The complaint about a lack of Mexican food in this area just doesn't stick anymore. With authentic spots like El Rincon Mexicano and Chilango's, local faves Maria's and Salena's, and recent city additions (Paola's, The Mexican Village, Tijuana Tokyo), it's hard to take that whine seriously.

"Taco" John Roth joined the party last June, opening John's Tex-Mex Eatery in the former Ly Lou's. Did he save money by moving into a restaurant location? Sort of. "I did some walls, flooring, doorways, all the equipment," he says. "It was pretty rough when we opened... we had no paper menus, just a dry-erase board. We had this horrible, peeling door. The lighting was terrible."

He also had a name hassle. Originally, he called it "Taco John's," but the national chain with that name threatened to sue. So he changed the name and persevered. And the market is receptive. It was full during three lunch visits, one on a Monday. A good bit of that is the work crowd at lunch, but Roth says dinners have been steady, too.

John's serves Tex-Mex fare in copious quantities at reasonable prices. A meal-sized quesadilla is $4.50, and the meat is included (chicken, pork, beef, or tofu). It's $3.50 without the meat (Roth is specifically catering to vegetarians and vegans).

Fresh-fried chips are a nice touch. A generous portion is $1.50 with fresh salsa. Roth adds a bit of crushed tomato to the mild, fresh-chopped salsa, giving it a saucy texture. The screaming deal is chips with guacamole (smooth and a bit salty) or "Mexican mush" for $2. The mush is a sauté of black beans, potato, tomato, onion, garlic and spices, and is a meal alone with chips.

Tacos are made (as in Mexico) with soft, flour tortillas. The chicken is spiced and grilled, but I preferred pork and beef. Both are braised, then pulled apart (like pulled pork). The shredded meat works particularly well on a textural level. Mission burrito fans are going to like John's massive, rice-packed offering. You can get any meat and beans plus four toppings for $5. The large tacos are a steal at $2. As my City Newspaper colleague Craig Brownlie said, "I did not have the impression that I was dealing with the city's best lettuce or cheese, but I liked the effort, especially during this season."

Other Mexican eateries have broader menus, but John's has distinctive features. Roth points to its neighborhood feel. Then there is the vegetarian focus. John's also has veg-and-meat chili and a daily soup (made by Gary Shade). The meat chili has ground beef, steak, and beans. Too often, chili is either a tomato soup, a bean soup, or a cumin soup. This one is all and none of these, nicely balanced. I also tried a cream of chorizo with corn soup, which was fabulous. It avoided cream-soup glop, and was spicy without the heat obscuring the other ingredients. Soups are $2.50 for a cup, $4 for a bowl.

Beverages provide another point of distinction. John's serves bottled Saranac and Goya sodas, and Nantucket iced teas. It also has 11 varieties of bottled beer, as well as champagne and orange-mango mimosas. Dinner combos include soda, making them quite economical (two tacos, rice, and beans, for example, are $6.50).

For dessert, John's has locally-made Creekview ice creams and sorbets (we dug the strawberry sorbet). Sometimes, the restaurant has desserts from local Latino bakeries (flan or tres leches). The coffee, surprisingly, is very good as well (Boston's Best).

John Roth falls into the category of young restaurateurs with an idea, energy, and not much else. He didn't carefully plan his food costs, and is just starting to learn about all that. But his vision infuses John's Tex-Mex Eatery, and the value has people coming back. The service is friendly and efficient. The place is small, but has character and great natural light during the day. The Wedge has been difficult for some restaurants, but John's has a good shot at success.

John's Tex-Mex Eatery, 489 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620, 232-5830. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Food tip

Sienna owner David Alkaher opened Virtu on January 18. It joins Siam, Rich Port, and the Corn Hill Creamery in Corn Hill Landing. Alkaher has brought Sienna executive chef Jill Mondry to his newest venture. The interior is hip, with a great view of the river and Rochester skyline. The sous chef at Sienna, Asa Mott, will take over the reins at St. Paul & Andrews. Virtu serves lunch Monday through Friday, and dinner seven nights a week. Call 454-6050 for info, or check out the menu at www.SavorLife.com under For the Love of Food.

--- Michael Warren Thomas

Michael Warren Thomas can be heard weekends on WYSL 1040 AM.