An Old menu

This Old menu is circa 1945

10 cent coffee and the offer of a Martini instead of a Margarita placing it in that time range. By the 1950s the Margarita was the highlighted drink.

The recipes in the book

Fried Chicken

Fried  Chicken was a very popular menu item. It is integral to the seasoned lard that is the lifeblood of the food

Enchiladas

Beef, Cheese, Sour Cream and Chicken enchiladas  with the various sauces that accompanied them are in the book

Chicken Tamales

 The true early California Gold, Tamales allowed my family not only to survive but thrive.  They are so much work but there is nothing like them to be found.

Chili Verde

Traditional red like served at the restaurant or a green variation I make at home. Tender pork cubes with fire roasted Anaheim chilis. 

Macaroni

The macaroni sauce was one of the closely guarded secrets for over  a century, revealed in the book.

Boiled or Refried Beans

Beans an early California staple. Even the beans have a secret.

Estrada’s all Beef Chorizo

An essential ingredient for the hot salad, it was also used in burritos.

Estrada’s Famous Tostada Compuesta

The salad dressing, The Red Sauce, everything you need to make these classic hot salads at home.

Estrada’s Tacos

The taco meat was expensive, so the tacos were expensive compared to other offerings elsewhere. A lot of customers never tried them for this reason. Don’t let that put you off there was a dedicated following for our tacos. Learn how to make taco meat. It is also used in the beef enchiladas.

Chili con Carne

Cubes of beef in a rich mole sauce. Most people would call this Chili con Carne Colorado because there are no beans in it.

Chili Relleno

Big as a goose egg and light as a feather. Peppers for short, ours were more like a soufflé. You will need to practice to make these well. 

Chili con Queso

The sauce for the Chili Rellenos, featuring fire roasted peppers and lots of cheese in a rich tomato sauce.

Guacamole, Bean Dip, Chips and Salsa

Appetizers everyone ordered. How you make it is as important as the ingredients.

Spanish Rice

When hot off the stove  add a little Worcestershire sauce for a special cook’s only treat.

Huevos Rancheros

We only served these at lunch.

Chorizo con Huevos

Quick and easy. Great in a burrito.

Albondigas Soup

Meat ball soup. A winter staple in my house.

New York Steak

Fried in copious amounts of butter.

The Fresh Lime Margarita

Dollar wise, the best selling item by far.  

Family Recipes we did not sell.

Many of our customers are also personal friends. They were often invited into the back booth to enjoy something not on the menu. Some of these recipes are also included in the book.