La Pinata is the Oldest Mexican Restaurant in Old Town Serving Great Margaritas for Over 80 Years
A delightful Mexican restaurant that keeps getting better with age is La Piñata. It’s celebrating more than 80 years in business as the oldest operating restaurant in Old Town. There are two colorful dining rooms with a large variety of piñatas for sale, which hang delightfully from the ceiling. The upstairs dining room has a golf course view and can accommodate groups up to 50 people.
Lots of repeat diners prefer the large romantic patio with its fireplace and a bubbling fountain in a garden setting. Once seated, you have your choice of a huge, crisp cheese quesadilla or chips as a free appetizer. There are lots of standards such as tacos, enchiladas, chiles rellenos and burritos.
Plus, there are many really delicious house specialties including shrimp fajitas, fish tacos and pescados rancheros. It consists of Alaskan cod simmered in a salsa of green bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. It’s served with rice, beans and hot tortillas. The carne asada is served with savory guacamole, tender strips of roasted green California chili, beans and hot tortillas. Don’t overlook the combination plates or the Mexican-style lobster. They also have ample free parking and take reservations for parties of six or more.
Business Info
Cooking methods, past and present
The early natives of Mexico did not have ovens, instead they heated food over and open fire, using cast iron skillets and ceramic ware. Another method was steaming. They would suspend meat wrapped in cactus or banana leaves, over boiling water in a deep pit. Frying was also a popular method.
They used a metate y mano, which is a large tool made of lava rock or stone that they would use as a grinding stone or the molcaiete, which was smaller, to grind and smash ingredients. The molcaiete, or mortar and pestle, is a small bowl shaped container that can be made of stone, pottery, hard wood or marble, and the pestle is baseball bat shaped.
Mexican food history
The history of Mexican food is a long and diverse one. It is believed that authentic Mexican food might have been derived from the Mayan Indians. They were traditionally nomadic hunters and gatherers. Corn tortillas with bean paste were a common food item; but they also ate wild game, tropic fruits, and fish.
In the mid 1300's, The Aztec Empire was thriving, and though the Mayan food staples were still in use, chili peppers, honey, salt and chocolate found its way into their cooking. Some of the wild game, such as turkey and duck, had now become domesticated.
In 1521 Spain invaded Mexico. Spanish foods had the most influence on the Mexican cuisine. They introduced new livestock, such as sheep, pigs and cows. They brought with them dairy products, and garlic as well as many different herbs, wheat and spices. It was at this time that the Mexican people saw the assimilation of many other cuisines including Caribbean, South American, French, West African and Portuguese. Because of this Mexican foods today are diverse, yet dishes to vary from region to region.
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