us for it.

Much better was the ceviche, although it too was improved by the condiments on the table. The fish was very fresh and not overly marinated but it lacked textural variety — no crunch, easily remedied by the addition of the excellent salsa fresca and a touch of fresh lime. In the end, we ate every last drop.

The one combination plate on the menu allowed us to sample as much of their fare as possible. With four choices of sauces and four kinds of fillings for each of the three items, you have a daunting 24 possible combinations to choose from. The four sauces are green, red, spicy chipotle and red mole. The fillings are chicken, beef, pork or rajas. We came up with a carne asada enchilada in green sauce, a chicken enchilada with mole, a tamale with a chicken mole filling and a chicken taco. High marks for the green sauce and also the mole, which was especially good, slightly sweet, deeply rich in flavor and perfectly spiced. Low marks for the tortillas, which were bland and not even warm. The grilled chicken in the taco was unseasoned as was the shredded chicken in the enchilada. The sauce was served on the side. The masa of the tamale was dry but the chicken filling was permeated with the delicious mole sauce. The accompanying pinto beans were good.

On the other hand, the shrimp entrées are first rate. Eight dishes featuring giant shrimp are on the menu in a variety of sauces and marinades. The most traditional is the al mojo de ajo (sautéed in garlic) but also available are some delectable sounding choices such as: shrimp in mango sauce, cilantro sauce or wrapped in bacon with poblano or chipotle sauce.