Plancha tables at Descanso in Costa Mesa, California
By Ed Avis
Rob Arellano knows that experiencing great Mexican food goes beyond tasting – it includes the sounds, smells, and sights, too. His new restaurant, Descanso: A Modern Taqueria, located in Costa Mesa, California, replicates that with a unique feature: planchas built into the guest tables.
“My dad’s side of the family is from Northern Mexico, so we always spent a lot of time there, experiencing the flavors of the taco stands and other walk-up eateries,” Arellano says. “Essentially I fell in love with the taquero experience – the food, the music, the taqueros yelling out the orders, and of course the food, which is so good right off the fire. My dream was always to find a way to bring that experience to a restaurant.”
Arellano, who has worked in hospitality for two decades, had an “aha!” moment when he ate at a Japanese restaurant where they prepared the food at the table.
“After that experience I realized that was a perfect marriage,” he says. “We could bring in the plancha grills and have our taqueros prepare the food before the guests.”
Jay Cruise
The taco bar at Descanso
His new restaurant, which opened in November, accomplishes that perfect marriage. Diners can choose from three options: a traditional table; a seat at the taco bar, which Arellano likens to a sushi bar but with tacos instead of Japanese cuisine; or the full plancha table experience.
Diners choosing the full plancha experience sit at one of four special tables with built-in planchas. Arellano designed the tables himself, making sure they met health codes, and had them custom built. The tables hold eight, and can accommodate multiple groups of diners at once.
“The guests sit down, the order is taken, and the first course comes from kitchen,” Arellano explains. “While the guests eat the first course, the chef prepares the ingredients for the main course. He brings them out in a cart and cooks that part of the meal in front of the guests.”
Arellano says the concept did require hiring some extra staff, but he does not need a chef devoted to each plancha table. The timing of the meals is coordinated so that the chefs can handle several tables at once.
Guests eating at the planchas order from a special menu that features multi-course meals. The main dishes, naturally, are perfectly suited for the plancha: sirloin steak, al pastor, pollo asado, and other grill-friendly options.
Guests have loved the experience so far, Arellano reports.
“Most people are in awe of the quality of the food,” he says. “Our chef, Sergio Ortega, puts a lot of emphasis on ensuring that we use quality, locally sourced food and ingredients. Everything is made right there and goes straight from the plancha to the guests.”
Ed Avis is the publisher of el Restaurante. Reach him at edavis@restmex.com