Juano’s:  Mexican Fine Dining Downtown

The air in my lungs burned like a fire, a firestorm that swept down my throat and charred the delicate pink flesh. The air was unforgiving. The ground was white, as if God’s hand had gone over everything with a white crayon and then drawn in the details. I and my parents made our way to Juano’s from a movie, moving slowly and talking. Juano’s was open, an orange delight to match the sky of Fargo.

The downtown restaurant is Juano’s flagship store. It has an elegant, shiny, black exterior with a burnt orange interior. All of their establishments share a classy, refined interior. That last time I was here, some years ago, I had just sat down with my mother when a fire broke out in the kitchen and the store had to be evacuated.

My parents recognized the waitress from the street and were in a full conversation before they even entered the restaurant. I recognized the other waiter from the bars. I kept my head down, the vague familiarity causing me to experience a Seinfeld moment.

My mom and dad and I shed our extra weight and put them into the corner of our booth. We quickly got comfortable and between all the indirect lighting and the warm colors, it felt like I could have made a cocoon in the booth and lived happily until spring.

The menu is inventive and offers creative variations of, as well as, traditional Mexican cuisine. Prices run from $6.95 for some appetizers and salads to $13.95 for a three entrée combination dinner. They also serve burgers, offering three new versions of the classic dish.

I ordered the Zacatecas, a burrito served with meat, black beans, feta cheese, red onion, cilantro, and rice on the side. I should be flogged for not remembering what my father ordered but it was served with grilled zucchini and my mother had a taco salad. Something good is going on if vegetables are being grilled. In my eyes, that’s menu magic.

My meal was good. The black beans and chicken were wrapped in the tortilla, with the red sauce and feta cheese on the top. The red onion and cilantro were on the side. All the items were fresh and full of flavor. The dish was colorful, plated well, and the tastes blended well.

My father chose a lemon bread pudding from a dessert tray laden with rich wonders. The pudding was served in rich, warm milk. It was surprisingly well balanced. Bread pudding is often rich but even with the milk I didn’t find the dessert to be heavy or overly sweet. It was a good result of an imaginative chef.

Everything from the atmosphere to the inventive menu deserves praise. Mexican fine dining is a rarity and that’s too bad, because judging from the few non-traditional items on their menu, Americans are missing out on the many culinary possibilities of Mexican food.

Total cost of my meal, $8.95 plus tax.