At first glance, Aqui appears to be your average Mexican restaurant. The menu bears all the typical staples of Mexican cuisine: burritos, fajitas, enchiladas. But then, things start to get a little confusing. Crab cakes? Thai chicken?

What is this place?

Aqui doesn’t seem to know. Everything about the restaurant oozes identity crisis. Located on S. De Anza Boulevard, about a block from Trader Joe’s, Aqui welcomes you in with a sign that declares that it specializes in “Cal-Mex” cuisine. I take this to mean California-Mexican. What I do not understand is how crab cakes and Thai chicken factor into this definition.

This is not to say that Aqui’s cuisine-fusing dishes are unsatisfactory. The Crisp Tofu Fajitas ($6.79) put an Asian tinge onto the usual mix of beans, peppers, and onions. The resulting taste is different, but appealing. If you can deal with the admittedly disorienting experience of eating black beans that taste like soy sauce, you will no doubt enjoy the meal very much. This is a marked improvement from when the restaurant first opened two years ago, when many of the flavors used in its dishes fell flat. That is no longer a problem.

All the meals are presented beautifully as well, with a flair that is shocking given the minimal price. The California Enchilada ($8.29), bathed in a tomato sauce and topped with an artful pyramid of guacamole, is particularly easy on the eyes, not to mention the mouth. The fresh goat cheese, vegetables and tortillas work together brilliantly to pamper the taste buds. However, the usage of potatoes in this dish as well as others is dubious, as the spuds detract from the fresh and juicy flavor. Last time I checked, this was Cal-Mex, not Idaho.

The ingredients are not the only unconventional elements to Aqui. The whole place is confused, or perhaps just overly quirky. It maintains the decor of a fancy restaurant, complete with conceptually decorated plates and silhouette lamps hanging off the walls, but there are no waiters; you place your order at a front counter and wait for the buzzer to go off. The meals are served decoratively on glowing white plates, which are then placed atop shabby green cafeteria trays with compostable utensils along the sides. Aqui strives to be hip with its tofu and organic mango salsas, but it can’t pull it off all the way and throws some Angus beef in there as well.

However, the general indecision of the restaurant does not detract from the quality of the food. Many of Aqui’s brave decisions— such as the goat cheese and the biodegradable forks— add to its appeal. Aqui throws a number of surprises at the customer, but the biggest one is that these surprises actually work.

And when it’s a mere five minute walk from Chipotle, students should swing by Aqui instead of heading to the same old restaurant time after time. For just a few dollars more, customers are treated to a far superior— and more unique— experience.

So, is Aqui a Mexican restaurant? Eh. Cal-Mex? I’m still not sure. Worth a visit? Definitely. No confusion about that.

Aqui is located on 10630 S. De Anza Blvd. and is open Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to to 9 p.m., Fridays from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visit Aqui’s website at http://www.aquicalmex.com.