About 1960, a year earlier, perhaps a year later, one Sunday Jan’s family decided to go to Olvera Street for lunch following church.
There are a lot of options for Mexican food on Olvera Street, ranging from pretty upscale right down to the most modest. The family was not known for being extravagant with a dollar, and so picked one of the more modest restaurants, really a cafe, with one side totally open to the shopping plaza.
It was Juanita’s Cafe. Jan had a taco. And with that what would be comfort food was set for the rest of her life.
Yesterday we decided to go there. I mentioned to the person serving us that as a child this was where Jan had her first taste of Mexican food. He replied that was a very lucky day for her. We nodded in agreement. I then asked, I know its been well beyond fifty years, but is there any chance you know who owned the cafe back then. He replied, my grandmother.
Later I googled it and saw that Yelp gives it four and a half stars out of 118 reviews, and TripAdvisor a full five stars, calling it the “best of the best.” TripAdvisor’s review says “They have a small seating area inside their space and sometimes it gets crowded but the food they serve is well worth it. Family owned for many years, there are three or four guys that work there. They guys that wait on you are super. The menu is good sized, and their prices are very fair. When we go, we mostly have tacos and taquitos. They are so good. Their homemade green sauce is the best that I’ve ever tasted (besides mine). Their enchiladas are really good. Their beans and rice are very good.”
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