Rarely do I effuse over north-of-the-border Mexican food, except for those occasional oohs and ahs I might blurt when dribbling over a late-night chili relleno burrito to soak up the effects of a good party. In typical gringo fashion, I’ll also cure my fix for tacos, carne asada, frijoles, et al., when either on the run or when I’m hosting visitors who don’t know the difference between a tostada and an enchilada.

For them, I’ve reluctantly ventured into Old Town, banking on the neighborhood’s historic trappings to distract from indigestion brought on by some of the most slipshod Mexican meals this city has to offer. But at last, I discovered a brighter alternative at Costa Azul in the heart of Coronado, where the ambience is less kitschy and more idyllic, and the American-style Mex cooking enjoys extra nurturing.

Owned by Brant Sarber, a local non-Latino who also runs Island Pasta across the street, the menu reflects his personal, longtime liking for Mexican food from both sides of the border, ending up with at least seven toes planted firmly in Southern California. This is, after all, downtown Coronado, where tourists from distant states are more apt to spend their dollars on fajitas and Baja shrimp than nopal cactus and fried pork skins common to interior regions of Mexico.

But where authenticity is compromised – and in these necks nonchalantly forgotten – Sarber duly compensates with quality ingredients from respected purveyors. The veggies hail from Specialty Produce based in Coronado, the meats come from Hamilton and seafood arrives fresh from local trawls.

The restaurant’s expansive, airy interior is peppered with furnishings crafted in Mexico – heavy-wood tables and chairs and skirt-shaped, blue glass lights hanging among iron chandeliers. A large sidewalk patio feels more Main Street, marking the spot where “Maria” and “Margarita” hand-roll the day’s supply of tortillas from a small stand each afternoon.

Sarber’s beer-braised carnitas alone are worth the trek over the bridge. He spares the pork that fried finish commonly seen in so many other Mexican kitchens. You instead taste ale, orange and garlic in lieu of a greasy griddle. My companion and I ordered the meat in plate form that included rice and beans, although it turns up in poblano rellenos, quesadillas, tacos and a few other dishes as well – and you’ll be remiss to pass it up.

Roasted chili rellenos were stimulating, too. The Anaheim peppers revealed above-average heat and flavor, perhaps because Americanized egg batter doesn’t encase them – and we welcomed that omission. Inside were chunks of delicately seasoned rotisserie chicken and a manageable layer of cheese.

Less to our liking was “monster shrimp” varnished with an overly sweet orange-chili glaze that snuffed out the power of chipotle peppers and garlic mentioned in the description. A good concept on paper, but one that’s better suited for the coconut shrimp crowd. As for the size of these crustaceans, they measured medium, as they did in a commodious Baja-style shrimp cocktail we ordered, which tasted more oceanic when nestled within diced cucumber, avocado and a so-so V8-like tomato “salsa.”

The main menu opens to myriad choices, some of them bailing completely out of Mexico, such as seafood fettuccine Alfredo, baby back ribs, tuna salad, chicken wraps, and fish and chips. There’s also tri-tip carne asada salad, flat iron steak with garlic shrimp and a few types of fish that you can order charbroiled, blackened or Vera Cruz style.

We stuck to the Mexican-inspired fare, applauding also the ultra-fresh guacamole made with Haas avocados and perfectly textured refried beans boasting noticeable traces of cumin and lard – the latter providing for a most savory outcome.

The restaurant also features a bar area, where we observed devoted patrons sipping down Cerveza beer and rum cocktails over reduced-price nibbles available from 3-6:30 p.m., daily and all day on Sundays. Service was swift and friendly, though with a somewhat disjointed train of food runners delivering plates throughout our meal.

Costa Azul will remain on my fave list for Cal-Mex food, especially for when I’m touring around those out-of-town visitors who haven’t graduated beyond their local Taco Bells. This place surely beats out the El Torritos and Tio Leo’s of our land and gives me full reason to keep my mouth out of Old Town.