Dining out

GLENDALE -- The Barragans have been serving family-style Mexican fare

since 1961. There are three Barragan’s restaurants in the Los Angeles

area and on a recent chilly evening, we happened upon the Glendale

Barragan’s, which is on an industrial section of South Central Avenue.

Once inside, we were greeted by a friendly staff, Mexican music, and

the colors, pottery and art of a charming hacienda. The restaurant is

composed of four rooms, each with its own attractive style. We were

seated in a room filled with western art, next to a room with a mock

hacienda balcony and a colorful mural.

We perused the six-page menu while munching on fresh, crispy chips and

salsa, and sipping blended margaritas that were not overly sweet. Our

server was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. He knew the menu well

enough to answer all of our questions and he made excellent food

suggestions.

There were two vegetarians with us and Barragan’s easily accommodated

them. The cheese quesadilla is a large, grilled affair that is very tasty

and generous. The vegetarian burrito, filled with zucchini, carrots,

potatoes, peppers and beans. is huge, and at $6.95, is a bargain.

I usually judge Mexican restaurants by their carnitas. I was not

disappointed at Barragan’s. Again, the portion was generous and the pork

was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Accompanying the

carnitas was a zesty pico de gallo, guacamole and rice and beans.

All dinners come with soup or salad, and our waiter suggested I try

the lentil soup, which was thick and spicy. It is no surprise that

Barragan’s is known for its homemade soups.

Barragan’s is also known for its homemade desserts, and we splurged

with a rich cheesecake topped with strawberry sauce. Our only regret was

that we were unable to sample the deep-fried ice cream because it was

unavailable that night.

Overall, our evening at Barragan’s was muy bueno!

IF YOU GO:

WHERE: Barragan’s, 814 S. Central Ave., Glendale.

PHONE: 243-1103.

LIQUOR: Full bar.

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

PRICES: A la carte dishes $2.75 and up; dinners $6.95 to $10.75;

Monday $1 taco night; chalkboard specials daily; breakfast served daily.

In our search for a new restaurant critic, each week we are featuring

a review written by a resident who has applied for the position. This

week, our guest critic is Glendale resident Eric Poppick, who is an actor

and real estate agent.