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Monday morning, April 18, 2005 found me driving through the quaint little town of Punta Banda, on my way to check out the famous marine geyser, "La Bufadora," the ocean blowhole that attracts tourists from around the world. It was about 0830 and I was starting to get hungry. I had one thing in mind for breakfast was menudo, which is a wildly popular dish in northern Mexico, and Baja California. As I drove through Punta Banda, to my right I noticed Loncheria Rosita, and yes, they had a hand-painted sign advertising the fact that they sold menudo. Eureka! I found GOLD in Punta Banda! As with all restaurant reviews 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: Loncheria Rosita is located on the north side of Baja California State Highway 23, on the east side of Punta Banda, which some of the town can be seen in the background. The sign advertising MENUDO drew me in, but judging from the the many signs, all varieties of tacos are available.
Photo: Loncheria Rosita is an "old school" Mexican diner, with minimal refrigerator space, so much of the "product" is kept fresh, in cages, located behind the restaurant. At Rosita's, you know you'll be enjoying fresh meat!
Photo: These guys have no idea that they may be the next meal, served at Loncheria Rosita. As soon as I walked into the place, I knew I'd found a treasure of a restaurant. Unlike many small restaurants in Baja California, and Mexico in general, this place is completely enclosed and not open to the street. Straight ahead is the counter and behind the counter is the kitchen. There are several tables of varying size placed around the dining area, and the decor could be described as "functional," as per the norm in many small Mexican restaurants. Like other small restaurants in Mexico, the place is amazingly clean. Don't even think about a printed menu, as there isn't one. Nor is there a menu placed above the counter. Whatever you want, just ask Rosita, and chances are the answer will be "No problema" or "Si, lo puedo."
Photo: I'm standing in the dining room, looking toward the open kitchen, where my hostess Rosita is busy getting my order of menudo ready. The dining room is clean, and well-lighted, thanks to the many windows.
Photo: Looking over the counter, into the kitchen, and the refrigerator/freezer space the restaurant has. No wonder much of the "product" is alive, and enjoying life in back of the restaurant. Note the 1970's vintage black and white television, complete with "rabbit ears" on top of the refrigerator! Punta Banda is only a few miles from Ensenada, so television reception is good, even using such a poor antenna. However, the greatest treasure to be found at Loncheria Rosita is Rosita herself. When I walked into the restaurant, I was greeted immediately with a cheery "Buenos dias, senor" and a big grin from Rosita. Of course I returned the courtesy, as per the protocol in Mexican society. Rosita cooks, cleans, cashiers, as she's the chief cook and bottle washer at Loncheria Rosita. I inquired whether she had menudo (the sign in front advertises menudo for Saturday and Sunday only,) and I was in luck, as she had some left over from the weekend. By the way, menudo tastes much better if its aged a day or two. So I ordered menudo, sat down at a table, and took in the sights of Loncheria Rosita.
Photo: It's a little before 10 in the morning on Monday, April 18, 2005, and my friendly hostess, Rosita, poses for my camera, as she takes a break from preparing my breakfast. Immediately placed on the table before me was a tortilla warmer, filled with fresh, corn tortillas, and a bowl of salsa to-die-for. Rosita puttered about the kitchen, pulling a pot of menudo out of the fridge, putting some of it into a saucepan, and heating it up on the stove. No microwave ovens can be found in Loncheria Rosita! While the menudo was heating, Rosita busied herself with cutting up onions, cilantro and filling a small plastic container with oregano. Just the thing to compliment a bowl of menudo. She wasn't all that busy, as I was the only customer in the place, so I decided to give my Spanish a workout, as no English is spoken at Rosita's. Rosita and her husband have been living in Punta Banda all of their lives, and in the same location for 22 years. Their house adjoins the restaurant, which is their main source of income. Rosita pretty much operates the restaurant by herself, however when things get busy, hubby lends a hand doing whatever is needed. In true Mexican fashion, the kids also help out when business is brisk, particularly when a tour bus stops by.
Photo: Rosita takes a break from preparing my breakfast to ask if I prefer flour or corn tortillas. Corn of course! Rosita was amazing friendly, and wasn't afraid to chat with me while she prepared my delicious breakfast.
Photo: I take a peek into the open kitchen and watch Rosita at work. She's a hard-working, friendly person, who knows how to cook, and run a friendly diner.
Photo: Rosita spooned some menudo from a pot in the refrigerator, placed it in a pan, and heated it up, for my breakfast enjoyment. After heating it on the stove for about 10 minutes, a hot bowl of delicious menudo was ready for me. No preservatives are used at Rosita's, as the ingredients are fresh and procured from local sources. She makes corn tortillas in the kitchen, from locally-grown corn. In fact, all of her produce is grown locally and purchased from local growers. If you order a chicken or goat dish, you know the meat is very fresh, as hubby tends to the chickens and goats they raise, and is very instrumental in converting them into meat for the restaurant. I asked Rosita where the tripe came from that I was eating in my menudo, and she replied that it came from Enrique's ranch, only a couple of kilometers away to the east. After a few minutes of pleasant conversation, my breakfast was ready. During the course of our conversation, I'd consumed the six tortillas; six more came with my meal. After I'd topped my menudo with the condiments, Rosita asked me if I'd like some beans, on the house. How could I resist an offer like that? So in addition to the menudo, I had a bowl of the most delicious refried beans this side of heaven. As I was enjoying my breakfast, she brought me another six warm, freshly-made, corn tortillas. Oh dear...
Photo: My amazing breakfast of menudo, refried beans, and a stack of warm corn tortillas. I've already loaded up my bowl of menudo with diced onion, cilantro, chili pepper flakes and oregano. Rosita told me she gets her beef tripe from a nearby neighbor, and all ingredients are locally sourced. The menudo was some of the best I've ever tasted, as the tripe was perfectly cooked, chewy and simply delicious. Yes, this bowl of menudo included hominy, another locally-sourced commodity! The tripe and hominy were cooked in a thick, mildly-spicy and super-flavorful chili pepper broth, just the way menudo should be. I used the offered fresh onion, cilantro, along with chili pepper flakes and oregano to garnish this amazing bowl of menudo. Rosita's refried beans were made from scratch, and you could taste the lard, which gave the beams amazing flavor that nothing else can compare to. The beans were "on the house," as I suppose Rosita could see how much I was enjoying here food! The corn tortillas were delicious - I can't say they were made in-house - toasted, and rounded out the perfect breakfast. By the time I'd finished my meal, I was stuffed! Rosita asked me if I'd like more tortillas, or a second helping of menudo and I had to politely decline, as my stomach was about ready to burst. I asked for la cuenta, and the total bill came to a measly $40.00, less than you'd pay for a "happy meal" in the states, but exponentially superior.
Photo: Some of the most amazing menudo and refried beans that you'll ever enjoy when you're visiting Punta Banda, on the way to "La Bufadora." Forget about eating at chain restaurants, and "politically correct" places when you visit Mexico. Enjoy the culture and flavor of Mexico, and eat at the small roadside stalls and restaurants, like Loncheria Rosita. You'll get a chance to meet, talk to, and quite possibly share a meal with some of the most incredible people on the planet. Rosita is an example of this superior genre of the human race found in Mexico: Smart, friendly, resourceful and nicer than the girl next door. Next time you're in Punta Banda, do your taste buds and your wallet a favor and stop by Loncheria Rosita for breakfast, or any other meal. Amazing Mexican "comfort food" diner cuisine, super friendly service, and delicious food. Loncheria Rosita Copyright(c) 2005 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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