Ju Juan A Mexicana serving up

by Tara Nelson

Casa 542, Casa Que Pasa’s satellite restaurant, home of the world-famous potato burrito and the “last cocktail going east,” has new owners and a new name. Kelly Jo Legaz and Jon Hayes,both of Glacier, bought the building September 15 from Travis Holland, owner of Bellingham’s historical Horseshoe Café and former owner of Casa Que Pasa, and have plans to turn the approximate 1,500 square-foot building into Ju Juan A Mexicana, a Mexican cantina and restaurant.

The restaurant is scheduled to open the weekend of September 24. Legaz, who is convinced she “must have been Spanglish in a past life,”said some of the menu favorites such as the potato burrito ($5.99),an oversized tortilla stuffed with a comforting mix of deep fried potatoes, pinto beans, cheese and a spicy sour cream sauce, will stay but with slight modifications.

Meanwhile,new additions to the menu include a fig and chocolate chicken mole platter ($7.50) and the Puerto Verde burrito with flame-roasted tomatillo sauce ($7). “Our pork is killer,” Legaz said about the meat in the Verde burrito, which is first flame-broiled until slightly crispy and then simmered in a homemade Mexican barbeque sauce. She said she also expects more menu modifications as time passes.

When asked how they expect to keep business up during the typically slow months between peak seasons, Hayes already had theanswer. “There will be parties… and also football nights, and specials,” he said. “Winters up here are cold and dark, there’s not a whole lot to do. You have to be creative to make money and live up here.” The two also said they would also like to install a margarita garden,horseshoes, and book live bands in the future. Legaz has extensive restaurant experience in the Glacier area. Between 1995 and 1998, she owned and operated the former Glacier restaurant, El Pavo Real, meaning the royal turkey or peacock, in Spanish. In 1999, she created the menu and managed Raven Hot restaurant the Mt. Baker ski area were she snowboarded in her spare time.

Legaz said she has more than 15 years experience cooking her style of healthy Mexican food and even more experience snowboarding. Ju Juan A Mexicana is open daily from 2 p.m. until closing (around 2 a.m.) and is located in Maple Fall sat 7471 Mt. Baker Hwy . They can be reached at 599-9800. Also, checkout the Sunday breakfast buffet($9.99), from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The buffet includes two types of potatoes, two types of eggs, bacon,sausage, tortillas, beans, fresh fruit and your choice of a mimosa or Bloody Mary beverage to soothe even the burliest Pabst hangover.