Three years ago, Jay Garcia founded Evarista’s Comal, a popular family-run Eastside eatery named after his mother, serving traditional Mexican fare alongside Italian and American favorites.
This Jalisco, Mexico native cooked at around town for over 25 years, perfecting his techniques. Breakfast options include huevos rancheros, chilaquiles and a pulled pork machaca omelet, and American choices include corned beef hash and Eggs Benedict. Lunch munchies include carne asada, Baja-style fish tacos and a classic quesabirria. An Italian lunch stand-out is the penne pomodoro, prawns and veggies married with white wine sauce. Beverages include micheladas, Bloody Marys and mimosas, and an authentic café de olla, a cinnamon-spiced coffee with piloncillo brown sugar. Open Wednesday-Monday 9am-4pm.
Where does your love for food come from?
JAY GARCIA: I started cooking as work, and little by little, my passion for food grew. I developed my skills and talents working with a wide variety of cuisines. Those, combined with my knowledge of Mexican food from my mom, gave me the ability to cook with diverse flavors and ingredients.
Make a case for the quesabirria?
JG: Part of my state, Jalisco, is known for cooking a traditional and authentic-style slow-cooked beef called birria. I like featuring authentic food from my state. I am proud to bring the traditional food of Jalisco to my menu here so that people can taste food that’s the same as they would get there. The dish is like a quesadilla filled with the birria (tender, slow-cooked meat) and served with consommé, the juice from the meat garnished with raw onions and fresh cilantro. You can either eat it as soup or dip into it.
2-1245 East Cliff Drive Unit A, Santa Cruz, 831-484-7586; santacruzfamilyrestaurant.com
