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| - Following our round of drinks at Velveteen Rabbit, the wife and I walked a few doors down for some Mexican food at Casa Don Juan. I'm far from an expert on the finer points of authentic Mexican cuisine, so I went in with an open mind and an empty stomach. Casa Don Juan had all of the familiar earmarks of a family-run operation. The dining room was cozy, clean, and colorful, albeit a bit gaudy replete with Mexican tchotkes and neon cerveza signs. Service was fast and familiar as the complimentary chips and sauce were delivered promptly to our table. We added an order of guacamole for our chips. The guac was smooth and fresh, good, but fairly standard fare. It may have been a bit more enjoyable if it had been made fresh tableside. No worries, though, because my order of Menudo (available only on Sat. & Sun) was exactly what the doctor ordered. The generous amount of tender beef tripe was swimming in a delicious chile infused broth. The dish was fortified with hominy and accompanied by a plate of chopped cilantro, lime, onions, black pepper, and oregano add-ins. It was hearty and flavorful and a big winner in my mind. While there likely are whole list of Mexican restaurants that the locals know of that are superior to Casa Don Juan, the wife and I found it to be satisfying and a solid value.
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