La Tapatia Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

La Tapatia has been an Escondido landmark for sixty-eight years now, dating back to 1937.

Folks, this is one of Escondido’s better Mexican restaurants. It is typical of the family style Mexican restaurant I grew up with in San Diego. The restaurant has a full cocktail bar with a cozy lounge area that exudes comfort. Sit in one of the overstuffed leather couches facing the fireplace and enjoy beautiful piped-in Mexican music.

Of course, the meal began with chips and salsa, and it's always fun to see a restaurant's particular twist on salsa. La Tapatia’s salsa was tasty and "fresco" style, rich with chunks of veggies.

We were intrigued with the wide selection of soups so we requested a small sampling of five of them. All were homemade and delicious. My favorite was a broth-based potato-chicken with a medley of vegetables. Another favorite was the traditional “Albondigas”. The meatball was especially tasty, tender and laced with herbs and spices. When I return I will undoubtedly enjoy a large bowl of soup. Which one to order will cause a pleasant dilemma.

Wanting to sample a wider entrée selection, I ordered a three-entrée combination of a chile relleno, beef enchilada and crispy beef taco. The food arrived in what seemed to be moments after ordering. Holding true to the tradition of most Mexican Restaurants, the portion sizes were ample and served on large heated platters. The chile relleno was terrific. The chile was tender and mild, just the way I like it. The crispy taco was fresh and stuffed nicely with seasoned beef and fresh vegetables. The sprinkling of finely grated parmesan cheese on top reminded me of the tacos I have eaten in Mexico. The refried beans were flavorful; you could tell they would be by their neutral color and consistency. The Mexican-style rice was tender and fluffy; it had bits of vegetables that show the chef’s pride of preparation. The mild sauce draped over the beef enchilada was delicious. My friend Brenda tried her customary favorite, a fish taco. The fish taco was so full of ingredients it was more of an open face salad wrapped with two soft tortillas. Unable to pick it up she ate it with a fork. She loves salads and was delighted with the toppings and the creamy dressing.

Folk’s give this landmark restaurant a try, eating at La Tapatia is just a plain old enjoyable experience.

Written by Steve Blair, associated with the restaurant industry for 49 years. I hang my hat and reputation on this article.

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