These industry leaders are tasty pioneers, helping diners appreciate one of Orange County’s favorite ethnic foods.
A crispy taco, a saucy enchilada, Spanish rice and refried beans smothered in yellow cheese. Sounds delicious–but dated. Of course there’s nothing wrong with a yummy combo plate, but look how far one of Orange County’s favorite ethnic cuisines has come.
Mexican restaurants have spread their wings and they’re soaring. So as we celebrate Diez y Seis, the anniversary of self-determination for our southern neighbor, we salute restaurants that have changed our minds about what this cuisine is and how it’s presented. Our collection of 10 trend-setting restaurants and six local favorites isn’t just about where to get a tasty meal – it’s a carefully curated list that explains how such stellar offerings landed in our backyard.
It took courage for these places to break new ground at a time when a cheap plate of rice, beans and a taco was the norm. Can you believe the Avila family started El Ranchito more than 55 years ago?
Sadly, some bold concepts have been lost. We thought that David Wilhelm’s Chimayo would last forever. And it’s been a little over a year since we said goodbye to Chef Carlos Salgado’s cerebral takes on Mexican cuisine at Taco Maria, the only Mexican restaurant in O.C. with a Michelin star.
Fortunately, there are still many wonderful choices for adventurous foodies in O.C., so buen provecho. Let’s enjoy the best of Mexico and congratulate these pioneers who serve it fresh every day.
PHOTO 1: Fancy cocktails like El Jefe with tequila, mezcal, chile agave and mole bitters, are served with the restaurant’s logo pressed into the ice at Chaak in Tustin. PHOTO 2: Grilled chayote squash with almond requeson, English peas, charred sugar snap peas, hearts of palm, pea tendrils and recado negro vinaigrette. PHOTO 3: Tetela with green chorizo, chilies, corn, peas, charred pearl onions and pistachio mole verde. PHOTO 4: Tamal Colado with Oaxaca cheese, corn, corn mole, baby zucchini, squash blossom, pea tendrils, pistachio dukah and crema. PHOTO 5: Don’t skip dessert at Chaak or you’ll miss the Tarta de Mamey with mamey mousse, pine nut-coconut crust, strawberry, coconut chantilly and bee pollen. PHOTO 6: Bombas, cinnamon-sugar dusted beignets, served with dulce de leche and spiced chocolate sauce. Photos by Anne Valdespino, Culture OC
Chaak
It’s been a long journey for Gabbi Patrick, one that started with her family’s restaurants in Los Angeles County. There she gained a wealth of front-of-house experience, working as a GM while still a teenager. But she turned a corner when she decided to attend the Culinary Institute of America’s Napa campus. She committed to elevating the dishes she loved, going solo at Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen in Orange.
Patrick really hit her stride in 2018 with Chaak, which recently celebrated its 6th anniversary and snagged another Michelin recognition for its value pricing with a Bib Gourmand award.
Drawing on her Yucatecan ancestry, she and husband Ed Patrick created a chic space in Tustin. They named it after the Mayan rain god, and added nods to pre-Hispanic culture: steel beams fitted with rings are reminiscent of the Mesoamerican ball court at Chichen Itza; a ceiba tree just outside the door is a Mayan symbol of the universe. Each night at twilight the retractable ceiling opens, creating a magical moment – the ancients studied the heavens in the belief that they could divine the will of their gods by tracking the movement of the sun, the moon and the planets.
Chaak is a symphony of smoky, spicy flavors. Under the guidance of Patrick, chef Vincent Espinoza (who has since departed for Xacalli Kitchen) created a menu that updates traditional recipes. Using a $27,000 J&R Manufacturing smoker, a wood-fired oven and grill, this kitchen brings out profound flavors in meats and vegetables.
A recado negro vinaigrette enlivens a plate of grilled chayote squash and a 24-ounce prime New York strip will make your mouth water just to see its charred bone and caramelized exterior.
But the real magic of this place is its party-like vibe. There are wonderful wines from the Valle de Guadalupe and Querétaro as well as a list of hip cocktails including Spanish gin-tonics. Book ahead because this place is so beguiling that even on a weeknight you might have to wait for a table.
WHERE: 215 El Camino Real, Tustin
COST: Appetizers ($16-$26); entrees ($42-$96); desserts ($6-$12).
CONTACT: 657-699-3019, chaakkitchen.com
PHOTOS 1 & 2: At Descanso in Costa Mesa, dinner is cooked in front of the guests on plancha (grill) tables.
PHOTO 3: The Alambre is cooked with your choice of meat plus onions, bell peppers, avocado toreado salsa, micro cilantro and serrano chiles.
Photos courtesy of Descanso
Descanso
“Watch yer eyebrows!” shouts a plancha chef to a table of diners before flames leap two feet in the air. Just like at Benihana, flashy display cooking is part of the experience at Descanso. The concept was born in 2018 when owner Rob Arellano decided to bring the sights, sounds and smells of taqueria street dining in Mexico to California.
Previously, Arellano had worked in restaurant sales and marketing, so he knew his wild idea would be a hit; he will open his second location in Los Angeles soon. Chatty plancha chefs make “Mexican fried rice” with soy sauce, eggs and veggies. Then they grill ribeye, Mexican sea bass, marinated chicken, even chile rellenos smothered in cheese, right in front of guests.
The cuisine leans toward Michoacan and the cocktails flow, some in cantaritos (cute clay cups). It’s a great spot for a birthday dinner – they pop a sparkler right on top of your dessert. Yeah, when it comes to festive, this place is fire.
Descanso’s next special event is a Don Julio Tequila Pairing Dinner on Sept., 16. The four-course meal celebrates Mexican Independence Day and National Hispanic Heritage Month. Check the website for details or call for reservations.
WHERE: 1555 Adams Ave #103, Costa Mesa
COST: Plancha menu prices: Entrees ($37-$73, includes soup or salad); desserts ($10-$13).
CONTACT: 714-486-3798, descansorestaurant.com
PHOTO 1: El Cholo's signature margarita. PHOTO 2: Filet mignon tacos. PHOTOS 3 , 4, and 5: The signature green corn tamales. PHOTO 6: A classic combo plate. PHOTO 7: Tableside guacamole.
Photos courtesy of El Cholo
El Cholo
It started in 1925 with the logo: a caricature of a vato in a sombrero labeled “El Cholo.” It was drawn on the back of a menu by a customer at the Sonora Café in Los Angeles and when the owner’s daughter showed it to her father, he said, “From this day on we are El Cholo.” The Sonora Café was founded by Rosa and Alejandro Borquez in 1923, but the name El Cholo became official when the first location was opened in 1927 on South Western Avenue in Los Angeles by Aurelia and George Salisbury.
Just as Tex Mex became its own thing, El Cholo fine-tuned its Cali Mex traditions by catering to Southern Californians’ tastes. In the old days, it had to call itself a “Spanish Café” because (as George Salisbury’s son Ron writes in his memoir, “Out of Right Field”) anything described as Mexican in the 1930s “was not perceived as ‘clean.’”
El Cholo always fought to change those misguided perceptions with an emphasis on quality. The restaurant used cloth napkins, silver-plate flatware, and closed temporarily during World War II due to rationing, simply because Salisbury’s father did not want to serve inferior cheese products.
Ron Salisbury, a Newport Beach resident who still operates the boutique chain, has built on his family’s legacy by staying on top of industry standards and listening to customers. When one told him in 1967 that his margaritas weren’t very good, he took it to heart. That improved cocktail recipe and the signature green corn tamale are still stalwarts on the menu.
The Salisbury family’s pursuit of excellence and consistency have led to enduring popularity: Last year, El Cholo celebrated 100 years in business.
WHERE: Locations in Anaheim Hills, Corona Del Mar, La Habra, Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Salt Lake City
COST: Appetizers ($8.95-$27.95); entrees ($16.45-$34.95).
CONTACT: elcholo.com
Brunch at El Torito includes morning cocktails and classic breakfast foods paired with Mexican favorites.
Photos courtesy of El Torito
El Torito
Two words: Sunday brunch!
El Torito, founded in 1954, has made Mexican brunch a player in the industry since the 1980s. Its bountiful buffet with taco, seafood, soup, salad, hot entrée and dessert stations keeps fans returning. They love the made-to-order omelets, fresh fruit, pan dulce and bottomless beverages: mimosas, Champagne, orange juice, coffee and horchata. Bring the kids for mini-corn dogs, mac and cheese, fries and chicken tenders.
Parent company Xperience Restaurant Group has enjoyed decades of success with its restaurants nationwide and has never rested on its laurels, continuing to bring in new concepts like Sol Cocina and keeping landmark ones alive, such as Las Brisas in Laguna Beach.
WHERE: Anaheim, Cypress, Irvine, Tustin, Yorba Linda and more locations throughout California and in Arizona and Oregon.
WHEN: Brunch is served from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. each Sunday.
COST: $37.50 for adults; $12 for children 2-12.
CONTACT: eltorito.com
Javier’s
He worked his way up from dishwasher to manager of three locations, so whoever fired Javier Sosa after 24 years of service at Tortilla Flats made the biggest mistake of his life. It took a few years for Sosa to find his footing again, but eventually he started a restaurant just up the road in Laguna Beach in 1995.
Since then, he’s had the Midas touch, giving traditional recipes a breezy spin, from his spinach enchiladas to fresh seafood entrees, sizzling steaks, hearty carnitas and homey moles. Of course, there are killer margaritas and a list of tequilas and mezcals.
His real genius is creating the luxurious feel of a Mexican coastal resort right here at home. The dining room in Newport Beach has an ocean view with palms swaying in the breeze, huge potted plants, a light and bright look and comfy rustic furniture – you’ll want to shuffle in wearing flip flops and stay forever.
Yes, the bar is a huge draw and it will get busy and buzzy – downright loud on weekends – but it’s always a good time. In the years since Sosa set the tone for this genre there have been many copycats, but his take has always been one of the most welcoming on either side of the border.
WHERE: Locations in Newport Beach, Irvine, Century City, Las Vegas, Los Cabos, La Jolla
COST: Appetizers ($18-$50); entrees ($30-$100); desserts ($13-$17).
CONTACT: javiers-cantina.com
PHOTO 1: The mole blanco. PHOTO 2: Award-winning chef Alan Sanz has created a full menu, including a tasting menu, at Maizano in Costa Mesa. PHOTO 3: The Impala Magarita.
Photos courtesy of Maizano
Maizano
A third place Bocuse d’Or for Most Creative Dish 2017 and the Revelation Chef of 2018 from Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants culinary awards competition – that’s just the beginning of Chef Alan Sanz’s spectacular resume. He’s worked at Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe, at acclaimed Mexico City restaurant Pujol (which was just awarded two stars), and at top dining rooms in Latin America. In the U.S., he’s run kitchens at trendy plant-based Gracias Madre in Santa Monica, now-defunct Sueños in Laguna Beach, and at Porch and Swing in Irvine.
Sanz’s formal culinary training is European but he was raised outside Mexico City in a family with roots in Michoacan and Oaxaca. So, he’s just the right guy to run the show at fine dining room Maizano. From a high-toned mole blanco with chayote squash and Mexican furikake to a hearty cochinita pibil pork shank served with pickled red onions, habanero chilies and fresh tortillas, he demonstrates an ease for taking time-honored dishes to new heights.
(Sanz is now presenting a tasting menu for the serious foodie set. Click here for Anne Marie Panoringan’s column on a recent seven-course meal.)
The menu is sophisticated but the dining room is lively and casual with a display kitchen, simple seating and plenty of tequila and mezcal based drinks. Set in Northgate's Mercado González marketplace, it’s the best argument we know for obeying that golden rule: “Don’t grocery shop hungry!”
WHERE: 2300-C Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa
COST: Appetizers ($13-$20); entrees ($30-$55); desserts ($12).
CONTACT: 949-899-9094, maizanococina.com
PHOTO 1: This Instagram worthy dessert from Paseo is listed on the menu as Maiz. It is white chocolate coated corn and saffron ice cream set on cocoa cake crumbles with cinnamon bark. PHOTO 2: From the small plates menu, Mejillones: PEI mussels, saffron beurre blanc, dried chorizo, pickled jalapeño and sourdough bread. PHOTO 3: Chef Carlos Gaytán of Paseo.
Photo 1 by Anne Valdespino. Photos 2 and 3 courtesy of the Disneyland Resort
Paseo
A perfect cob of stark white corn set among autumn leaves makes a painterly still life. Actually, it’s an entirely edible, trompe l’oeil dessert. His incredible imagination and flawless technique place Chef Carlos Gaytán’s menu firmly within the magical realm that diners have come to expect of the Disneyland Resort.
From a hearty hunk of lamb barbacoa that could feed a ranch hand, to the subtle lift that corn liqueur and mole bitters give a smoked old fashioned, there’s attention to detail throughout. That’s what we might expect from the first Mexican chef to earn a Michelin star for his Chicago restaurant Mexique. He still owns Tzuco in Chicago and Ha in Mexico, which was just awarded one star, but his latest ventures come via the Patina Group. The restaurant company has spent millions to transform three spaces at Downtown Disney into a fine-dining room called Paseo; Centrico, an outdoor bar; and Tiendita, a takeout spot.
Paseo took over what used to be the posh Spanish restaurant Catal, which was given a complete makeover. Palm leaf chandeliers and orange leather banquettes add to a rustic look, and display kitchens with glass walls beckon to foodies and curious kids alike; the restaurant welcomes families wearing mouse ears just in from the park.
But don’t discount this place for date night. Pulpo enamorado, an appetizer of perfectly roasted octopus, or camarones con pipián, an entrée of U10 shrimp with a dome-shaped, ash-tinged tamal, will impress just as much as a window table from which you can view Disneyland’s spectacular nightly fireworks.
WHERE: 1580 Disneyland Drive, Unit 106, Anaheim
COST: Appetizers ($16-$27); entrees ($26-$65); desserts ($14-$15)
CONTACT: 714-204-3354, paseoanaheim.com
As seen at Taco Mesa – Tortilleria Organic & Cafe in Orange, one of three Mexican concepts run by the brothers who started Taco Mesa. PHOTO 1: Salad with blackened chicken. PHOTO 2: Masa production.
PHOTO 3: A mural. PHOTO 4: The dining room. Photos by Anne Valdespino, Culture OC
Taco Mesa
Who could predict that one of Orange County’s enduring franchises would rise up in the location of a former Taco Bell across the street from the Costa Mesa DMV? Taco Mesa was an immediate hit when it opened in 1992, winning our hearts with its contemporary takes on Mexican food: blackened chicken burritos; fish, shrimp and calamari tacos and more.
Then, instead of replicating the concept in a million locations, chef-owner Ivan Calderon, who founded the business with his brother Marco, expanded the vision. A decade later came Taco Rosa, a place to enjoy his spin on Mexico City cuisine while sipping margaritas made with fresh-pressed juices. But Calderon’s never done. In 2017, he took it up another notch with Taco Mesa – Tortilleria Orgánica & Café, a restaurant and molino, assuring that non-GMO tortillas would be served in all his restaurants.
The food still tastes as fresh as ever and always holds to Calderon’s philosophy of cooking in small batches daily, buying wild and sustainable seafood whenever possible, using greens from local organic farms and making sure vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items always have a place on the menu.
WHERE: Taco Mesa locations in Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo and Ladera Ranch; Taco Mesa – Tortilleria Orgánica & Café in Orange; Taco Rosa in Newport Beach and Irvine.
COST: Taco Mesa prices: Appetizers ($6-$12); entrees ($12-$25); desserts ($5-$7).
CONTACT: tacomesa.com
PHOTO 1: Wahoo's dining areas are being redesigned for a sleeker and more elevated brand image. The changes will be completed by the end of 2024. PHOTO 2: Some locations include bar service.
Photos courtesy of Wahoo's Fish Tacos
Wahoo’s Fish Taco
Three brothers whose parents owned a Chinese restaurant took one humble dish mainstream at this spot with a surf/skate vibe. Eduardo “Ed” Lee co-founded Wahoo’s with his brothers Wing Lam and Renato “Mingo” Lee, opening the first location in Costa Mesa in 1988.
It’s not just tacos; they serve bowls, enchiladas, burritos and more – often with a Pacific Rim twist – at their counter service restaurants with legions of local fans. Their reputation has grown in the fine dining community too: In 2018, Wahoo’s was invited to host a dinner at the James Beard House in Manhattan.
WHERE: Locations in California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, New Jersey and Japan
PRICES: Appetizers ($2.50-$11); entrees ($9.95-$15.50); desserts ($3-$4.99).
CONTACT: wahoos.com
PHOTO 1: Executive Chef Vincent Espinoza. PHOTO 2: A table set with a variety of dishes at Xacalli Kitchen. PHOTO 3: Hongo, with mushrooms in a curry-like sauce, at Xacalli Kitchen in Silverado. Photos courtesy of Xacalli Kitchen
Xacalli Kitchen
Hibiscus gastrique. It’s a traditional French preparation but a counterintuitive move in Mexican cuisine because jamaica’s super-tart zing is often tamed with sugar or agave miel. So, when Executive Chef Vincent Espinoza supercharges it with more acid, the effect is sweet-tart and surprising as it plays against a chocolate mousse topped with a crisp gaufrette.
Sit down for dinner and you’ll find that many plates exceed expectations at this chef-driven, farm-to-table restaurant.
Espinoza, formerly of Chaak, presents regional dishes, and with just a word on the menu about its provenance, teaches diners so much. The Yucatán ribs covered with recado negro appear black but they’re still moist, getting their color from ground charred peppers that provide just enough heat.
Roasted oyster mushrooms (Valle de Guadalupe), are served with hongo ragu, a goldenrod sauce that’s partway between mole and curry. Even a simple dish of Rosquilla al Carbon, fried doughnuts, takes churros to new heights, dusted with ash-tinged sugar that appears silvery in the dining room’s soft lighting.
Espinoza combines European kitchen techniques so well with authentic Mexican traditions that even diners who aren’t there to be schooled will crave these plates.
The cocktail menu is just as inventive and the execution of each dish is fine-tuned but never fussy; these flavors attest to his unparalleled palate, among the absolute best of our local chefs. And it’s all the more astounding when you realize he’s a homegrown talent – a graduate of the Art Institute of Orange County, he’s worked in restaurants from Beverly Hills to Balboa Island.
WHERE: 28222 Silverado Canyon Road, Silverado
COST: Appetizers ($15-$19); entrees ($23-$70); desserts ($10-$11).
CONTACT: 657-314-9042, xacallikitchen.com
LOCAL FAVORITES
Balvina’s Mexican Kitchen, Laguna Hills: It was a sad day when Break of Dawn closed in 2021, but a happy circumstance that chef Dee Nguyen had a manager who wanted to start a Mexican restaurant. Alejandro Cuellar now serves up elevated traditional dishes like soulful pipián and poblano moles with a wine list focused on Mexico. balvinas.com
Casa Oaxaca, Santa Ana: This restaurant celebrates the land of the seven moles, so naturally crispy chips topped with mole poblano hit the table first. One taste and you know you’re in for real-deal dishes like chicken mole tamales with silky masa wrapped in banana leaves, and a molcajete stuffed with grilled nopales, chorizo, chicharrónes, string cheese and more. Wash it down with Mexican beer or horchata topped with bits of prickly pear fruit and pecans. casaoaxacarestaurantonline.com
Photos courtesy of Anne Marie Panoringan, Culture OC
Don Churros Gomez, Anaheim: Known for its signature dessert, the original churro recipe was sourced from the Gomez family over 50 years ago back in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Fried fresh nightly, “El Tradicional” is a circular riff on the stick-straight treat. However, customers may convert to the El Don Churro – a chewier option resembling sub sandwich bread that's filled with cajeta (Mexican caramel). With the luxe lonchera currently residing in one corner of a parking lot, it’s not surprising that downtown Santa Ana will have its own brick-and-mortar in the near future. donchurrosgomez.com
El Adobe, San Juan Capistrano: This former steakhouse changed its menu after receiving a call from Nixon’s staff telling them the president would be dining and expecting a Mexican meal. Its “President’s Choice” combo plate has remained on the menu for decades. Bonus: tour the jail downstairs – the building was once the city’s juzgado (justice center). eladobedecapistrano.com
Mi Casa, Costa Mesa: Long a go-to for its friendly vibe, this restaurant was built on combo plates and still serves homey dishes like arroz con pollo and albondigas soup. Don’t miss its weekday happy hour with throwback prices: margaritas ($6-$7), draft beers ($4) and wines by the glass ($5-$6). https://www.micasa1.com
Naugles Tacos & Burgers, Fountain Valley, Stanton, Bolsa Chica State Beach (seasonal): A local brand brought back into existence by Mexican food advocate Christian Ziebarth after a lengthy legal battle, Naugles 2.0 recreates the tastes and flavors of its former fast food glory. Cheese burritos, hard shell tacos and bun tacos are fan favorites; simple, satisfying eats are what make Naugles a cult classic. nauglestacos.com
Anne Marie Panoringan contributed to this story.
