Don Juanz Baja Beach Taco 

How exciting! One of my favorite locally-owned Bossier eateries will soon open a new location in the heart of Shreveport’s shopping district – Pierremont Plaza – mid-summer.

For those of you who have not had the opportunity over the past 10 years to try Don Juanz Baja Beach Tacos, let me share why you should be excited, too.

Unlike the Tex-Mex we think of when someone says “taco,” Don Juanz has an atmosphere and menu reminiscent of relaxing at a Baja beachside cantina in Cabo. Much of their décor like the thatched roof shading the bar, the Mexican tile and light fixtures handcrafted from beer bottles and hubcaps has been stylishly repurposed. Interspersed between this cheerful craftsmanship is an impressive collection of custom surfboards and original artworks evoking a caliente attitude while offering you a cool respite.

The fresh fruit, herbs and spices of the West Coast enhance all of their dishes. When asked about the secret to their great flavor, the owner, Don O’Byrne, said he sources only the highest quality products – no MSG, no lard. They are vegan friendly, and strive to be GMO free. While they purchase organic whenever available, much of the produce is sourced directly from Mexico, where, Don said, they use less pesticides. This attention to detail brings great flavor to everyone’s plate.

For those that enjoy seafood, beef and chicken, Don Juanz pays special attention to procure high-quality sources for these, also. Both the red snapper and the yellowfin tuna are wild caught using sustainable practices. Their shrimp are Gulf Caught Texas Browns. The freerange chicken has not been injected with salt-water solutions. 

They are especially proud to serve certified Angus beef. This quality, along with their marinade and spices, makes a flavorful dish. Speaking of flavor, if you notice a hint of spice in your steak tacos that you can’t place, even when it’s right on the tip of your tongue, it might be the cumin.

Speaking of tacos, while they have a great selection of entrees, let’s start with something nearly everyone loves. I could tell you they’re available individually to mix and match, or in orders of three, but what you really want to know is, yes, they do have Taco Tuesday specials.

There are a wide range of choices from those commonly loved here to others more often found on vacation at the beachfront marina, all wrapped in a fresh-made white corn tortillas.

For starters, they have Carne Molida Tacos (lean ground beef seasoned), Baja Beach Grilled Steak Tacos and Baja Beach Grilled Chicken, all served with your choice of toppings.

With a tag line “Louisiana’s Original Fish Taco,” these are certainly my favorite. Sushi-grade yellowfin tuna seared to a medium rare nestled in shredded cabbage, cilantro, jack cheese and creamy lime cilantro dressing makes the Baja Beach Fish Taco delicious. Perhaps you would prefer the Pacific Rim Fish Tacos with grilled yellow-fin tuna, lettuce, jack cheese, cilantro, mandarin slices and creamy lime cilantro dressing. For the fish connoisseur, Baja Snapper Tacos feature fresh wild-caught Gulf snapper with fresh mango salsa and creamy-lime cilantro dressing.

The Baja Shrimp Taco is a must-try for shrimp-lovers. Pleasingly plump Gulf shrimp grilled with bell peppers and onions are served over shredded cabbage, creamy-lime cilantro dressing and jack cheese.

They also have special combinations.

Baja Carnitas Tacos are filled with slow-cooked pork, guajillo, ancho and pasilla chile peppers topped with honey tequila chipotle sauce, red onion, grilled pineapple and fresh cilantro. The Mexi- Cheese Steak Tacos are an Irish-Mexican blend of skirt steak, bell peppers and onions topped with chipotle queso blanco and sliced jalapenos. And we haven’t even started talking about the burritos.

If you’re hungry, the burritos are generous and delicious. Try a Baja Grande (steak or chicken), Spicy Tuna (grilled yellowfin with salsa verde, quacamole), Chipotle Shrimp (smokey chipotle peppers, grilled bell peppers and onions) or Baja Slim (veggie). Ordering a Burrito in a Wet Suit gets your Baja Grande smothered in chiptole queso blanco and sweet mole sauce. So many options, and still there are more refined entrees.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Tuna Alambre. This delectable skewer alternates grilled seared yellowfin tuna, tomato, bell peppers and onion topped with lime and a whole jalapeno. Served on top of dark greens laid beside seasoned rice, this meal is pretty enough to Instagram.

O’Byrne has several other divine recipes like Chicken Mole with Mexicanstyle barbecue sauce that melds 80 different ingredients, and the El Jefe Special of marinated skirt steak served with beans, rice and fresh tortillas. It might be worth it to venture off their familiar menu of fajitas, quesadillas and Baja bowls to something new.

I can’t run out of space before I tell you about their award-winning martinis and margaritas. Don Juanz has taken top honors at Artini several years in a row with innovative martini/margarita combinations like basil-pear and blood orange. Even their standard six flavors of frozen margaritas are made using only fresh fruit, no artificially flavored syrups.

Don’t let the casual order at the counter atmosphere dampen your enthusiasm. Once you’re seated, the well-trained staff will take good care of you, and the fresh ingredients will speak for themselves. Look forward to seeing you soon on one of the two new outdoor patios when the Shreveport location opens!

Enjoy!

Lynn Laird is a writer, fine artist and self-professed bon vivant living in Bossier. With her “Flair for Cooking” blog, she seeks out interesting ingredients and techniques to help make everyday meals just a touch more fabulous. She can reached at [email protected].