Muy Bueno uses family recipes for authentic Mexican dishes

In Spanish, "muy bueno" means "very good." People who have eaten at Muy Bueno in Cape Girardeau might say it means "very good Mexican food."

Owner Graciela Quesada opened Muy Bueno with the help of her family more than a year and a half ago. She said the family recipes are what make their food so good.

"Most [Mexican] restaurants say they are authentic, but this is traditional Mexican food," Quesada said. "It's grandma's recipes, and we cook it fresh every morning."

Her daughter, Lili Aguirre, is a waitress at the restaurant, and she agrees that the authenticity of the dishes keep people coming back for more. "We don't serve Tex-Mex," Aguirre said. "It is our family's recipes that we bring to people's taste buds."

One of their most popular family recipes is the Pozole soup that is served on Saturdays only. It is a pork soup with onions, cabbage, limes and radishes. Another family recipe that has become a local favorite is the tamales.

Quesada said she was told of a Mexican restaurant in Cape Girardeau about 10 years ago that had an authentic recipe for tamales.

"Now they try mine and they absolutely love it. I sell a lot of them," she said.

Customers get their choice of chicken cooked in a green spicy tomatillo sauce, pork cooked in a red chile spicy sauce or cheese with green poblano sauce, for only $2.

But all of the menu items are affordable, with everything costing less than $10, with the exception of two shrimp dishes.

The menu offers 14 combination specials that feature an entree and are served with rice and beans. Customers looking for a smaller dish have a range of choices, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas or nachos.

Though customers can't have an alcoholic beverage with their dinner just yet, Aguirre said the restaurant is in the works of getting a liquor license and hope to serve beer within the next two months.

Until then, a Mexican soda is a good substitute.

Muy Bueno

2007 Independence St.

335-6413

Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday