Albondigas @ Taqueria La Alteña in Salinas

[Melanie Wong]

Mom and I had lunch this week at La Alteña on the northside of town when we had errands nearby. I was a little concerned when is saw the help-wanted sign in the window looking for a cocinero. But our food turned out fine. Complimentary chips were decent, and the table salsa was full of spice.

Mom ordered a pair of tacos. They’re $1.89 each and a large version of a classic, topped with salsa, cilantro, and chopped white onions. The amount of meat on them is about double what you’ll get at one of our local trucks. The carnitas was a bit stringy in part but very tasty, and the soft tongue had little flavor at all. Both had the same very spicy roasted tomato salsa with quite a kick. A help-yourself salsa bar had pico de gallo and a very nice tomatillo-avocado salsa that was HOT.

Tacos -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/2968890792/

I had the albondigas, $7.50, in a deliciously light vegetable broth with a single large piece of various verduras: chayote, calabacita, carrot, and a red potato. The vegetables were each perfectly cooked, soft enough to bring out the flavor but still full of life. I appreciated having more vegetables in this dish. The three meatballs tasted like all beef with some onion and rice mixed in. Just a few beads of oil floating on top, this was a very light and greaseless meal, which I’ve not been able to say that often about meatballs of any stripe. Corn tortillas were not handmade, so I took them home and made some tacos with them the next day.

Albondigas -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/2968890786

Health Initiatve of the Americas
http://hia.berkeley.edu/

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La Altena Taqueria
542 E Laurel Dr, Salinas, CA 93906

[Melanie Wong]

Probably not what anyone's craving in our current heat wave, but last week I was back at La Altena with a friend for lunch. This time I had the caldo de camarones and was quite satisfied. Homemade tasting broth (not the MSG-tasting powder) and more heavily spiked with chili than I'm accustomed too, making me choke a few times sipping the liquid. Chockful with lots of tasty shrimp (with the tail shell removed), chayote, carrots, potato, and calabacitas. I'd order this again.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniew...

[Eat_Nopal]

"The three meatballs tasted like all beef with some onion and rice mixed in."

Salinas & Watsonville both have a very large population that hails from the Highlands of Jalisco - hence the name La Altena. That is also where my parents hail from, but I will be the first to tell you that my paisanos make some of the least compelling Albondigas in all of Mexico.... don't know if you are willing but ask them if they would consider making them with Chicharron instead of Rice & Onion...

[Melanie Wong]

Yes, many restaurateurs from Jalisco in this area, including many Grullos.

There are certainly more richly flavored albondigas out there . . . will have to report about the lady from Zacatecas. But what I liked about the version here is how light everything tasted, yet this was a filling meal when I only consumed half of it. You know how boiled beef can sometimes taste lighter than chicken? That was the case here, and the veggies were cooked so well. That stock almost felt Vietnamese to me, it was so sheer yet flavorful. I've been trying to find places that use more fresh vegetables, and this dish hits it.

[Eat_Nopal]

Yes you are right the Albondigas in the Highlands are certainly lightly flavored (particularly since they are commonly done as a mix of Pork & Beef, or Veal... at least in my parents corner of the Highlands that would be the case).

The one thing that is hard to find in California is places that use Yerba Buena (Clinopodium) in their Albondigas... or in the food in general. Its in the Mint family but much more delicate than most Mint we have available... and used extensively throughout the Highlands. I wish that instead of ommitting it... they could substitute with something like Mint Basil or Thai Basil which I believe is a fair substitute.

Although I believe the local town Yerba Buena was named for the extensive wild growth of a cultivar of Clinopodium... so with a little foraging the local markets could certainly find it abundantly.

[toodie jane]

Eat Nopal, are you sure it's the same genus/species? this map indicates Clinopodium (Satureja) douglasii only goes south to LA county....generally flourishing in cool, moist climates. I had it growing on the property when I lived in the Soquel mtns. Perhaps it's a true Mentha species that your ancestors used in Mexico? There are so many different plants called yerba buena.

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/ge...

[Eat_Nopal]

There are many cultivars of Clinopodium beyond Douglasi.... they do quite well in the Jalisco Highlands where the climate is similar to Napa (winter nights below freezing, sunny warm days etc.,)... and can be found growing wild around rivers & wells.

[Melanie Wong]

Thank you for mentioning Yerba Buena, remembered to use that factoid on last weekend's tour of SF's Mission district.

Yes, I think that those little touches of herbal scent are what make the difference between good and great to hit those authentic notes. Here's the sign from the u-pick at ALBA for the herb garden. I'll mention that there's much more out there and I bet they have herba santa too.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/2948684314/sizes/l/
Farm to Picnic Table post, http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/563963

La Altena is actually a mariscos specialist, as are the other Jaliscan places in town, but it has the usual antojito suspects too. Northing really stands out to me as unusual on the menu, but as you've found, sometimes something that sounds quite ordinary can be executed in a surprising and unique way. I've only had this one visit, so can't really say. One of the mariscos items that i've not seen elsewhere, i think, is called Mar y Tierra, $12.50, described as camaron, bistec y pollo guisado. I've often lamented the lack of braises and stews in restaurant cooking, so I noticed this one. It also offeres aguachil in red or green versions.

[Eat_Nopal]

Wow great pic... Toronjil... I haven't seen or heard any reference to that herb outside of my Mom & Grandma!

With regards to mariscos at La Altena.. please ask them about Caldo Miche (Fish & Shelfish Stew with a spicy broth that has Xoconostles, Cloves, Garlic, Tequila or Wine, Vegetables, Herbs etc.,)... in my humble opinion it is the summit of sea food cookery in the Highlands of Jalisco.

[Melanie Wong]

I loved the lemon balm I bought from Alba, per my linked post. This was before there were any identifying signs. A Mexican doctor id'd it for me and said that it was part of the indigenous pharmacopeia.

At the farmers market in Greenfield a couple weeks ago, I had the chance to taste some papalo, as reported here, http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/535697

I think I've seen caldo miche on a menu around here somewhere, will have to keep my eyes open. Or maybe I'll show up at Alteña with a couple xoconastles in hand and ask them to make it for me.

[Eat_Nopal]

The other thing we don't find much in Mexican cookign north of the border is Lemon Grass... in some areas of Mexico it is used quite extensively in food and not just to make teas.