I’ve got a story. Wanna hear it? Here it goes.
Picture it: New Orleans, February, 2017
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A late-20-something-year-old lady is having a laundry day and a craving for tacos, so she journeys to her favorite neighborhood Mexican spot, Juan’s Flying Burrito in Mid-City. As she begins to order, out the corner of her eye, she spots a word that is her love language: BRUNCH. It’s painted on the board hanging on the wall, a few feet away from a framed photo of Prince (we miss you, Purple One).
“Juan’s has brunch now?” The lovely lady asks her roommate.
“Girl, I guess so,” her roommate responds.
That lady was me. And that was when I discovered that the place where I procure magical tacos also serves my favorite meal – brunch.
I’ve been preaching the gospel of the Juan’s Flying Brunch since then, telling folks about the amazing burritos and migas and huevos rancheros on the menu and how, when they serve the mimosas, they give you a tiny carafe of orange juice and a petite bottle of Prosecco because you’re an adult and can make your own dang mimosas.
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I actually squealed when the waitress handed me my mimosa fixins because it’s SO. CUTE. And as a lady who loves choices, I was delighted to choose to just do a splash of orange juice and fill the rest of that thang up with the bubbles for which we go to brunch.
Not only do I love choices, but I’m also an adorable creature of habit. I order the same things when I go to Juan’s outside of brunch hours – one Caribbean taco, one pork and slaw taco, and one Americano taco with a lemon berry margarita. And honestly, the same went for brunch.
I ordered the Tres burrito as a bowl – as I always do. I always try to keep it cute when I brunch and if we’re keeping it a buck, burritos aren’t cute. They fall apart and before you know it, you’re just scooping burrito remains up with chips because why not? So, I usually go for the bowl version.
The Tres burrito bowl came with steak (yes), eggs (yes, even though in my older age of 29, I do not quite like eggs anymore), potatoes (of course), onions and peppers (whew, chile, yes), and cheese (duh). I enjoyed my usual bowl with a large helping of the red sauce – you know the sauce they give you in the bottles – a Caribbean fish taco, and an appetizer of the B.R.C.
What’s the B.R.C. you ask, love?
Well, it’s actually one of my favorite items on the main Juan’s menu. It’s a dip combo of rice, beans, cheese, pico, sour cream, jalapenos, and avocado – basically all the things that make a perfect dip. It’s served with chips galore and wow, it’s the right starter to the Mexican food journey you’ll travel down at Juan’s.
I’ve been a regular at Juan’s – it’s like, seven minutes away from my Gentilly-dwelling apartment, and will gladly serve me tacos at 10 p.m. while I dance to the amazing music they play. This last brunch visit, they played Bam Bam by Sister Nancy (a song that is heavily sampled in the best ways possible – hey, Beyoncé’s “Hold Up”) and I danced in the booth without a care. Because that’s what makes Juan’s…Juan’s. It’s a perfect little spot with amazing tacos and burritos, bartenders who are joyfully heavy-handed with the tequila, and a secret little brunch that satisfies your soul and makes you dance.
Now you know.
Juan’s in Mid-City has brunch
You should invite it in your life.
Forever brunching,
-Angie
