Chéen-huaye is Maya for ''only here,'' according to Mérida native Marco Velasquez, who opened a charming restaurant by that name in North Miami three months ago with his wife, Magna Vieira.

And true to its hard-to-pronounce moniker, Chéen Huaye (chen-why-ay) is one of the few Mexican eateries north of Homestead that serves Yucatecan specialties like cochinita pibil and sopa de lima.

Most of those dishes as well as the generic, Tex-Mex-style options are convincingly prepared, while a few (pasty guacamole, sawdusty yellow rice) disappoint. All in all, it's well worth worth mining the extensive menu for treasures -- especially since the price is right, the service endearing and the strip-mall space cozy with lots of rustic wood and wicker.

An ice cold Tecate, Dos Equis or, for a real kick, Michelada (a cerveza spiked with salt, lime juice, Tabasco and Worcestershire) is a perfect match for the zippy shrimp ceviche made with onion, tomato and a good dose of jalapeño.

Sopa de lima was another fine appetite teaser. Its thin broth floated rounds of fresh lime, strips of tortilla and plenty of shredded chicken, though a shot of hot sauce would have added needed depth, and the chicken could have been softer.

The rich peanut, ginger and cilantro dressing served with the Tulum chicken salad is a gem worth requesting with chips or anything else on the menu. The lushly verdant green sauce would make even the stiff paper napkins taste good.

Also great is a mild but complex house-made hot sauce with scorched tomatoes, freshly roasted habaneros and sour orange juice. Both are much better than the tasty-enough but too-thin salsa that comes with the rough-cut corn chips served abundantly with every meal.

A delicious mole chicken includes fist-size chunks of remarkably moist breast meat and a velvety blanket of tangy, multi-layered brown sauce with hints of chocolate and cinnamon. A sprinkling of sesame seeds adds needed texture; a bowl of refried black beans and anemic rice could have been left out altogether.

Pork dishes including the traditional poc-chuc with marinated pork loin and the delectable cochinita pibil were just shy of being overcooked, but maintained a hint of juiciness and a nicely spiced exterior. Fat phobics take note: A nice, thick layer of it protects the pibil's little nuggets from drying out.

Lunch bargains include a deliciously chewy carne asada, broiled flank steak served with a small garnish of salad, pickled red onions and refried beans.

Tidbits of the same steak, well fried with onions, make an appearance in the tacos al carbon, a fine example of the kind of care that goes into most plates here. A generous portion of chicken, beef or pork and melted cheese gently wrapped in a flour tortilla is satisfyingly simple.

Though most dishes on the menu include some animal protein, vegetarians should be pleased by the meat-free fajitas with grilled zucchini, portobello mushrooms, green peppers and lots of crisp onions. Refried beans, made without lard, are vegan-friendly.

The red wine on offer one recent evening was cheap ($4.25 a glass) but drinkable. Although there is no list to speak of yet, the young Chilean merlot went down just fine. The fruity and feisty red sangria with cloves, cinnamon, grenadine, orange juice and pieces of melon and guava was too sweet for my taste but appealing to others.

The young, friendly staff is flexible and accommodating, with opinions and suggestions to help novices or make any substitutions you wish.

The house-made flan with a nice caramelly glaze is delicious if dense, while the deep-fried chimichanga, essentially a cheesecake egg roll, is a bit much. An authentically sweet horchata made of soaked rice seasoned with cinnamon, roasted almonds and lots of sugar would make a fine, drinkable dessert.