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Xochimilco, Celebrating Culinary Culture
Written By: Darren Bocksnick © 2006
The term, “Mexican Food” is about as generalized a topic as saying pizza and hamburgers are the all-encompassing definition that constitutes “American food”. Mexican Food however, just as its American counterpart, comes in many different genres, varieties and flavors, each in its own way characterizing the culture and locale from which it originated.
Xochimilco is one of those cultural locales where just about every detail is abundant in exotic beauty, vivid colors and rich history, from the brightly covered boats called trajineras to the fusion of multi-hued flora growing naturally in this tranquil piece of paradise known as the “Venice of Mexico”. In Xochimilco, the network of canals connect more than ageless waterways, they connect historical infancy with modern, coming-of-age prosperity; Aztec essence with Spanish influence and the resulting, lively culture where flavorful food and festivity are commonplace.
Just as Xochimilco is an ecological center in the heart of Mexico replete with canals, raised gardens and plush vegetation, which combine to create an ambiance of cultural charm- Frank Leyva’s restaurant, appropriately named: “Xochimilco” is also a place where culture, charm and cuisine are celebrated in CalMex style.
With a menu as flavorful as the Xochimilco region’s character that inspired the name, the food, décor, and dining experience seem to transport the connoisseur to another time and place where seemingly, enchanted gardens still flourish and history unfolds each mystical moment. Here at Xochimilco, one can nearly sense the spirit of the region from its infancy as the source of sustenance for the early Aztec empire to being the serene corner of a sprawling metropolis it now represents.
Frank Leyva has revitalized the quiet calm, cultural vibrancy and exotic character of Xochimilco right here in our own sprawling Metropolis of Sacramento. With two locations to serve the curious, adventurous or just plain, hungry among us, Xochimilco will satisfy the senses for a completely gratifying dining experience.
Come join Frank and the Xochimilco staff:
4904 Auburn Boulevard, (916) 349-9495.
website: http://mexicanzest.com/
Use these menus to print, send links in emails to friends, co-workers, family and office! Thank you for choosing Xochimilco!
Xochimilco Mexican Food View the Fresh Catering Menu Click Here
Xochimilco
4904 Auburn Boulevard, Sacramento, CA (916) 349-9495
Heat things up at Xochimilco! Featuring the best chiles rellenos in Sacramento. Always fresh! Or try our flavorful carnitas, fajitas or homemade flour tortillas made fresh daily. Check out our new upscale location and enjoy live mariachis on Friday nights. Come see why Xochimilco is “Mexican zest at its best!”
This article was printed from the Eat it Up
section of the Sacramento News and Review.
This article may be read online at:
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=33504
Copyright ©2006 Chico Community Publishing, Inc.
Printed on 2006-03-15 14:21:21.
By Kate Washington
Xochimilco
4904 Auburn Boulevard, (916) 349-9495.
Sacramento News and Review
Anyone who often dines out gets used to a standard litany of restaurant choices–from “Soup or salad?” to “Rice or baked potato?”–and generally has a predetermined answer to them all. At a Mexican place, the question is pretty likely to be “Flour or corn?” My usual instinct is to choose earthy, flavorful corn tortillas. But the excellent flour tortillas at Xochimilco not only make me change my answer; they also draw me to the restaurant all on their own. Owner Frank Leyva says the restaurant can go through 50 pounds of flour a day to keep up with demand for the cushy, thick, hand-cooked tortillas. The homey, family-run restaurant–which just opened a second location on Auburn Boulevard–serves up hearty, basic Cal-Mex fare. Just use one of those tortillas to sop up the extra sauce from your enchiladas verde, and you’ll be as hooked as I am.
4904 Auburn Boulevard, (916) 349-9495.
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.
