La Texanita

Go to Any City, California and you will find lots of Mexican restaurants. Lots. I love Mexican food, but I will never get a chance to try them all in one lifetime. Sometimes you find a gem that’s worth a second and third visit, though. La Texanita is one of those rare finds; a restaurant with good food, reasonable prices and friendly service.

La Texanita is located in the Roseland area of Santa Rosa. The name means "the little Texan". The restaurant has a great ambiance. You almost feel as if you were in Mexico. The colors are bright, the atmosphere is lively and the smells inviting.

They start you off with tortilla chips and salsa, pretty standard operating procedure. But that’s where standard stops. The chips were delicious; light and crispy. Just like I like them. And the salsa. Delicioso! Two types were delivered to our table and each had just enough kick to make my taste buds dance. One of the salsas was a traditional red and very tasty. The other salsa was a light guacamole mix and just as enjoyable.

The menu offers a friendly range of choices. I ordered tacos which I will describe in a minute. I just wanted to mention that the beans and rice were good but not memorable. You automatically get your beans refried but you can ask for whole beans if you prefer them. Just say “de la olla” if you want to slide a little Spanish in there.

Now, the tacos. The tacos are one of the things that set this restaurant apart. They are made with homemade tortillas. I ordered the home made tortilla taco with carne asada. Two of them in fact. Let me tell you, the home made tortillas were “la bomba”. The tortillas were hot, had good texture and a subtle corn flavor. They would have been a satisfying treat to eat alone or with just a little butter. But be careful. They serve the tacos with a type of salsa I was not expecting. It is kick-ass. Now, I eat a little “hot” but I don’t like “crazy hot”. But this stuff. Madre mía! ¡Mi lengua ha encendido! My taste buds were ignited. I couldn’t taste a thing after a few bites. I knew better but I pushed through eating. My mouth was on fire. My nose ran. And I know I will pay for this salsa infraction for the next few days. My bad. My server graciously replaced my second taco with a salsa-less version.

By the way, the carne asada was tasty and served in generous portions.

You can find La Texanita at 1667 Sebastopol Road in Santa Rosa, California. Now go explore!

I loved it. “Me encanta”, if you want to slide a little Spanish in there.