Thirty-five years of living in Arizona, with virtually every regional cuisine of Mexico…read morerepresented, will spoil you for what much of the country north of the border states calls "Mexican food."
My wife's home is here in Coeur d'Alene, and we have often lamented the lack of a truly good Mexican restaurant. There are certainly places serving perfectly acceptable food, but most cater heavily to American tastes. There are also a couple of more authentic taquerias, but finding a restaurant with a broader, genuinely Mexican menu has been difficult.
Authenticity and popularity are not mutually exclusive. Most Mexican restaurants in the United States, including authentic ones, adapt to local tastes by offering familiar American favourites alongside traditional regional dishes. Arizona's famous El Charro in Tucson and Macayo's in Phoenix, both with deep Sonoran roots, proudly claim to have invented the chimichanga, while readily acknowledging that it is an American creation rather than an authentic Mexican dish. Nachos occupy much the same category. Their presence on the menu tells you very little about how authentic the rest of the restaurant is. The better question is whether the kitchen also prepares traditional Mexican dishes with the same care and authenticity.
Today we found the closest thing to authentic northern Mexican cuisine that we've experienced in the Coeur d'Alene area: Junior's Cocina Mexicana. It would fit comfortably into the greater Phoenix restaurant scene as a solid northern Mexican restaurant, with just a slight nod and wink to American tastes.
We visited at lunchtime. The lunch menu was more limited than the dinner menu but still offered a good variety, and a full dinner menu was also available. We were served complimentary corn tortilla chips with a very good house salsa. The chips were the standard thicker commercial variety rather than homemade, but they were fresh and crisp. I've had worse in Nogales and Puerto Peñasco.
The salsa was excellent. I'd place it at the upper end of mild, although our server, Monty, mentioned that many customers consider it quite spicy. We also asked for the hot salsa, which uses essentially the same recipe but adds more jalapeño along with habanero peppers. To my palate it was pleasantly warm rather than truly hot, which is exactly where I like it. Too many restaurants serve chunky tomato-and-onion mixtures with the texture of pico de gallo but very little flavor or heat. Junior's salsa had a pleasant smoky flavor, a finely chopped consistency, and just the right thickness for dipping. I'd rate the salsa 4/5.
My wife ordered the chile relleno, served with rice and beans. The roasted poblano was stuffed with melted cheese, probably Monterey Jack, as Oaxaca cheese is not commonly available in this area, then properly coated in an egg batter before frying. She rated it "good." Her rating scale runs from inedible, to "not bad" (which still isn't good), to good, very good, and finally the coveted "delicious." After tasting it myself, I agreed. It was enjoyable, but not exceptional. I'd give it 3/5.
I chose the green pork Chile Hermanos, although I'm still not sure what the "Hermanos" (brothers) has to do with the dish. It came with rice, refried beans, a small lettuce-and-tomato salad, and tortillas. I chose corn tortillas. They were not homemade, but they had good flavor, pleasant texture, and held together well.
The Chile Hermanos itself was delicious. It was milder than I expected but packed with flavor. The pork was tender and properly cooked, although it could have benefited from a little more depth and richness. The menu also offers pork carnitas at dinner, and I'll plan to try those on a future visit.
The rice was light, fluffy, and flavorful rather than sticky or heavy, and the refried beans were creamy without becoming the thick, pasty mass that too often accompanies Mexican meals. I'd rate the Chile Hermanos about 3 1/2/5, with both the rice and beans earning 4/5.
The restaurant itself is colorful, comfortable, and inviting, with an attractive patio. Everyone we encountered was friendly and accommodating, and Monty was an excellent, knowledgeable server who happily answered our questions and accommodated our requests.
Overall, I'd give Junior's 4/5 for atmosphere and service, about 3 1/2 to 4/5 for the food, and 4/5 for value. While the menu still leans somewhat toward the American expectation of Mexican cuisine, the execution is noticeably more authentic than most restaurants in the area. We will certainly be back, and after a few more visits I may adjust some of these ratings.