The historic Mitla Cafe along Route 66 in San Bernardino, California, recently advanced to the semifinals of the rugged KCRW Tortilla Tournament in the corn tortilla division.
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen, who noted the restaurant dates to 1937, passed along these details about the competition:
While first-timer Mitla was entered in both the corn and flour categories, its flour tortillas were eliminated in the first round — ay! Corn, however, made it through three rounds, beating Baldwin Park’s San Gabriel Market, Fontana’s Tortilleria Flor de Mayo and Oxnard’s Carnitas El Rey.
Judge Connie Alvarez of the tastemaking Santa Monica radio station praised the “great texture” of Mitla’s corn tortillas. In the third round, vs. Carnitas El Rey, she said, “Mitla Cafe ran away with this one. Their flavor was subtle, but so satisfying and full.”
Alas, Mitla was next stacked against Costa Mesa’s much-praised Taco Maria, the tournament’s defending champion, and got crushed like the masa in De La Paz’s hand press.
The tournament, by the way, was founded by Gustavo Arellano, whose “Taco USA” book (Amazon link) is required reading for anyone wanting to learn about the rise of Mexican cuisine in the United States.
And considering the long history of Mexican food in California, the competition at the tournament had to have been stiff, indeed.
The Mitla Cafe remains best-known as the restaurant that inspired Glen Bell to launch the now-ubiquitous Taco Bell restaurant chain.
Patti Oquendo, the restaurant’s manager, told Allen the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is “our greatest trial” in Mitla’s 83-year history.
So, if you’re in the area, show them some love and buy a few of their hard-shell tacos. I guarantee you won’t regret it.
(Excerpted image of the Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino, California, via Google Street View)