La Posada Offers Arlingtonians a Delicious Rest

Spring is in the air and the buds are blooming. There is a buzz in the air, but it is not the bees. We are all rushing about from work to home and back again checking in on twitter, texting the babysitter, and sending emails to the mother in law, and the school nurse. What we all need in this crazy journey of everyday life is la posada.

As Magdalina Pizarro, owner of Arlington's new Mexican "dining room," explains, la posada is an open door welcoming someone in for a rest, a plate of homemade food to fill one's belly, a warm place to recharge before continuing on their journey. This is the experience the Pizarro's hope to create for their guests at La Posada. This perfect little restaurant is warm and welcoming speckled with traditional objects, photographs of the grandchildren in national costume as well as the owner's children back in Durango, Mexico dressed up for Kindergarten graduation. 

A true family business, with Magdalina at the front of the house, her daughter waiting tables and both women working with chef German Castro, Magdalina'a son-in-law, in the kitchen. It doesn't stop there though, "Ma," as the grandchildren call her, can also be found in the kitchen testing out dishes and preparing some of her favorite family recipes with her grandchildren at her side, or on the phone with her mother being reminded that the Horchata has to be stirred by hand not mixed with the blender. 

The food is from "home" which for the Pizarro family is Basque influenced Durango in Northern Mexico. Native to the region are dishes like  carne asada, crispy taquitos, a rich, dark mole, picadillo verde, totopos and chihuahua cheese.  Also on the menu are family favorites such as Magdalina's mother's recipe for Picadillo Poblano a delicate stew of braised beef with caramelized onions and cubed potatoes in a rich hand roasted poblano pepper sauce. The stew is served with a side of rice, frijoles de la olla (pinto beans in an earthenware pot) and warm corn tortillas. The Horchata is a sweet treat that is usually available "back home" when there is a festival or fair or, Magdalina explains with a twinkle in her eye, something you might get as a treat when you're out on a date. 

Horchata is made with rice and milk soaked overnight. La Posada's horchata is smooth and has a wonderful sweetness and understated cinnamon flavor. It is made fresh by hand and is a perfect treat for diners of all ages. Other thirst quenchers available are classic Mexican beverages such as the other Aguas Frescas: Tamarindo and Jamaica and Jarritos:  Madarina, Toronja and Tamarindo.

The menu is extensive with everything from guacamole en molcajete as an appetizer, nachos, sopas y ensaladas (soups and salads), quesadillas, burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, "Favoritos de Mexico," a kids' menu and of course dessert. At La Posada, even something as basic as the nachos are not like anything you will find elsewhere in town. There are the regular nachos, which are totopos (tortilla corn chips) topped with chihuahua and cheddar cheeses, a choice of meat, cheese or beans, shredded lettuce, guacamole, crema fresca and freshly made pico de gallo. Another option are the Nachos Durango, which are totopos with melted chihuahua cheese, whole beans, pickled jalapeño slices, and topped with chipotle ketchup and a side of sour cream.  There is no website to peruse the rest of the offerings, but there are plenty of take out menus on the counter for the taking and an open door as well as a smiling family member inviting you in should you stop by to get one. Of course you can just come by for lunch or dinner as, the menu has something for everyone even a seemingly out of place, Classic Caesar salad.

La Posada Restaurante is open daily from 11 am to 10:00 pm. With only eight tables and a full house at lunch on Sunday, you may want to call and make your reservations for a little respite from the daily rush, to enjoy freshly made food from someone's grandmother's kitchen, in a setting that whisks you away from Arlington Heights New England street to a quieter, warmer, more relaxed place.