Mexican restaurant deserves repeat visits
By Matthew Gray
Advertiser Restaurant Critic
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| Among the delicious offerings at La Familia Restaurante Mexicano is the tostada de ceviche, a seafood preparation reminiscent of Hawaiian poke.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser La Familia Restaurante Mexicano 94-226 Leoku St., Waipahu Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays, Sundays: 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Saturdays: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Closed Tuesdays 671-8776
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Come here for the best salsa on the island. It packs a spicy wallop, to be sure, but the fresh tomato, onion, chile and cilantro flavors come through clearly. You can take away salsa in various sizes: eight ounces for $3.99, 16 ounces for $5.99 and the 32-ouncer for $7.99.
Yellow and red colors predominate in this small establishment, with a mirrored wall, potted plants, a pi–ata and a quirky collection of handcrafted leather boots. I had to ask, and was told that Blanca's father makes these boots in El Paso, Texas.
The first thing I tasted after the delicious salsa was a superb ceviche ($3.99), marinated swordfish on this day, in fresh lime juice with chiles, onions, spices and a touch of oil. This is the Mexican version of poke and it's great, served with salad, veggies and sliced avocado, and on a crunchy fried tortilla. Get this appetizer.
The style of cooking at La Familia is from the state of Jalisco, home to Guadalajara (the "Pearl of the West"), one of Mexico's most beautiful cities. Founded in 1535 by the Spanish, Guadalajara is the birthplace of mariachi music and tequila. The city also boasts lovely colonial architecture and the world-famous Ballet Folklorico.
Two traditional Jalisco favorites are the slow-cooked pork carnitas ($9.99), a tender and meaty experience topped with avocado, cilantro relish and sour cream. The birria ($9.99) is marinated goat, once again braised long and slow, served with cilantro, onions and lemon. Some people swear by this dish.
The menu is limited, but everything works. There are three shrimp dishes here that are quite popular. The camarones a la diable (deviled shrimp, $9.99) are butterflied in their shell, in a spicy tomato sauce, served with rice and salad. The sweetness of the shrimp was still present, even though this dish is spicy hot. There's also a garlic shrimp dish ($9.99) and a shrimp soup ($8.99) with diced vegetables.
Enchiladas come stuffed with mild, stretchy cheese and onions, along with your choice of chicken in a green sauce or shredded beef in a red sauce. Three enchiladas are $7.99, with rice and refried beans.
Carne adovado (8.99) is marinated pork steak; chile colorado ($6.99) is a pork and potato stew; and the chile verde ($6.99) combines pork and potatoes in a tomatillo and mild pepper sauce. I loved the gorditas ($8.99), which are three corn cakes stuffed with either the chile verde or the chile Colorado. They're topped with lettuce and tomato, and are a filling and delicious twist, almost like a sandwich.
In the past, I have always used the chile relleno as a measuring stick for Mexican restaurants. Yes, it's easy to make, but it's difficult to make well. The chile relleno ($8.99) here is a good one; a cheese-stuffed (mild) Anaheim pepper, dipped into egg batter, fried and topped with a light and mild tomato sauce. When done right, there's a slight outer crunch, yielding to a fleshy roasted pepper, and finally, the melted cheese within.
Next time I go, I will try the mole poblano ($8.99) to see how they handle chicken simmered in the famous sauce of ground spices, chiles and chocolate. This is a savory wonder of Mexican cuisine that can be rich and unusual.
A great selection of unusual beverages is offered here for $1.25 a glass. The horchata is a perfect foil for spicy foods. It's basically a sweetened rice milk drink, seasoned and flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. They also do a cantaloupe and milk drink, an almost dessert-like strawberries and cream drink, a traditional Mexican punch called tamarindo, and finally, Jamaica, a cold hibiscus-flavored tea.
La Familia is the real deal, serving excellent Mexican fare. It's not a meat market where all that's important are the margaritas. This is an honest-to-goodness family-style place that you'll want to visit again and again.
Reach Matthew Gray at ChefMatthew@LoveLife.com.
