Traditional Don Jose quite a comfort

DINING OUT

Don Jose, the Mexican restaurant on Adams Avenue and Magnolia Street,

exists in a kind of time warp. It’s where many first tasted Mexican

food and now take their children for that first taco.

Originally opened 37 years ago by the Morjoseph family when the

area was lima bean fields, Don Jose is now owned and managed by son

Michael and sister Marie Craft, who was in the first graduating class

at Edison High School.

The perfect Californian/Mexican comfort food is prepared by

27-year veteran Gregory Leadesmana in the Don Jose kitchen.

As soon as you are seated, order deluxe nachos($5 to $7) while

deciding on your order. Don Jose does a generous version with crisp

corn chips layered with warm refired beans topped with melted cheese,

jalepenos, tomato, onion and fresh, chunky guacamole.

The menu abounds in favorites, like my tamale ($6.50) served with

Spanish rice and refried beans. Stuffed with shredded beef and medium

corn mesa drenched in a mildly spicy salsa, it covers a third of the

plate. Nothing here is over-spiced. The kitchen also uses

cholesterol-free vegetable oil in preparing the food, so it’s less

fattening without losing any of the flavor.

Two soft tacos ($7.75 or $6.25 lunch special) with plenty of

shredded beef, cheese and bits of green pepper is also a good choice.

Add some chunky tomato salsa served with chips if you need more spice

to the meal. It’s a messy handful but that’s the way a taco is meant

to be.

The simplest of the three desserts ($2.50 to $3.95) is the cool

flan ($2.50), a medium-sized, firm baked custard floating in a thin

caramel syrup.

Don Jose has “comfort food” and is certainly a comfort restaurant.

You can relax here. Over the years it has expanded and was completely

refurbished in 1983 to include the Dolly ‘o Donut shop next door

(named for Michael’s mother) and several empty spaces. The cantina

now sparkles with tiny red lights all over the bar and pastel murals

on the dining room walls, but the servers still wear the traditional

short skirts and ruffled blouses.

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

comments or suggestions, call (562) 493-5062 or e-mail

[email protected]