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It looks as though somebody put a hand grenade in a box of Crayolas and threw it into the middle of Don Patron, soaking the hand-carved booths in bright reds, yellows, greens and blues.

It's a magnificent - some might call it overwrought - explosion of color not seen since the days of Jefferson Airplane posters and bleeding-madras togs.

Groovy, baby.

The Mexican restaurant, which recently opened in New Albany, is an offshoot of La Casita in Northwest Columbus. Those who can avert their attention from the hypnotizing hues have a new distraction: the menu and its seemingly endless number of entrees.

Sure, it has all the faves - a decent ground beef enchilada ($2.50) and a lackluster shredded chicken tamale ($2.50), both topped with cheese and a spicy tomato sauce - but you'll have to dig through the mounds of rice and refried beans to find some of the restaurant's more interesting dishes.

The ceviche ($6.50), for example, rivals that of any place in town. Snowflakes of citrus-marinated whitefish are seasoned with tomatoes and onions - everything's in balance. Fresh slices of avocado provide a creamy counterpoint to the fish and flat tortilla rounds offer crunchy texture.

Use the house nachos to scoop up the soothing mix of crumbled chorizo sausage and creamy Mexican cheese ($4.50), spicy enough to take the nip out of the fall air.

Entrees are hardy, using the aforementioned rice and refried beans as the supplement to most dishes.

The pollo a la crema ($11.50) is an orange-tinged beauty, tasting like roasted red peppers are added to the rich, velvety sauce that envelopes the thick chunks of white chicken meat.

The restaurant makes a more than admirable attempt at a Mexican paella (paella Yucateca, $18.95), using scallops, clams, mussels and whole shrimp to flavor the pot, leaving a taste of ocean with each bite. The saffron rice, additionally fortified with chicken, is properly cooked and absorbs all the flavors, including green pepper and onion.

A medallion of beef and saut?ed shrimp is Don Patron's platillo mar y tierra ($16.95), sided with a terrific black bean stew and grilled asparagus, a little fibrous toward the ends. The steak is wonderful, crusted with spices and cooked to the requested temperature, and the shrimp are slightly overcooked but enjoyable, served in an appetizing butter-lime sauce.

When La Casita opened, tacos were - and still are - a much-celebrated part of the menu. And it seems Don Patron felt no need to tinker with a good formula. Tacos are served the Mexican way - some kind of protein wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with onion and cilantro and plated with a wedge of lime, discs of radish and salsa - a spicy rojo, crisp tomatillo and spicy mayo (you'll have to ask for the latter two). They're $2.50 each; a platter offers three tacos, rice and beans for $8.50. The best proved to be chicken (pollo), steak (bistec), shredded beef (barbacoa), shredded pork (carnitas) and slow-roasted, marinated pork (pastor). A heavy hand with the salt made the fish tacos ($2.95 each) difficult to enjoy.

Magaritas, not surprisingly, are a big deal at Don Patron. They come frozen or on the rocks, and with basic and premium tequilas. If anyone else in town makes a better frozen mango margarita ($5.75 for a regular), we haven't found it. Here, it's citrusy, sweet and strong. What else can you ask for? There's also a wide variety of quality Mexican cervezas, plus domestics.

Sure, Don Patron is a little campy with its Fiestaware ambience and over-the-top menu selection, but considering the portions, prices and quality, the restaurant is sure to please.