The Great Mexican Food: Numero Dos

We have previously blogged about a delicious food place that serves authentic Mexican dishes. We were so satisfied with the Mexican cuisine that we have always craved for Mexican food since then. Previously, we would prefer Japanese, Chinese, or Italian inspired food. Well, we still do. But, we have added the Mexican cuisine to that list. And ever since then, we have always looked for food places that would serve us delicious Mexican dishes. Luckily, we found one at a place called UP Village.

We have mentioned UP Village (also known as Teacher's Village) a lot of times already in our previous blog posts. Because of the many food places here, food bloggers like us would most certainly have at least one or two blogs from this area. In fact, most, if not all of the food place here are worth blogging. Which now brings us to this Mexican food place along Maginhawa street.

Cocina Juan looks like a relaxing bungalow type of restaurant along Maginhawa street in UP Village. From the name itself, you would get a hint of some sort that this place serves Mexican food. The place is very comfortable-looking. The inside is air-conditioned and adorned with different artworks and other designs. the place is creatively designed, having guitars hanging on the walls and empty wine bottles lined up in one corner. Moreover, the people at Cocina Juan are very kind. They patiently wait for your order and they are always there when you need them. It's a good place with a good staff.

The food is very affordable. It's not as expensive as the other Mexican restaurants, which gives Cocina Juan and edge when it comes to pricing. The food may be affordable, but that doesn't mean they cut down on ingredients. The dishes at this restaurant are still heavy with flavors, and each bite will leave you craving for more.

If you're asking what you could eat here, here are some of our recommends. These are what we tried as well:

Iced Tea, 45 php

Glutton Guy: Nothing much from the iced tea. It's just the plain old and usual iced tea we order elsewhere. I'd always rather have a glass of iced tea than a glass of cold soda. The taste of the iced tea here is the same as the other iced teas we drink at other restaurants. There is no distinct taste as far as I could remember. : )

Cranberry Juice, 75 php

Glutton Girl: I always want to try something new for a drink. Good thing Cocina Juan has this cranberry juice. I ordered it to see what it would taste like. It was very good. It was a cold glass of juice that I liked. It had a fruity taste, yet it was not overwhelmingly sweet. It's a drink that's worth a try at Cocina Juan.

Burrito Classico, 155 php (Medios), 175 php (Grandes),  195 php (Chimichangas)

Glutton Guy: Ever since my last Mexican food trip, I have always craved for burritos. It's not surprising that when I got the chance to eat at another Mexican restaurant, I would order a burrito. Cocina Juan's burrito is very delicious. You can actually choose your type of meat. You can choose between fajitas (beef skirt), carne asada (seasoned beef), carnitas (honeyed pork), pechuga de pollo (chicken adobo), or hungarian sausage. I chose the carnitas since I wanted a sweet touch on my burrito. The beef was very tender. The sauce blended well with the other ingredients. The vegetables, the rice, the beans, everything was perfectly cooked. The cheese made the burrito more flavorful and more delicious. The corn gave that crunch that I also liked. It's another excellent burrito I continue to crave for. : )

Poquito Meal - Plato Con Arroz, 110 php

Glutton Girl: I wanted rice, so I ordered a poquito meal, which is a mexican rice meal. You can also choose the type of beef that you want. I also got myself a carnitas poquito meal. It was delicious, too. It, however, just resembled the normal food that you eat at home. It was just like an adobo or an estofado with rice. The way it was cooked, though, was perfect. The beef was soft and it wasn't rubbery. It was served hot, which I liked. I wasn't feeling the presentation, though. It was like food in a lunch box.

Quesadilla 'Sincronizadas', 165 php

Glutton Guy: We also tried their quesadilla. Again, you can choose what type of meat you would want for your quesadilla. We ordered the fajitas for a change. I liked this dish. The tortilla was good. I liked that it was not too soft and its crunch was just right. The cheese really oozes from the inside. I like the balance it gives to the beef. The beef was also tender. It's very tasty and it's not difficult to chew. The salsa in the middle was also good. It was not too salty and there was that tangy flavor from the citrus that they used. It hypes the flavors of the quesadilla. It's another winner at Cocina Juan. : )

Glutton Girl: Cocina Juan's quesadilla is another must-try here. You would really get the mix of the flavors of every ingredient. The good thing is, even though there are different flavors, you won't get confused. You know that each flavor blends well with the others. I liked the flavor of the beef. It's very tasty and it's not hard to eat. The melted cheese is the tape that binds all the ingredients together. It really made the quesadilla perfect. Dipping it in the salsa is just wonderful. You get that added kick from the salsa and the yummy taste from the quesadilla. I liked the presentation of the dish as well. A bit simple, but you can get the Mexican feel.


Cocina Juan is one of those food places where you can really get your value for money. Not only is the food affordable, but you also taste the authentic Mexican food that will surely satisfy your hunger. It's a whole new Mexican experience. Where else can you find affordable Mexican food that doesn't cut on the flavor? Cocina Juan is one of those food places at Maginhawa street that's worth the money, worth the trip, and most especially, worth the blog.

Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Cocina Juan is located at 100 Maginhawa street, Teacher's Village, Quezon City. It's near Mini Stop and across Banco De Oro. It's just along Maginhawa street so you can't miss it.)