From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food / Boca Raton

June 12 2009

Mizner Park, 449 Plaza Real, Boca Raton

561-300-3530

unclejulios.com

Cuisine: Mexican

Cost: inexpensive-moderate

Hours: lunch, dinner daily

Reservations: Taken until 7 p.m.

Credit cards: AE, DC,

D, MC, V

Bar: full service

Sound level: extremely loud inside on busy nights

Outside smoking: yes

For kids: high chairs, boosters, menu

Wheelchair accessible: yes

First impression: The arrival of the huge Uncle Julio's at the end of March brought a whole new energy to the north end of Mizner Park. Tables spill onto the sidewalk. But the hubbub inside can be deafening on busy weekend nights. The menu covers all the Tex-Mex basics: from chile con queso and macho to ceviche and steaks. But it also offers mesquite-grilled frog legs ($17.95) and quail ($15.95).

Ambience: The rustic Colonial-style dining room feels authentic in a movie-set kind of way. Heavy wooden furniture, terra cotta floors and brightly-painted walls are offset by family portraits and bull's horns. The tortilla maker in the middle of the dining room is a very nice touch.

Starters: Complimentary chips and salsa are some of the best I've tasted. Guacamole ($4.95 small/$7.95 large) was a bit salty on one visit, but it's worth ordering to eat with drinks, even if many dishes come with a scoop. Pork or chicken tamales ($7.75 for four) are house-made, but a little bland. Ceviche Royale ($8.95) is a mix of shrimp, scallop and tilapia marinated in lime and lemon juice with tomato, onions and cilantro. I prefer wet ceviche where more marinade is left on the serving dish. The soup of the day ($5.95) is an excellent shrimp and lobster with delicious broth.

Entree excellence: Items from the enchiladas, tacos and rellenos were much less successful than grilled meat and seafood. Chile rellenos ($15.95 for two) were bland. Beef enchiladas ($9.95 for two) were soupy. But a special crabmeat stuffed shrimp ($21.95) was superb. Bacon-wrapped, Monterey jack-stuffed shrimp ($21.95) was equally good. Costillas or pork ribs ($19.95) were disappointingly dry.

Liquid assets: Margaritas don't get much better, whether you order the tart Classic or the crowd pleasing Julio's Gold. The frozen Chambord Margarita is the definition of an adult Slurpee.

Side issues: Red beans were thin on both visits. The yellow rice wasn't so much dry as forgettable.

On the lighter side: Mesquite-grilled salmon filet ($14.95) is served with sauteed veggies. Citrus-tossed Ensalada Especial features mixed greens, tomatoes, jicama, cucumbers, red onion and red cabbage with either salmon ($13.95) or portabello mushroom ($12.95)

Sweet!: There's no subtlety to cajeta ($6.95): vanilla ice cream with toasted coconut and pecans topped with caramel sauce and whipped cream. A creamy chocolate flan of the day ($5.25) was much better.

Insider's tip: Platter combinations can be confusing. Order what you want and have your server tell you what combination plate your order fits into.

Service: Two visits and two completely different serving styles: kind and efficient vs. surly and inefficient. It's just one of Uncle Julio's inconsistencies, although the hostess staff were excellent.

— John Tanasychuk