Mr. Don serves up North Mexican cuisine
In November, a new Mexican restaurant opened at the intersection of Nevada Street and Newport Highway. Owned and operated by the Beltran family, Mr. Don Mexican Family Gourmet Restaurant specializes in northern Mexican cuisine.
“We offer a mixture of old favorites and specialty dishes,” said owner/manager Felix Beltran. Beltran moved to Spokane from Sinaloa, Mexico, located in the north part of the country, five years ago. His parents, Alberto and Rosa, and sister Michelene, soon followed. “We wanted to have a family business,” said Beltran.
Though he’d worked in the industry several years, Beltran wasn’t sure how to go about opening a restaurant of his own. But he already had his key ingredient – a fantastic chef, who just happens to be his mom. “Her cooking is very popular at church potlucks,” he said with a grin.
He scouted locations and restaurant styles in the area. The family liked the space at Pinewater Plaza and the fact that the new North Side YMCA is being built nearby. “Mr. Don meets in the middle between fast food and a sit-down restaurant,” Beltran said.
The brightly lighted dining room isn’t fancy, but the atmosphere is welcoming and inviting. Colorful portraits, painted by Felix’s wife Amanda, line the walls. Felix, Amanda and Michelene work the counter, taking orders and ringing up purchases. Rosa does the cooking, and Alberto takes care of the bookkeeping and administrative duties. Amanda’s parents, Stanley and Gloria Sawhill, also are partners in the business
Customers can choose from several entrees displayed buffet-style at the counter and design a customized combo meal. A different soup is offered every day. Everything is made from scratch – even the basics. “We make our own beans and rice,” Beltran said.
Mr. Don serves several items not found in most Mexican restaurants. Chilaquiles is a Mexican lasagna that uses chips instead of pasta and is a popular side dish. Molletes is their take on a Philly Cheese Steak. “It is a northern Mexican tradition,” Beltran said of the open face broiled sandwich. The restaurant also offers free WiFi connection with a minimum purchase.
Several families ate happily on a recent evening, while others ordered their dinners to-go. Mr. Don has a call-ahead pickup window and hopes to add drive-up service this summer.
“We’re a family restaurant for many reasons,” said Beltran. “Our cooking is homemade, and we treat our guests like family. We want them to feel like they’re eating in their own family kitchen.”