Like the rest of California, Placer County has an abundance of Mexican food. And as a city within Placer County, it's accurate to say Rocklin adds to that abundance with its nine (that's my count and not an official one) Mexican food restaurants. So, with that said, how do you find one that is vastly different from the rest? Well, read on to find out why Mezcalito Oaxaca is definitely worth eating at when you're in the mood for Mexican cuisine (notice the switch up from food to cuisine?).
From Where?
Mezcalito Oaxaca came highly recommended to me by someone I trust to have very discerning taste (oh no, I feel a plate full of puns coming on) in eateries-a.k.a. my restaurant rival, I mean my brother. You know how it is with siblings, you never outgrow small rivalries. He and I have maintained a good-natured contest on who can find the best restaurant (preferably something not completely obvious). With an open mind, the findee has to try the restaurant and give sincere feedback. That's how my husband and I ended up at Mezcalito Oaxaca-the first time. Now before I dive into talking about all the drool worthy dishes you'll experience, let me tell you about Oaxaca so you know why this place serves up Mexican food of a different kind. Oaxaca is on the south pacific coast of Mexico in a region characterized by mountains and deep valleys. While the region's cooking has similarities to what we associate with popular Mexican food, it's heavily influenced by the intermingling with European cooking as well. This region was the first to experience intermingling with other European groups other than the Spanish. It is also the primary exporter of chocolate to the rest of Mexico and known as the "land of seven moles". What you'll eat at Mezcalito Oaxaca might bring to mind Italian, Greek or Portuguese food with chocolate infused here and there. I'm getting hungry just remembering how delicious my meals there have been. Want to know why? Read on…
What Was That?
Now be warned, you may have to wait a bit for a table unless you go between normal meal times because this place is popular. The first thing you'll notice when walking in is that it's casual dining but not casual eating. To be clear, this is a good thing. There are two areas of the restaurant with one being patio seating that, depending on the time of year, is heated or cooled. The indoor dining area is a bit smaller than that and gives you the opportunity to see what's going on in the kitchen. So it's a lively place. Now if you sit facing the kitchen, you get to see every plate the comes out to be served to other patrons. This is good and bad. If you haven't ordered yet, it's good because you get to ask, "what was that" and possibly order the same amazing thing. If you've ordered, you might see something you have to know about and then regret you didn't order yourself (but there is always next time, trust me, I know because we've come back for something we knew we had to try next time). The food is beautifully plated with variations of Mexican food that is definitely not prepared with the typical ingredients. So, what have we tried that I'd say you MUST go for?
Seafood to Steak
I'm like a lot of people, I have one thing that I can't resist (well, one thing per food category, I should say) so I order that one thing when trying a new place to eat and judge how it holds up against other versions of the same thing. My one thing is fish tacos. Mezcalito Oaxaca is absolutely, hands down my favorite fish taco place! Can I tell you why? They contain fresh grilled fish, green papaya, mango, avocado, shredded cabbage, pico and a chipotle sauce that you'll want to lick off your plate (but don’t because people may talk). YUM! But if seafood doesn't float your boat, there are other amazing things to choose from that will make you just as happy as I am with fish tacos. My husband has tried the tasaja (traditional meal of Oaxaca) which is tri-tip, sautéed mushrooms and onion served so sizzling hot that you have to wait a while before digging in. Of course, all this is served with black beans and rice (also done up just a bit differently). And wait for it!!! All tortillas and chips are house made! If you order chips and salsa (considered an appetizer so is separate order) the chips are always served hot. Now here's another thing you have to try…mole! Remember when I said that this region is an exporter of chocolate? Please PLEASE don't pass up the mole at Mezcalito Oaxaca because it's the real deal! Now from everyone I've talked to that is a carnitas fan, this is the place to go for that and it seems like it's a pretty popular dish there as I've seen plenty of them leave the kitchen. Something to look forward to that we haven't tried yet is breakfast as this excellent eatery is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a pretty substantial breakfast menu. But no matter what you choose or what time of day you eat it, you won't leave hungry!
Moving Can Be Tiring, Eat Something!
Speaking of hungry, after you've worked hard at the last of your moving tasks, you should definitely treat yourself to a meal at Mezcalito Oaxaca. Moving is hard work and we at Stanford Ranch Self Storage can appreciate just how hard it can be. At Stanford Ranch Self Storage, we want to be sure you know where you can go to treat yourself to a great meal after all that work of moving is behind you. As Rocklin’s neighborhood self storage facility, we're always looking for great places to share with you and hope you'll drop by to tell us about some of your own favorites. See you soon!
Mezcalito Oaxacan Cuisine
5065 Pacific Street Rocklin, CA 95677
(916) 701-4772
https://www.mexcalitocuisine.com/
