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Spinach salad with avocado slices

A spinach Salad with avocado and orange ($7.99), marked ‘new’ on the menu, was both pretty to the eye and good to eat, remarkable for its generosity and attention to quality ingredients. A big bowl was almost filled with baby spinach leaves that had been carefully cleaned and sorted. The bowl also held sliced red onions, brown mushrooms, half of a huge perfect avocado, sliced thin and fanned out, and slices of navel orange. It came with a tub of creamy dressing, substituted without comment for the menu’s promised raspberry vinaigrette.

Grilled elote ($6.99) is one of my favorite ways of improving corn on the cob. A very large yellow corn cob — with a stick in the end for easy handling— was set up in the traditional Mexico City street-food tradition: Dressed in a light spread of garlicky aioli, then sprinkled with lightly funky grated cotija cheese and chile powder.

Chilaquiles ($8.99) also hit the spot. Fried corn tortilla quarters were slathered with red salsa (you may also choose green), a blanket of melted white Mexican cheese, and a portion of chopped onions. Atop this food mountain were a couple of fried eggs, more red salsa, and grated mild queso fresco. It was a hearty, filling dish, with the minor complaint that a super-heated serving dish cooked the eggs hard. A little soft yolk flowing into the tortillas and cheese is part of the joy of chilaquiles, and that wasn’t happening here. fresh oranges is a new and delightful addition to Gustavo’s menu. folded over a generous amount of meat shreds and chunks along with melted cheese, chopped onions and cilantro. A dish of excellent broth for dipping and a small bowl of savory charro beans came alongside. It was an excellent dish. Taco Week? Why wait?

Mexican rice and refried beans on the side were fully satisfying. The rice was flaky with a smoky vibe; the beans were unctuous and smooth.

We didn’t get away for Taco Week prices, but a hearty, filling meal topped out at a reasonable $42.36, plus a $10 tip. •

GUSTAVO’S MEXICAN GRILL

401 S Hurstbourne Pkwy. 420-1100 gustavosmexgrill.com facebook.com/gustavoshursbourne instagram.com/gustavosmexgrill

NOISE LEVEL: There was plenty of buzz during a busy lunch hour, but conversation was never diffıcult.

ACCESSIBILITY:

The free-standing building appears accessible to wheelchair users. Much of the seating is in booths, but there are plenty of tables that would accommodate wheelchair users.

OTHER LOCATIONS: 6051 Timber Ridge Drive, 434-7266; 10715 Meeting St., 690-7070, 6402 Westwind Way, Crestwood, Ky, 243-6950; and 1226 Market St., LaGrange, Ky, 222-4050.