When it comes to Mexican restaurants, should the name have game?

Minoring in Spanish in both high school and college has made for a lifetime of fun when I run across Mexican restaurants. The names are fun to translate, and I often am left wondering where the name came from. If I don’t know the translation on my own, I usually will whip out my phone and Google it. (It’s weird, I know; just a thing of mine.)

You may know that, for instance, “Con Huevos!” translates to “with eggs.” But co-owner Jesus Martinez told me just before the restaurant first opened that it’s a slang phrase that is closer to “with balls.” As in, do it right or don’t do it. Do it with gusto. It’s a reflection of how the restaurant approaches its food.

Some restaurant names can be more subtle but equally effective. For instance, El Mundo translates easily to “the world.” For me, that name is appropriate because owner Bea Chamberlain sprinkles so many world influences into her unique Mexican dishes. It’s a fitting name, to be sure.

Some names of Mexican places around Louisville are simply comforting. Mi Casita downtown translates to “my little home.” La Cocina de Mama, located on Hurstbourne, is Spanish for “Mama’s kitchen.” What could be more comforting than that?

Some Mexican restaurant and taqueria names are downright poetic. La Lupita, a spot in Clarksville, makes use of a traditional Spanish name meaning, “From the river of the wolf.” La Rosita Sol translates to “little rose of the sun.” I mean, come on. That’s beautiful to conjure.

Then there are the more banal names. El Tarasco is a fine place to grab a cheap, hearty lunch, but “the jar” as a restaurant name when translated to English doesn’t exactly, um, inspire. There’s El Nopal (“the cactus”), La Mexicana (“the Mexican”) and El Toro (“the bull”). Or La Loma in Clarksville, where the food is always wonderful but whose name translates to “the hill.” The hill?

And in the wake of my neighborhood taco joint, La Bonita (“beautiful”), a new place opened recently: El Frijol Bar and Grill. El Frijol translates to “the bean.” Hmmm. Not even “little bean of the sun” or “from the river of the bean”? The name just doesn’t have much game. But still, authentic Mexican in my neighborhood? Had to give it a shot. It’s fair to say results were mixed, but I do sense some promise.

Instead of salsa, guests quickly get a basket of chips and a small serving of black bean soup. Interesting, but what I found was the chips were rather bland and the beans weren’t much better. I didn’t finish them.

I also ordered just two tacos to get a sample of the fare: an al pastor taco and a lengua taco. I generally tend to judge taquerias on how well they can do lengua, which is beef tongue. Is it rubbery? Or is it tender and full of beefy flavor smooth enough to balance the natural minerally taste in tongue?

I started with the al pastor (yes, it translates to “the pastor”), which was packed to the brim with nicely seasoned chunks of pork and lightly grilled pineapple. It was a treat, even if it was a tad messy, with meat and pineapple falling out the back end with almost every bite. But the cilantro and onions were at least mostly fresh, the lime wedges were plenty juicy and big and the garnish of radishes was solid.

Then came the lengua. I’m happy to report it was indeed tender, not overcooked, and flavorful, although in a more basic way than the best I’ve had. And it wasn’t nearly as packed with meat as the first taco, almost to the point that I felt like someone may have messed up.

Two house salsas also come along with a meal, one a tasty verde popping with jalapeno flavor, creamy and spicier than I expected. I made use of that with the radish slices. The roja sauce had a hint of a smokey flavor, also fairly spicy, but I sensed it was maybe a day older than it should have been. Not bad, mind you, just not *quite* as fresh as it could have been.

The menu isn’t what you’d call extensive, but there’s plenty to explore, from a hearty-looking breakfast selection; the usual array of tacos, gorditas, burritos and quesadillas; dinner options like fajitas, carne asada and enchiladas platters; seafood like chipotle shrimp, mojarra frita and ceviche, and traditional Mexican soups and stews.

Perhaps more importantly, the restaurant space feels much more, for lack of a better phrase, “complete” than did La Bonita, which always felt a little stark, even though it was always welcoming. Some much-needed décor, as well as the addition of a bar (liquor license pending) offer promise. Here’s hoping The Bean – sorry, El Frijol, gets its feet under it and will provide Lower Brownsboro with some consistent Mexican fare.

And let’s face it, we’re not going to be eating at Clem’s Clams anytime soon.

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Promise shows in “El Frijol,” located at 1999 Brownsboro Road.