| You wanna have a great meal?
By Tara Nelson
To many, Joowana, the restaurant formerly known as JuJuana Mexicana, was known for their healthy style of Mexican cooking. But last spring owners Kelly Jo Legaz and David Reera gave the 1930s building a facelift and revamped the menu.
Legaz said she kept favorites such as the potato burrito, smoked chicken enchiladas and the pork carnitas plate but newer menu items have taken a deviation away from the fresh Mexican dishes that first put Legaz on the Mt. Baker chefs map.
New menu items include Joowana sliders ($2.50 each), two-ounce mini burgers topped with chipotle mayo and caramelized onions, and “sticky chicken,” three, tempura style chicken tenders with white rice, citrus-teriyaki, chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro ($8). Their “Cheesy bacon-colored Cauliflower” is a colorful menagerie of green, purple, and white cauliflower florets, with crisp, chopped bacon, cheddar cheese, and fresh bread crumbs that comes out of the oven gooey and crisp ($4.50).
Items on their breakfast menu (they open at 6 a.m. on weekends and serve breakfast until 4 p.m.) include a breakfast burrito, huevos rancheros the “Baker Benny,” a mountain-style mound of Eggs Benedict, house-made pancakes, and giant French toast.
Legaz and Reera both have extensive experience in the hospitality industry and have each owned their own restaurants in the past. Kelly Jo owned and operated “El Pavo Real” in Glacier and the Raven Hot Cafe at the Mt. Baker Ski Area. Reera created and ran Rado in Breckenridge, Colorado and has been a freelance consulting chef. Both said they work at the restaurant daily and strive to produce a quality food and a hospitable environment for their patrons.
Happy hour is 4 to 6 p.m. daily and includes $2 sliders, $2 drafts and $2.50 house margaritas. Joowana opens weekdays at 4 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday at 6 a.m.
They are located at 7471 Mt. Baker Highway in downtown Maple Falls, next to the last gas station before the ski area, and can be reached by calling 360/599-9800. Their web site is www.joowana.com. |
