Restaurant Review: Los Jalapenos

Published 12:00 am Friday, May 13, 2016

It took more than 21 years, but Gonzalo Morales finally has the big restaurant he’s always wanted.

Almost from the time Morales — born and raised in Tlaxcala, east of Mexico City, but a Bend resident since the late 1980s — established the tiny taqueria Los Jalapeños on Greenwood Avenue in 1994, he felt that seating for 18 just wasn’t enough.

The café thrived, especially in warm weather, when an additional 32 patio seats nearly tripled its capacity. Together with his wife, Flora, Morales offered not only budget-priced tacos, but also a broad selection of other dishes: more than 80 plates in all.

He finally had his opportunity to grow in January, filling a vacancy on Franklin Avenue at Bond Street — in the former location of Pangea, Amalia’s and El Caporal.

The new owners haven’t made a lot of changes to this space, other than replacing some wall art. The atmosphere remains extremely spacious, with tables for more than 100 diners in an almost cavernous, high-ceilinged room. Large windows accent the dramatic difference between this restaurant and the dark taqueria.

The mood at the new Jalapeños, however, is as informal as at the taqueria. Diners still order from a large board at the front counter, where they are given a number to take to their table. When the order is ready — always quickly, in my experience — it is delivered. Silverware and condiments, such as salsas, are self-serve.

In a restaurant space that has always had full sit-down service, I find the informality a little strange. But I can’t argue with the decision, as long as it keeps prices down below that of most other Mexican restaurants in Central Oregon.

Entrée courses

My favorite of several dishes I’ve had at the new Los Jalapeños is “camarones al mojo de ajo.” This traditional seafood plate of plump prawns, sautéed with fresh garlic, mushrooms and onions in a tangy salsa, was presented with moist Spanish-style rice, black beans and corn tortillas. It was delicious.

My dining companion had a combination plate of chicken enchiladas ladled with dark mole sauce, as well as refried beans and rice. The mole didn’t have as distinctive a flavor as others we’ve enjoyed, however; neither chocolate, peanut butter nor pumpkin seeds shone through, and she considered this dish forgettable.

I also was somewhat disappointed in my lunchtime bowl of pozole, described on the menu as a “spicy stew made with pork and hominy.” In fact, it was a rather mild broth, hardly the consistency of what I consider a stew. It did have tender chunks of pork, as one might find in a chile verde, along with substantial hominy corn.

Los Jalapeños is also open for breakfast, and this is one meal where the restaurant shines. My traditional huevos rancheros plate was offered with two eggs, fried over easy, atop corn tortillas and refried beans, finished with grated cheese and piquant ranchera sauce. Hash browns were served on the side.

From eight versions of breakfast burritos, my friend selected a chorizo burrito. The ground Mexican sausage was wrapped in a tortilla with two eggs, cheese and a modest serving of chopped potatoes. She had enough left over for lunch, as well.

Burritos and tacos

Burritos, like tacos, are a popular item any time at Los Jalapeños. Breakfast varieties may include shredded beef, ham or bacon, bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, broccoli, and of course spicy jalapeño peppers, the café’s namesake. By lunchtime, steak, chicken, beans, fresh avocado and sour cream are added to the mix.

The restaurant serves some of Bend’s best fish tacos. Large pieces of cod are sautéed in a homemade chipotle sauce, then served in a pair of flour tortillas with chopped lettuce and tomatoes, avocado slices, pico de gallo, sour cream and lime wedges.

A traditional taco salad fills a deep-fried flour tortilla bowl spread with refried beans and salad greens — leaf and iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and carrot. Along with black olives and shredded Monterey Jack cheese, it may come with a choice of meat, whether chicken, pork or beef. The salad is finished with pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole.

For vegetarian diners, a grill-roasted summer veggie bowl features lettuce and black beans tossed with quinoa, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. Infused with sweet green grapes, it is topped with fresh guacamole. As well, the menu offers a caramelized mushroom salad, also with quinoa.

— Reporter: janderson@bendbulletin.com.