Makes you feel old when the landmarks of your childhood disappear and the places that replaced them become landmarks themselves.

In Westerly in the 1980s, China Village was a landmark, the place where my family went every New Year's Eve for a pupu platter and as much a fixture of the downtown as the old Higgins Pharmacy lunch counter on the Pawcatuck side of the river. Today, folks still regard the corner of Canal Street and Railroad Avenue as a place for tasty ethnic food, but for Mexican rather than Chinese, as Señor Flaco's marks its sixth summer in that spot. All that remains of China Village are the tiny bricks spelling out its name on the sidewalk by the front door.

Flaco's has become a popular watering hole for happy-hour margaritas and late-night dance parties, not to mention one of the go-to dining destinations in downtown.

This spring, under chef Terrence Maul, the kitchen reworked its menu to offer more authentic and creative alternatives to the usual, ubiquitous, refried Tex-Mex. New dishes include seared Atlantic salmon with black bean corn cakes and roasted pineapple salsa ($12.99) and such specials as cool trout escabeche with quinoa and chili-dusted halibut with braised chorizo, peas, and artichokes in a chipotle tomato broth.

We tried another of these new dishes on our Sunday night visit - the Guajillo braised brisket with coconut rice ($13.99). Served atop a banana leaf, in which the rice had been steamed, with crunchy slaw, a mild sauce, and sliced jalapenos, this dish looked handsome and tasted superb, with not a refried bean in sight. The brisket lived up to its "slow-cooked, tender" billing on the menu, and the heat of the jalapenos built slowly, making my side order of spicy red sauce (50 cents) unnecessary. The rice smelled unmistakably of coconut and tasted irresistibly creamy, and my companions kept asking for another bite. It outshined the brisket.

This dish headlined our

otherwise ordinary meal, which got off to a questionable start. We waited about 15 minutes for a table, but when we were seated we found the dining room far from full. This might have been an innocent mistake, or the result of a logjam in the kitchen, or, perhaps, adding one more waiter would cost a little more but keep the tables moving and customers happier.

Our waitress, young and friendly, greeted us with a basket of crispy tortilla chips and warmed, mild salsa. We wasted little time picking an appetizer - spicy fried calamari with pickled pepper aioli ($7.99). The menu cleverly touted this choice as a great match for a cold beer, and indeed it paired well with a round of cervezas. The calamari arrived in a funnel-shaped metal basket lined with paper, and in a generous serving. Ultra-thin slivers of lemon fried in the same spicy, dusted batter added an extra layer of flavor and kick, and the refreshing aioli ought to replace tartar sauce at every summer seafood feast.

A plate of huevos rancheros ($11.99), one of the evening's

specials, made for a soul-satisfying sample of Mexican comfort food. Two eggs fried over easy (over medium, really) topped crispy tostadas with black beans, sour cream, and a modest topping of melted Monterey jack that thankfully did not smother the rest of the ingredients to death. A tangy pico de gallo came on the side. My friend ordered the dish with chicken, and our bill showed this, but the chicken was missing. Too bad, because the chicken might have made this worthy plate even better. This was the second service hiccup of the night.

My other friend had his eye on the chili-braised pork enchiladas, but the kitchen had run out of pork, another disappointment, so he ate the grilled steak enchiladas ($11.99) instead. Corn tortillas rolled with bites of tender steak and topped with cheese came with rice and black beans on the side. (Again, thankfully, no refried beans.) My friend chose a green sauce, which added a pleasant and mild sweetness. This dish was huge, with plenty left over to take home, and surely a crowd pleaser, but altogether ordinary.

We considered dessert, discussing such tempting choices as coconut crème brulee and an ice cream sandwich sundae. With some difficulty, we resisted and headed to another favorite downtown landmark for more cervezas.

Senor Flaco's

Address: 15 Canal St., Westerly

Phone: (401) 315-2626

Cuisine: Mexican

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 4 to 10 p.m. in summer (9 p.m. otherwise). Bar stays open as late as 1 a.m.

Prices: Appetizers $5.99 to $12.99; most entrées $7.99 to $16.99; desserts $3.99 to $5.99.

Credit cards: All major.

Service: Young, casual.

Atmosphere: Casual, colorful wall murals, festive bar, mariachi music on the stereo.

Handicap access: Yes.