Hello fellow Porschephiles. For July’s LTS, Starting at 5:30 on July 28 we will be taking a cross border trip to Sonora, Mexico courtesy of Hacienda Cazadores in La Mesa. FYI: No passports are required.:). This is a Sonoran-style Mexican restaurant where you can watch as their chefs prepare salsas molcajete tableside, grinding chiles and spices in volcanic stone, just as it’s been done for generations. All their tortillas are handmade, pressed and cooked right before your eyes.

For lovers of salsa and guacamole, you need to experience this table side use of Sonoran molcajetes which are the Mexican version of the mortar used along with a hand-held grinding tool, the pestle, known as a tejolote. Together they crush and grind spices to prepare salsas and guacamole. The rough surface of the basalt stone creates a superb grinding surface that maintains itself over time as tiny bubbles in the basalt are ground down, replenishing the textured surface. Traditionally, both are made of vesicular basalt which is a volcanic rock with many gas bubbles trapped as cavities when lava cools quickly at Earth's surface. Then they are called vesicles and are what makes the rock lightweight and porous.

Eye candy is great but let's not forget the nose and tongue. With dishes ranging from street-inspired bites to high-end cuts, Hacienda Cazadores heightens the senses with ambrosial and succulent dishes that aim to capture the depth and diversity of Sonoran cooking while offering something for every appetite. Diners can expect an elevated menu highlighting the diversity of heavenly flavors of Mexico’s northern Sonoran region.

Hacienda Cazadores is delighted to offer 3 salads, including a charred Caesar, plus authentic tacos including some elevated with fillings like bone marrow with arrachera or pork al pastor with pineapple and salsa taquera. In keeping with their traditional style of food presentation, they use only handmade tortillas as well as bold appetizers like charred octopus in adobo, tuna tostadas, and sizzling queso fundido.

And, I’m not done yet as I haven't talked about their mouth watering and hearty entrée offerings such as zarandeado whole fish. For those unfamiliar with this particular recipe it is a popular coastal Mexican whole fish made with a smoky, chile-based marinade that is brushed onto the fish and grilled over an open flame. It’s bold, savory, and a delight to your olfactory senses. Other luscious and savory entree offerings include seafood enchiladas, and pollo a las brasas, fresh seafood, grilled meats including a premium dry aged New York center cut, a 20-ounce bone-in ribeye, Australian wagyu, and a 32 ounce tomahawk ribeye aged 28 days for those craving a premium steakhouse experience. Many of their recipes are traditional but reimagined with a modern twist.

Here you can take a virtual vacation as you’ll feel transported to the heart of Sonora in a setting that attempts to mimic a true hacienda with wait staff appropriately and colorfully dressed. More than a meal, Hacienda Cazadores is an experience—rooted in tradition, elevated with soul, and made to be shared.

If you would like to peruse their extensive menu, just click on the link below.

https://www.haciendacazadores.com/menu/

Name	Status	Hometown
T Tom Brown	Confirmed	San Diego, CA
Joann Cueto	Confirmed	SAN DIEGO, CA
Jorge Ferrin	Confirmed	La Mesa, CA
Kathleen Hedberg	Confirmed	LA MESA, CA
R Rich Ingalls	Confirmed	Santee, CA
Michael Zurich	Confirmed	El Cajon, CA