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Granite Bay meets Mexicali at Los Zarapes Mexican Restaurant, located in Granite Bay, CA. Why travel to Mexico when you can enjoy delicious, authentic northern Mexican cuisine, locally in Placer County? A plus... you'll be treated like family by some of the friendliest people you'll ever have the pleasure to meet. As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's a little before noon on Saturday, February 08, 2025, and I've arrived at Los Zarapes Mexican Restaurant, located in Granite Bay, CA. Actually, Granite Bay is an upscale, unincorporated community east of Roseville, and a part of Roseville, that stretches east until it reaches she west shore of Folsom Lake. While enjoying a couple pints of beer at nearby Granite Bay Brewing Company, I got into a conversation with the owner, who recommended this fine restaurant, as they're neighbors and friends. I'd already planned on visiting Los Zarapes, but the recommendation of the brewmaster added to my anticipation of a superior Mexican lunch. I wasn't disappointed!
Photo: As you enter the restaurant, you'll be greeted by a staff member, and seated at one of the booths in the dining room. "Soup of the Day," along with "Today's Special" are posted on the counter. There are many signed photos from regular diners pasted to the counter.
Photo: The dining room is long and narrow, very clean, comfortable and attractively decorated. The decor reminds me of a mid-level restaurant in Tijuana or Mexicali, complete with the vivid, earthy colors that you'll find in Mexico.
Photo: Immediately after I was seated, I was presented with a complimentary basket of fresh corn tortilla chips, along with a bowl of salsa. The chips were crispy, fresh and warm from the kitchen, and the bowl of salsa was delicious, as I could tell it was made from scratch, by the talented chef Anna Sr.
Photo: The menu is extensive, and lists all of your classic, quintessential dishes of northen Mexico. From the "Mexican Favorites" page of the menu, I started at the top, and ordered "Borrego." Menudo is served on weekends.
Photo: I dip a fresh corn tortilla chip into the delicious, robust, chunky salsa. Like everything else I enjoyed today, the corn tortilla chips were fresh from the kitchen, warm, crisp and flavorful. These tortilla chips weren't left over from yesterday, as they were freshly made and I could taste the difference. The salsa was freshly made from scratch, thick and very flavorful, with just a little "kick" to make things worthwhile, but nothing at all extreme. It was made from scratch and you could tell, as the flavor was simply delicious, and it tasted just like the kind of salsa you'd find at Tia Maria's house in a northern Mexican town. Simply delicious!
Photo: My super friendly server, Anna, brings my "Michelada Grande" to my table with a smile. Yes, the drink is a big one... My "Michelada Grande" arrived in a large, frosted mug, with coarse salt on the rim of the mug. Michelada is a popular Mexican cocktail, which begins with beer, and includes lime juice, hot sauce and a touch of clamato or tomato juice, along with other things. I chose Pacifico beer, as it's my favorite Mexican beer, and maybe it's my favorite beer of all. The "Michelada Grande" was on the basic side, without additional garnishes like limes, bacon or shrimp, but that didn't matter, as it was refreshing, delicious and paired well with my lunch.
Photo: I'm a happy guy, as I toast Anna, the restaurant, Granite Bay, and the beautiful country of Mexico. Cheers!
Photo: My appetisers before lunch... or was it dessert? A large "Michelada Grande" with Pacifco beer, a bowl of fresh, chunky salsa made from scratch, and a basket of corn tortilla chips, fresh and warm from the kitchen.
Photo: Meet Anna, my amazingly friendly server who brought my lunch to me with a smile. She provided friendly, efficient service and treated me like a member of her family. I refer to her as "Anna Jr." as she and her mother share the same name. The mother, "Anna Sr." came over to my table, sat down, and she and I had quite a conversation. She and her husband have owned and operated the restaurant for a little over a year, and the daughter works for them. Hubby does most of the cooking - he's a talented chef - while Anna Sr. makes the amazing tortillas, chips and salsa, and does whatever needs to be done to keep the restaurant going. I appreciated her welcoming company, and I look forward to a future visit.
Photo: I'm a happy guy, I smile, as I know I'm about ready to enjoy some of the best Mexican food in Placer County and the greater Sacramento area. Great gold country dining! Thanks, Anna, for taking my photo.
Photo: My almost-complete lunch of "Michelada Grande," corn tortillas, chips and salsa, along with the "Borrego" platter. My side of refried beans arrived after the photo was taken, as it was an afterthought on my part.
Photo: From the "Mexican Favorites" page of the menu, I went with "Borrego," along with pinto beans and Mexican rice. My choice of tortillas was corn, and I was in for a treat, as I enjoyed some of Anna Sr.'s made-from-scratch tortillas, hot from the kitchen. Muy sabroso! The menu describes "Borrego" as, "Marinated, seasoned lamb shank, braised slowly until tender. Served with marinade sauce, pico de gallo, sliced avocado and corn or flour tortillas." Such a difficult choice between Anna Sr.'s corn or flour tortillas! The seasoned lamb shank was marinated in a robust, red marinade, which held in the juicy flavor, and made it fall-off-the-bone tender and simply delicious. I notice the very red color, and the thick texture of the marinade, most likely due to lots of tomato and a chili pepper or two, along with slices on onion. The thick marinated coated the lamb shank, which added flavor along with juiciness, and enhanced the delicious, tender lamb, but didn't overpower the robust taste. If you're a lover of lamb, and you've never enjoyed Mexican Borrego before, you're in for a treat. The meat was so tender that a knife wasn't needed, as the meat fell off the bone when poked with the fork. The shank was of a generous size. As an added bonus, there was a small dish of the marinated on my plate, with was meant to dip the lamb into. The marinade was the same as used for the lamb shank, except it was much thinner, as it was meant for dipping rather than sticking to the food. It was simply delicious, and made for a great enhancement to the delicious bites of lamb. The Mexican rice was simply amazing! The rice had a delicious, Mexican flavor, not at all spicy, but simply bursting with flavor. I suspect the talented chef must have used chicken broth rather than water, as this rice wasn't simply "blah" like the rice you're served at many restaurants... this rice was a cut above and "top shelf" any way you looked at it. Like everything else on my plate, the portion size was generous. I opted for pinto beans, but after placing my order, I asked for an order of refried beans on the side. The pinto beans came attractively presented in a small dish, complete with lots of thick bean juice. The beans were tender, flavorful and simply as good as plain pinto beans can get. The pico de gallo was fresh, and especially with the sliced avocado, made for a refreshing side to my lunch. Diced tomato, white onion, cilantro and... surprise... sliced cabbage made up the pico de gallo, but it was wonderful, and the cool veggies contrasted with the warm lamb, beans and rice, and made a wonderful side dish. The corn tortillas were simply OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious, and I could have made a meal of them alone! Anna Sr. pointed out to me they were made from scratch in her kitchen, and I believe her, as these tortillas tasted EXACTLY like countless corn tortillas I've enjoyed at tortilla shops during my many trips to Mexico. The corn tortillas were fresh, hot from the kitchen, slightly toasted, moist, tender, and simply delicious! No tortillas from the supermarket at Los Zarapes Mexican Restaurant, as the tortillas are made from scratch from Anna Sr., in her kitchen, and are delivered fresh and warm from the kitchen. I have eaten at nearly every Mexican restaurant in Placer County, and they're all good, but Los Zarapes Mexican Restaurant is a cut above the rest, as their food tastes homemade, and if I closed my eyes, I could imagine being in Mexicali, at a local taqueria, enjoying the same delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine. The skill and dedication of the staff is apparent, along with a cheerful willingness to produce superior Mexican cuisine shows, as this fine restaurant is "top shelf" in every way.
Photo: As an afterthought, I ordered a side of refried beans, since there isn't a Mexican bean on the planet that I don't love! The refried beans were creamy, with a few coarse chunks of beans, just like you'd find in a restaurant in northern Mexico. The beans were flavorful and I suspect cooked with lard, as they had the delicious, "nutty" flavor that only lard can give. The beans were garnished with a few slices of Mexican cheese. Like the rest of my lunch, the beans were simply delicious.
Photo: "Borrego" which is a Mexican lamb shank, marinaded and coated with a thick version of the marinade. Extra marinade is on the plate, and I made quick work of it with one of Anna Sr.'s delicious corn tortillas. The lamb was so tender it almost fell off the bone.
Photo: A piece of the lamb shank, after dipping into the small bowl of marinade. Simply delicious! Today's dining experience was amazing, and I was simply blown away by the super friendly service I enjoyed from Anna and her mom, along with the amazingly delicious, authentic northern Mexican cuisine. It's been a very long time since I've enjoyed such great dining at a Mexican restaurant of this caliber... maybe, just maybe Los Zarapes Mexican Restaurant could be my favorite Mexican restaurant in Placer County and the greater Sacramento area! I certainly look forward to future dining adventures... You'll simply love the authentic cuisine of northern Mexico that Los Zarapes serves, and you'll love the friendly staff, and you'll love being treated like a rock star. The food is simply amazing, and the dining experience is as friendly as it gets... Los Zarapes Mexican Restaurant is truly a "top shelf" Mexican restaurant, in Roseville, CA. Los Zarapes Mexican Restaurant
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