Where the food is louder than the music

When I heard Paseo Cantina featured mariachi, I pictured strolling minstrels strumming guitars. Sometimes they're fun to have around, and sometimes you want them to move on so you can get back to discussing Hillary's prospects in the general election. Either way, they're a momentary distraction.

But Paseo Cantina's entertainers are a different animal: a nine-person band (Mariachi Los Angeles) in spanking white suits and oversized sombreros, complete with trumpets, violins, guitars, etc. There are singers and dancers to boot (Folklorico Los Angeles), with obvious talent and spectacular costumes. The entertainment is authentic, enthusiastic and highly professional.

But they are amplified with standing mikes, portable mikes and enormous strategically mounted loudspeakers throughout the restaurant. As a final touch, the performers periodically leave the stage and post themselves around the periphery of the room for surround-sound.

We, poor souls, just wanted to have a quiet meal. If we'd known before we arrived that the shows extended from 7 p.m. to midnight (and Sunday brunch), we probably would have come at 5:30, eaten and enjoyed the music with dessert. But, just as we sat down, the band began to play and we had to shout our drink order and mime our desire for chips and salsa.

The menu is interesting. We started with guacamole ($10.95) made tableside. The preparer pointed at items (tomato, cilantro, onion, chili, lime, etc.) to add in, and we indicated - by nodding - that we wanted them all. Our queso fundido ($12.50 - melted Monterey jack cheese with a choice of flavors - we picked the chile-flecked rajas over plain, mushrooms or chorizo) was good if gooey.

We had settled on entrees and were looking forward to trying Paseo Cantina's version of chiles rellenos ($16.95), chicken mole enchiladas ($15.95), chicken in green pumpkin seed sauce ($16.95) and halibut alla Veracruzana ($15.95). But we ran out of chips before our server returned to take our order, and the music was reaching a sustained crescendo.

Since our guests were visiting from afar and wanted to catch up, we decided to pack up and finish our meal someplace quieter. However, we noted that Paseo Cantina is open during the day without entertainment. Many of the same dishes are available and, a bonus for those of us who eschew music with our meals, at lower cost.

We waited until we had a movie to see at Paseo and went back for an early lunch last week. What a difference. The decor was delightful (I hadn't noticed), with bright paintings, colorful linens and fresh flowers. Quiet but appropriately south-of-the-border music served as backdrop. Our server was attentive, and our food was mostly magnificent.

We ignored the lunch buffet ($9.95) for the printed menu and started with a cuitlacoche quesadilla ($7.95) served with dollops of guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. The menu translates its main ingredient as corn mushrooms. Not exactly! It's a dark fungus found on corn that the Aztecs named "raven dung" and first incorporated into food.(Don't let the black color put you off; it's very good.)

Next we ordered those chiles rellenos and chicken enchiladas with mole (each $12.95). Let me wax poetic about the chiles. When the menu states "lightly battered" it's a truthful statement. The coating on these chiles literally melted in our mouths. The sauce was subtle, the accompanying rice large-grained and flavorful. All in all, they were probably among the best I've ever tasted.

As for the enchiladas, we gave the tortillas an A, the sauce (rich, complex and not too sweet) an A-plus, but the shredded chicken a C-minus (too dry). It too was paired with excellent rice and nondescript beans. A minor suggestion to the management - offer black beans as an alternative choice, please; better flavor, better texture!

We also indulged in two of Paseo Cantina's superb sweets: coconut flan with caramel sauce and the bread pudding "enhanced" with tequila and vanilla ice cream (each $6.95). The flan was delectable, sprinkled with toasted coconut and drizzled in buttery caramel. And the marvelous pudding was piping hot, with surprising chunks of apple, nuts and raisins, a puddling of liquor-laced sauce and a nice blob of premium ice cream.

As we waddled out to see "Vantage Point" (very good), we noticed a new entertainment schedule posted. The mariachi extravaganza now plays Wednesday through Saturday evenings (starting seven-ish) as well as at Sunday brunch ($18.95). In other words, Monday and Tuesday are quiet nights.

So dear readers, the choice is yours: If you like high-spirited, high-decibel and high-quality entertainment, try Paseo Cantina at night. However, stodgy (not-so) older folk like me and mine should definitely try a midday meal or dinner early in the week or early in the evening.

Paseo Cantina

260 E. Colorado Blvd., #203,

Pasadena (626) 683-3100

Full bar/Major cards