Xochimilco’s exotic name belies its homey food -SacBee.com
Xochimilco’s exotic name belies its homey food -SacBee.com
By Bob Masullo
Bee Staff Writer
(Published June 20, 2001)
Xochimilco (say: zo-chee-MEEL-ko), the town about 15 miles southeast of Mexico City, is home to the internationally famous “floating gardens,” where boatloads of tourists cruise through mazes of canals.
Xochimilco, the restaurant on El Camino Avenue, is the home of a maze-like menu — more than 50 items — of quality, reasonably priced Mexican dishes and regular customers who visit it by the carload.
Owned by Salvador Frank Leyva Jr. and his stepfather, Pedro Torres, the present Xochimilco, 5 years old, is heir to a series of Northern California Mexican restaurants started 30 years ago by Leyva’s late father, Salvador Sr., an immigrant from Mexico.
“Actually, we don’t feature Xochimilcan cuisine,” admits Stockton-born Leyva. “We just liked the name. Our food is a California spin on Tex-Mex.”
Whatever the description, the food is delicious.
So much so that its loyal clientele has enabled Leyva and Torres to start a second restaurant. Also to be called Xochimilco, it will open soon on 21st Street between K and L streets.
At the bustling Xochimilco restaurant, Norma Leyva has both hands full with taco salads. The salads range from $3.25 to $11. Bee/Erhardt Krause |
Atmosphere: An airy, nonpretentious rectangular room with booths and free-standing tables. Floors and tabletops covered with Mexican tiles. Charming Mexican artwork on walls and windowsills.
What’s for dinner? Five tortas (Mexican sandwiches), Mexican burgers (half-pound), nine antojitos (Mexican hors d’oeuvres), four salads, 24 single-entree dishes (including fajitas, carne asada, chimichangas, chili rellenos and huevos rancheros), 24 combination dishes (mixing two or more entrees), four children’s dishes and seven short orders.
Reviewers’ choices: The steak torta, Mexico’s answer to the Philly cheese-steak sandwich, was a knockout. Housed in a wonderful, soft, oval-shaped Mexican roll, it contained about a ton of perfectly grilled, thin-sliced steak, fried onions, guacamole, lettuce and tomatoes. When it was served, it seemed so large I thought I’d give half to my mate, but after devouring a half, I decided no way. I wanted it all.
My companion’s dish was a combo — crispy beef taco and bean tostada, with generous helpings of rice and refried beans. The just-fried taco shell was packed with tender chunks of meat and was muy sabrosa (very tasty). The tostada, however, was a little disappointing. Although topped with great beans, the shell was stale, making for a less than perfect taste and texture experience. We suspect it was just a fluke, because everything else screamed of freshness.
The plentiful chips, put out as soon as we sat down, were as good as this simple, free item gets — freshly made, hot, darkly baked but light in texture, crispy and very tasty. The salsa looked deceptively mild but had a nice kick. The trick is not to eat so many you won’t have room for your order.
Service: Efficient and friendly.
The tab: Tortas and burgers, (a steal); antojitos, salads, most single-entree main dishes, plus a few higher with a menu-topper (shrimp fajitas); most combos, plus six “special combos,” children’s dishes,
Take the kids? Definitely. Noise is not frowned upon here.
Getting there: Take Capitol City Freeway to El Camino and go east a short distance. Restaurant is on north side of street.
Have a restaurant we should check out? Send suggestions to Cheap Eats/Taste section, The Bee, Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. Or e-mail them to bmasullo@sacbee.com.
