When visiting San Diego, make your way to the Old Town San Diego area, where you’ll find a vibrant Mexican culture, displayed in jewelry, bags, and clothing sold on streets, shops, and little alleyways. Of course, we couldn’t call it a real jewel-of-a-find unless you could, shop, play, and eat. And, have no fear, if you’ve come to eat, you will eat!
The Old Town area is alive with tourists filling sidewalks to the brim. I visited in June, after leaving heats of 113 degrees in Phoenix and 110 degrees in Palm Springs. It was very refreshing to walk around in the cool of the evening, seeing people in hoodies and shorts, reflecting the warmth as well as the little nip in the air from upper 70’s temperature.
The most popular restaurant in the area is called Cafe Coyote. Oh yes, this is where the cool kids go, and I even have it on authority (MCCN, Founder and Editor, Crystal Johnson) that it has fantastic food, indeed. Nonetheless, I’ll leave that review (possibly) for another day. I don’t have firsthand knowledge to espouse.
I want to tell you about another Mexican restaurant, which also serves Ecuadorian food. The restaurant is called Mama Antonia’s.
I recently visited and was super impressed with Mama Antonia’s authentic food and lovely live musical entertainment. As my party of three entered, the band was playing. We were seated on the other side of the stage. The music was a tinge too loud for me to sit right by the stage, but just far enough to mutually enjoy conversation and the melodic sounds filling the open-air restaurant.
Looking around the space, it’s oh so busy, but in the best and most festive ways. It’s colorful. I mean really colorful. There are heating units in a few places, presumably to counter the chill, and there’s a bustling bar, and a cook in one corner of the restaurant at a griddle making hot tortillas.
Another thing I love about the space are the awesome wood elements. I know. I know. This article is about the food, but don’t you love when you feel like you are in the right aesthetic for the food you’re about to eat? I most certainly do. It helps you buy-in to the experience.
So, as I was saying…the wood tables are so solid and finished and blocky. There’s something so welcoming and tactile about them. And my goodness the chairs…don’t think you are going to lightly pull them out, these are some heavy pieces of equipment, but it makes for great seating.
Okay, okay, let’s talk about the menu. Mama Antonia’s menu has so many options, from tacos, to tortillas, to enchiladas, to fajitas to tostada salad. However, two of our three orders were sopa! (Yes, I used my Spanish word Duolingo!) My sister ordered the traditional Pork Pozole. I really could stick my bottom lip out and act really childish because I considered that option but decided against it. Yes, I’m a little salty, but it didn’t take too much prodding to eat from my big sister’s plate.
The Pozole’s flavor was multi-dimensional. To borrow a line from Chef Guy Fieri: “Welcome to Flavortown!” You could just savor the broth, but the pork just melts in your mouth. If I could give a basic profile, I would say there is a saltiness that’s present, but not at all overbearing. It just fills in the crevices for a full throttle flavor. Honestly, it tastes so good, you feel like it must be wrong. You probably shouldn’t eat that every day, but an occasional splurge and a few more minutes on the treadmill might help.
If you’re the kind that wants to get their money’s worth, it is an ample serving. Both my sister and I took to-go containers.
I ordered the Caldo de Camarón, which is a soup made with shrimp broth, shrimp, and vegetable scraps. It came with a side of parsley and onions. I was also served fresh tortillas and Arroz Rojo (Mexican rice). I’m a little obsessed with ordering seafood when I go out so, I went for the shrimp, but even though I gave kudos to the Pozole, don’t get it wrong, I very much enjoyed my Caldo de Camarón. Thet parsley, onions, and a squeeze of lime, add a spritely dimension that wakes up the flavor and creates another layer of excitement to the soup.
Oh, and shout-out to the lady in the corner making the hot tortillas. That’s a definite bonus!
The last order was a tostado salad it was served with heaps of lettuce and tomatoes, onions, guacamole, and steak strips. Chicken is also optional.
I teased that there is Ecuadorian food so here’s a little preview of the dishes: Guatita, Salchipapa, and Hornado, among a few others. There are lots of options in this warm, communal restaurant. Food is a great unifier and a way of understanding culture in a very esoteric way.
For more information, check out Mama Antonia’s online menu, which is more inclusive than the paper menu shown online and includes breakfast. I can’t imagine hanging out at this establishment and not having a smile on after a hearty scrumptious meal. It’s a gem in Old Town San Diego. If you get a chance, don’t miss it!
Multi Cultural Cooking Network 