By Denise Ortuno
La Quinta’s newest restaurant offer’s something different and innovative in Mexican fare. With special attention to detail and local farm fresh ingredients, you will be making Chula Artisan Eatery a regular on your dinning out schedule.
For Katherine Gonzalez, it was time to go out on her own and introduce her cuisine to the masses. Long known for her expertise as a chef at a local cooking school, Gonzalez had already established a following. The result cumulated into grateful diners at her new restaurant, Chula Artisan Eatery.
The menu at Chula was inspired by family recipes passed down to Gonzalez. She ups her incredible family recipes by paying close attention to seasonal ingredients and takes care and pride in using locally sourced products. It makes for a refreshing take on her items, a freshness that you can feel when you first walk in the door with the light and airy décor, matching the fluid nature of her food.
Breakfast and lunch items abound with a creative sprinkle on traditional favorites. For breakfast, try their Chula Farm Bowl (sweet potato hash, house made sausage, balsamic farm greens, heirloom tomato, avocado and a local farm egg), Huevos Rancheros (local farm eggs, roasted green chile & tomatillo, black bean puree, house-made chorizo, avocado, micro-cilantro), Chula Special (tamale of the day, poached local farm egg and salsa) or the Chula Flapjacks (house-made canela butter, local berry syrup), among others.
Lunch items include the Chula Cobb Salad (grilled rosemary-lemon chicken, cage free egg, heirloom tomato, organic farm greens, avocado, Applewood bacon, citrus-cilantro vinaigrette), Seasonal Sweet Corn (grilled sweet, organic corn, mayonnaise, queso fesco, parmesan, chile powder, scallion, lime), Mom’s Red Chile Chilaquilas (sautéed corn chips, red chile sauce, pulled pork, sweet onion, queso fresco, avocado, poached egg and organic pico de gallo) and one that I’m definitely trying soon, the Red Chile Mac’n Queso (mild red chile cheese sauce, macaroni, Applewood smoked bacon, queso fresco, onion jam and cilantro) plus many more.
Besides using the freshest of locally sourced ingredients, many of the menu items at Chula are either vegan or gluten free, and some are both. Perfect for today’s consumers dietary needs. Gonzalez also offers some fantastic baked goods as well, also with gluten free options. I tried their seriously amazing Chipotle Chocolate Brownie, dusted with edible gold. It’s basically a chocolate lovers dream!
On top of offering breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday, Chula offers up a late afternoon Happy Hour on Friday and Saturday from 3pm-6pm. Relax and enjoy a great wind-down from the week, with live entertainment, libations at $5 and small plates from $5 to $10.
Chula Artisan Eatery offers diners the freshest of farm fresh ingredients, mastered into innovative Mexican fare. Coupled with a comforting airy ambience and warm service, Chula is on point to becoming a desert dinning favorite.
For more information visit www.chulaeatery.com
