DINING OUT -- MARY FURR

Sometimes you love a restaurant because it isn’t new or different.

That’s Don Jose, at Goldenwest Street and Bolsa Chica Street, Huntington

Beach -- a Mexican restaurant filled with live plants and artificial

flowers, high-back tapestry booths and long banquettes where the salsa is

chunky and the tortillas crisp. A place where server Jackie Harmier has

been for 26 years and Chef Jose Terrazas for 29 years, a traditional

place for Cinco de Mayo.

But the menu is trendy as well as traditional -- there are tacos, here

two big crisp U-shaped tortillas filled with grilled wahoo fish and piled

witho7 pico de gallof7 and cheese, topped with lettuce and sturdy red

cabbage shreds -- it’s fresh, hot and tasty, a perfect match to the

traditional soupy refried beans and Spanish rice. Theo7 pico de

gallof7 , Spanish for “rooster’s beak,” is a relish of onions, tomatoes

and jalapeno peppers, which gives the tacos a fresh spiciness.

I love the healthiness of sizzling fajitas (lunch $6.25, dinner

$9.99), which I could hear as Jackie brought them to the table. A

half-circle pan filled with white chicken pieces (or beef if you prefer)

with onions, red and green bell peppers and fresh tomatoes with tiny

tortilla cups filled with guacamole, o7 pico de gallof7 and sour cream

beside the sizzling pan.

Manager Andres Ledezma says everybody has a favorite selection from

the extensive menu with perhaps the fish tacos coming out ahead.

The Sunday champagne brunch ($9.25) is hard to beat for variety and

price with 10 selections to choose from. o7 Machacho con huevosf7 has

half the hot platter filled with scrambled eggs mixed with pieces of

tomato, sweet green peppers and onion. There’s a spread of soft mashed

refried beans topped with two melted cheeses and some excellent papas

Mexicanas -- quarters of fried potatoes with peppers and onion. A small

cup of fresh fruit provides just the right finish with a continually

refilled champagne glass.

It’s easy to see why brunch is so attractive. Another selection that

is a bridge between breakfast and lunch is TJ Carne asada. Mexico is a

culture that favors two breakfasts -- o7 desayunof7 , an early-morning

cup of coffee or chocolate and warm tortillas, and later on, o7

almerzf7 , one like this steak to carry you through the day-very

traditional.

The sirloin steak is of medium size and thickness with a firm but

still tender texture served with a Mexican potato mix, refried beans,

fruit and two eggs, any style. It is certainly plenty for lunch, just

don’t eat breakfast before you arrive.

There are other breakfast/brunch selections: banana nut pancakes with

chopped pecans and cinnamon served with smoked ham and fruit; or a

quesadilla stuffed with eggs, bacon, mushrooms and cheese, cut into

several slices -- my favorite.

Service can lag at times especially in re-filling coffee cups, but

it’s part of the casual low key ambience of the place. Here you’ll find

healthy cooking (no lard, 100% cholesterol free vegetable oil is used)

and the friendliness of Manager Ledezma to welcome you.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have comments

or suggestions for her, call (562) 493-5062.

FYI

Don Jose Mexican Restaurant

WHERE: 15101 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach

PHONE: (714) 894-5519

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m. and

10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

MISC.: Full Bar. Parking in the rear, wheelchair accessible. Credit

cards accepted.

*MORE: I plan to feature breakfast reviews at the beginning of each

month. If you have any suggestions, contact Mary Furr at (562) 493-5062.

Huntington Beach restaurants only please.