Editor of The Tribune
AUSTIN, Texas - It's over on the Mexican side of town, the East Side, on Cesar Chavez Street, a drag lined with a string of Tex-Mex enterprises that range from homeless shelters, to busy auto repair shops, to a generous number of cafes, to colorful curio stores, to renovated offices of lawyers with Hispanic surnames. The place we write about here is aptly named - Juan In A Million.
Or, as one reviewer put it: "This was one of our Man vs Food stops and man o man did it live up to the hype. We get to the area where this awesome joint is located and I felt just at home. No posh hip businesses or restaurants around to make this place a pain to get to. It is a typical Mexican family joint located in residential area. I can swear this place may have just been a home and the owners decided to open up a restaurant to the people.
We ordered the breakfast tacos and these things were just like the ones my mom makes to this very day. Maybe my mom is related to the owners. Hahahaha. Anyway, their tacos there are awesome. Eggs are fluffy, bacon is crisp, the potatoes are soft and the cheese is not heavy. Perfect breakfast for the day and we were filled up all the way to dinner I kid you not after spending the rest of the day in downtown Austin and seeing the sights. Juan In A Million is the best breakfast in Austin."
You could drive around Austin and find several hundred Tex-Mex joints and other taquerias and almost believe you're in East L.A. with crowds of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans who all look like the comedian Paul Rodriguez. There is even a little resemblance in Rodriguez for Juan's owner, Juan Meza - a genial host who will not only greet you at the door, but is also known to greet customers in the parking lot behind his place.
That was an okay meal. What brings all of Austin to this joint is the wildly-famous Don Juan Taco, a monster of a meal if there ever was one. The waitress will bring you one of these (at $3.99) and then come back around minutes later to ask if you need additional tortillas. Of course, you always do; the Don Juan is more a folded pillow than a traditionally-sized taco. Picture a T-shirt in a fold and you have the Don Tuan Taco. Eat it and be done for two days.
Its hours are solely for breakfast and lunch. It closes at three in the afternoon. Mornings are for college students on a budget; lunch is for the office stiffs and construction workers. The artmosphere is chirpy, conversations stringing table to table, the rat-tat-tat of news and gossip moving across the plates, in between bites, drinks.
We've dined pretty much everywhere in the Lone Star State, from the Toddle Inn in Brownsville, to Las Cazuelas in Harlingen, to Don Pepe's in McAllen, to Mi Tierra in San Antonio, to La Familia in Fort Worth, to Cuquita's in Big D. Juan-In-A-Million seems to be in another taco world, one not familiar to most Texans who are used to the same old-same old.
"Te gusto, amigo?" he says to me as we leave, patting me on the left shoulder as I move to the cash register. I did enjoy it. The food is tasty and the service is exceptional, but, for me, maybe the neat thing about our visit was Juan's genuine joy, one I do not believe had anything to do with the incessant ringing of the cash register.
His desire to be a great host seemed too real...
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[2300 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin 78702; 512-472-3872; Hours: Daily, 7am-3pm; Credit cards okay; Dress: casual, whatever; Parking: adequate; Price Range: Affordable...]
(Editor's Note: This article was originally published in January. It's Friday, so we think it fits in with the weekend mood. The review still applies.)
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34 comments:
For me the most memorable moment came when a grackle landed on an empty table next to us, and with a lightning peck grabbed four packets of sugar-substitute and took off flying before a waiter could snap at him with a towel. It made my day, but I worried that he would come back and steal the tip we left for the waitress before she could get back to the table. Outdoor dining can be such an adventure. M
Have a nephew who works in a tv station, and the last time he was in Harlingen, mentioned that restaurant. I plan on visiting the Austin area during spring break. Will have to visit the eatery. Good post.
Speaking about East L.A. there use to be a club, named East L.A. Haven't been there in a while, but use to drink Coronas and Tecate. Or as the Anglos say, Tecati, with lots of Lemon and Salt.
Did some dancing to with some of the locals there in Austin. Good party town.
Speaking about Las Casuelas, had some breakfast there this morning. I swear, the ham and eggs were out of this world.
I told the owner, you must have change cooks, he just laughed. It is a nice place to eat, and closes at 12:00pm everyday.
Who is complaining against The Tribune? Must be some moron. I am with those who say it is a good Blog. hety, it could be another envious blogger. what a fool. Good story.
Must be one of our losers. Why complain? The Tribune is free! you don't have to read it if you don't like it. Get a life.
Greatr review! now if only our bloggers would do that with our local rstaurants.
I think he identify himself as Pablo, probably some loser, friend of Tony Chanpaneco. Un viejo miserable.
Good blog, good post.
Mr. Editor, tell Vince Valdez, I like that skinny little thing. With that mask on, I am reminded of Americal Literature treacherous plays and nobles.
"I will unmasked the doll gladly," and give her an arrow right through the heart. WWWWOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!
By the way, you guys operate a real nice blog.
I am getting hungry, just by reading the write up. I'm heading for Los Asados in Harlingen. They serve okay food, right next door to Mi Rancho.
Mr. Editor, you have been to Mi Rancho??? That is where I have seen Champaneco, a time or two.
Oops, I mispelled the word novels. Had a rough night, last night. Went to bed at 3 am. Sorry, too much wine and Wild Turkey.
Dices que te vaz, te vaz y te vaz, y nunca te has hido?
I think the cuty, anon was talking about is covering her lying eyes. I mean, a mask, naked, and Eagles song speaking about eyes. Oh well, just a thought.
But, yes, I will buy her as many Valentines, as she wishes.
Y porque no te as ido tu. Mr. Hugo. Quien te invito. A de ser amigo del chanpaneese, I mean el champaneco.
What a moron, he left the Valley, the Trib. is now operating out of the Austin area Sorroundings. Who is the dummy asking, dumb questions, probably someone from the rag line blog, that everything is breaking news. Idiot.
I hear it's the kid running chickenbuckets blog. not much there, just some clown posting photos. he can't write, so he criticizes someone who can. Go away, mocoso.
Mr. Editor, please ignore this guy coming in here with his stolen Spanish from a well-known song. He's stupid, jealous and a loser. he should go to those other Blogs, where negativity is welcomed. We don't want him here. it's true that only a loser goes around being pendejo. sorry about that, but i wish i could kick this guy's face. He is totally stupid.
Juan in a million sounds like my kind of place. do some reviews of Valley restaurants!
I liked the info you added to the bottom of the review. It's good info. like when it's open and and all that. good story.
how about that review of El Rancho in Harlingen? Everybody knows that place.
Juan in a million, is close to a song called, one in a million. Just ignore the fool on the hill, who is writing crap. Dumb ass, get lost this blog doesn't need you.
NO the name of the song was, a million to one. It is a song from the 50's or 60's.
Anonymous:...Well, we do ignore these cyber-punks. Perhaps they'll get the message. I'll look for that song. Who recorded it?... - Editor
hey, Tony Chapa is attacking yu again on his dying blog. He must need comments. Only one is by his lapdog Jake. Two pendejos yelling at anybody passing by, como estupidos. Chapa is playing with fire if he makes Patrick mad. Chaparro. Buys his clogthes in the children's dept. of Sears.
I new it, it had to be someone from Chapaneco's pig farm. Both of those idiots, are born losers.
Jimmy Charles played that song, A million to one, it came out in the late 50's or early 60's. I think, a group by the Manhattans also recorded the song.
Chanmpaneco, is bragging about his 5 sentences articles, being original. That dumb ass, he only scribbles stuff about city employees. Because, he can't write about any other topic. Viejo bruto.
He has about 2o comments on 5 stories, The Trib. has 26 comments on one article. Besides the bloggers here are more sophisticated. Nothing but whinners, cry babies, people with no lifes, non-achievers, losers, blog with Champaneco.
Just wait, since Tony isn't getting comments on his blog, he's going to brag about the comments here because they are about him. He's like a poor pathetic pinata, lying all beat-up on the ground but still whimpering, "Did you see how many hits I got. I am famous and popular" Poor little thing. M
ANONYMOUSES:...We should note that we have no beef with Tony Chapa or with his Blog. He must be the one to wear the yoke of whatever ails him. Lord knows we have tried to help him get back in the fold, to show him the way to credibility and community. But, like some punch-drunk barhopper who can't shake that one fly, Chapa stubbornly holds hard to his silliness and his misguided sense of right & wrong. We agree with Jerry Deal that he should be ostracized, that his hollow rants be ignored, that he be seen as some cyber-punk, for that is how anyone with any intelligence would characterize him. Feebleness has no greater friend than Tony Chapa. We would wish that he ignore The Tribune. But he won't. Chapa has no life and apparently is in a leeching mood, a horrible malady that has crippled him for months... - Editor
I missed this one earlier. thankz for reposting it. I know ustin well and I know of this place.
Mr.Editor, someone is reporting that Jerry's blog has been taken over by women, what's up???
Tonie Chapo alienated too many bloggers. Ni modo, what's your take on the matter.
What Ernesto Sylva endorsed by the BIG dawwwwggg, and believe me, no offense dawwggg, you are BIG.
The fight is on, Chapaneco is endorsing Rick Morales.
Watch the comments start flying.
ANON:...I don't read those two Harlingen blogs much anymore. There's nothing new and they can't seem to move beyond the griping and bitching at each other. If Jerry Deal has more women bloggers, I'd say that's a good thing. As for Tony Chapa, he's lost many, many readers and is likely recruiting stray dogs and the unemployed who may match his grammar skills. It ought to be about news, is what I'd say to both... - Editor
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