Vegetarian enchiladas with portobello mushrooms, pine nuts and Swiss chard

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New Mex, Old Mex, Tex Mex, Cali Mex... Mexican food is likely one of the earliest examples of "fusion cuisine": the native Incan, Mayan, and Aztec staples such as corn and beans, met with Cortez and Spanish rice in the early 1500s.

On the corner of Battery and lower Main Street, Burlington's own translator of cuisines, Miguel's Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, caters to traditionalists and gringos alike.

Owned and operated by husband and wife team Michael and Adrienne Henzel, the couple has been serving south of the border flavors for more than 30 years. Prior to moving to Vermont, Chef Michael Henzel lived in Wyoming, and while traveling extensively throughout the Southwest he sampled often and ate very well.

On the Saturday evening we went to dine at Miguel's, the weather felt appropriately equatorial, registering 90-plus humid degrees all day. Nonetheless, we decided to dine al fresco on the shaded patio, which served up a refreshing lakefront breeze to accompany a mango Margarita, and a large black molcajete lava bowl filled with fresh bright green guacamole. Served with warm tortilla chips, the mellow, nut-buttery Haas avocado dip with a piquant side of chopped fresh tomato salsa as its foil was so authentic and "spot on" that it could have sufficed for dinner on its own. However, on this relaxed "ode to the hot setting sun" occasion, we ordered more: Tostada Salad, Camarones Chipotle, and a Vegetarian Enchilada. The Tostada Salad was a great fresh golden corn puff of a salad bowl filled with baby greens dressed in an avocado vinaigrette and lime sour cream, jicama, and topped with a great crumble of Mexican Cotija cheese. My favorite plate was the Camarones Chipotle - a delectable study in contrasts: tender sweet shrimp with a good bite of spice. The dish featured large tiger shrimp in a glaze of spicy orange chipotle sauce, surrounding a tower of brown rice and vegetables. We also tried the Vermont Vegetarian Enchilada. This was filled with an enormous portobello mushroom, Swiss chard, pine nuts, roasted tomatillo salsa, and served with jicama slaw. Yummy.

After serving lunch and dinner daily with a smile for so many years, what is this couple's secret to sustained familial and business success? "A sense of humor, savoring good healthy food and life, and a fabulous salsa to keep it all spicy," said Adrienne.

And let's not forget Miguel's ever-popular cantina with its extraordinary and renowned margaritas, sangria, private label beer, local wines, and live music on Thursday and Friday nights. It's a fiesta. Miguel's is open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends.

658-9000

What's next for Miguels?

The Henzels are planning a launch of their new line of Miguel's tortilla chips, blue corn and mixed seed, under their new product label, the Fifth Sun. Although the Henzel's do indeed have five sons, Adrienne says the name has multiple meanings at play: the Fifth Sun also refers to a Mayan concept corresponding to the completion of this zodiac cycle on Dec. 21, 2012, and the emergence of a new dimension of an older life, one in natural harmony with the earth and the cosmic order of things. Adrienne correlates this concept of phases and evolution beginning with Miguel's first line of products and restaurant in Stowe, and now she says that the Fifth Sun will mark the restaurateurs' next phase - the healthy and harmonious Burlington waterfront phase.