Between 1784 and 1846, the Spanish and Mexican governments established large land grants, called ranchos, to encourage the settlement of the territory known as California. The ranchos, dedicated to raising cattle and sheep, established land-use patterns and boundaries recognizable today. The community of Rancho Bernardo is one such example. People living on ranchos grew their own food, and meals were prepared from the freshest available ingredients.
A recent chill in the weather put me in the mood for spicy Mexican food. As previously reported (A Foodies Delight: Part 2, Issue 154), Ranchos Cocina, 3910 30th St., is a family-owned and operated restaurant offering delicious meals prepared from traditional recipes passed down through generations; with a modern twist – I doubt the ranch hands of yore sat around the campfire enjoying shiitake mushroom whole wheat quesadillas or tofu veggie fajitas.
The extensive menu offers something for everybody; carnivores, vegetarians and vegans are sure to find something to please their palate. The restaurant is separated from the bustling street by a patio filled with hanging plants, which muffles the traffic noise. My handsome assistant and I were seated at a table beneath the uni-browed gaze of Frida Kahlo in the colorful delightfully kitschy dining room. Fresh tortilla chips and homemade salsa were gobbled down as we perused the menu. I ordered the Pollo en Salsa de Mole and my famished friend chose the Trio Enchiladas.
The Pollo en Salsa de Mole begins with chunks of tender braised chicken drenched in a thick mole sauce. The dish is served with warm tortillas, rice and black beans. I made little burritos from the conglomeration, and could not get enough of the delectable chocolaty sauce. My assistant proclaimed his hearty selection was “the bomb”. The trio plate includes cheese, beef and chicken enchiladas topped with salsa verde, salsa roja and mole, respectively. The salsa verde is a tangy blend of green chiles, while the salsa roja is resplendent with red chiles and just a bit of heat. But the mole… mmmm.
Mole, a culinary symbol of Mexico’s mestizaje, or mixed indigenous and European heritage, is made from roasted chiles and chocolate. One legend traces the sauce’s roots to the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla early in the colonial period. The convent nuns, in a panic because the archbishop was going to visit and they were poor with nothing to prepare, prayed then collected what little they had – chiles, spices, nuts and a little chocolate. They killed an old turkey (see what I did there? Turkey … Thanksgiving), roasted it, and then covered the bird in the rich sable-colored sauce. The archbishop thoroughly enjoyed the dish and asked its name. The nuns replied, “We made a mole”, which was the ancient word for “mix”. The name stuck and is rarely used to signify other mixes in Spanish.
Ranchos Cocina, with locations in North Park and Ocean Beach, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. We stopped in on a Monday afternoon when the restaurant was less crowded, but be wary of the weekend evening rush – you might be kept waiting half an hour for a table, but it’s worth the dally. Enjoy a frosty cold domestic or imported beer, or a glass of homemade horchata with your meal. Ranchos Cocina is the real deal, but don’t take my word for it; they’ve earned a solid four star rating from more than 800 reviews on Yelp! Did I mention they offer catering? Eat this, hungry readers!
