Flan de Elote from Fonda del Barrio in San Diego
By Kathleen Furore
At Fonda del Barrio, a recent entry to San Diego’s Barrio Logan cultural district, the focus is on ancestral Mexican cuisine in dishes crafted by Chef Eduardo Baeza, a Mexico City native whom owner Gerry Torres has known for more than 25 years. As the story goes, Torres and Baeza asked each other where in the area they went for good Mexican food. When neither could come up with a favorite spot, they decided to create one — and the idea for Fonda del Barrio and its focus on a pre- and post-Hispanic rendition of Mexican fare was born.
That culinary approach extends beyond the appetizer and entrée offerings into desserts that take basic Mexican sweets to new heights.
Fonda del Barrio’s Flan de Elote is one example: Sous Chef Jesus Rodriguez and Chef Baeza transformed flan (the most common and often the only desserts on Mexican menus) into an end-of-meal masterpiece.
“We decided to make it our own by re-engineering this timeless classic” says Torres, noting they did that “by adding corn to the actual custard mix and topping it with cooked corn, pomegranate and apple, with a goal of adding complexity and excitement to the palate.”
Mole de Postre from Fonda del Barrio
Creative, seasonal edits also play a role in Fonda del Barrio’s other dessert selections.
Case in point: the recently added Mole for Dessert.
“This is our very own grown-up dessert — so not as sweet [as some others] — comprised of panela cheese, mole poblano, camote (sweet potato) mousse and chocolate,” Torres says.
A Sweet Play on Tamales
Jhoana Ruiz has always had a passion for desserts — so much so that she focused on baking and pastry when she started her culinary journey in 2012.
Carrot Cake Tamal from Santa Masa Tamaleria in Chicago
Fast forward to 2024, when she and her husband, Danny Espinoza, opened Santa Masa Tamaleria in a storefront on Chicago’s northwest side. (The brick-and-mortar restaurant is the realization of a dream that took a hit when COVID forced them to shelve plans; in 2020, they opened Santa Masa Tamaleria in a commercial kitchen where they filled delivery and take-out orders.)
“When opening Santa Masa, I knew I had to play around with masa and continue [to pursue] that pastry desire more than ever,” she recalls. “I have always loved to incorporate sweet and salty components and tamales are the perfect platform.”
A sweet strawberry tamal — the Tamal de Fresa — is always on the restaurant’s menu. But it is the rotating menu of sweet tamale specials that customers order most.
“At Santa Masa we do something called Tamal del Mes,” Ruiz says. “This gives us the freedom to create a different savory and sweet dessert tamal every month. The sweet tamales have become very popular due to being a nice, sweet bite at the end of the meal.”
Two of those Tamales del Mes have proven the most popular: The Sweet Pumpkin Tamal crafted with cream cheese mousse, caramelized white chocolate, pepitas and oranges (especially popular in the fall); and the Carrot Cake Tamal made with carrot butter, whipped cream cheese mousse, toasted coconut, and spiced pecans (a favorite in the Easter season).
Santa Masa Pumpkin Tamal
Tamales are quite time-consuming to make, which is likely why they’re seldom seen on Mexican restaurant dessert menus.
Ruiz acknowledges that prep can be difficult, especially when everything is made from scratch, and that trying to incorporate a sweet twist to what is usually a savory dish can be a bit challenging.
Her approach: “I take the base of the tamal, and we add components that I know will complement the rest of the dish,” she says.
What advice do Torres and Ruiz have for their industry peers who want to be more creative with desserts — especially those that have always relied on the basics and don’t have an experienced chef at the helm?
“The basics can be grand! All it takes is experimentation and direction. Nowadays, social media can serve as that inspiration to drive change and excellence,” says Torres.
“Don't be afraid — always to be curious to experiment with new dishes,” Ruiz concludes.
SIDEBAR 1: Sweet Tips for Up-Selling Desserts
How can restaurants promote desserts in a way that encourages customers to order them after they’ve eaten a full meal? We asked Gerry Torres, owner of Fonda del Barrio, that question:
“First, we only have three desserts purposely so that guests are not bombarded with choices and a decision does not become a task rather an opportunity. We start with the basic open-ended question such as, ‘And now which of our signature desserts will you be having to complete your meal?’ That typically makes a sale smooth and effortless.”
SIDEBAR 2: Desserts’ Bottom-line Impact
According to a Datassential blog post about dessert trends, 60 percent of restaurant operators say the desserts they offer help to drive profit. They’re especially important to those “who count on dessert as an important add-on to a meal that can mean critical extra revenue and further enhance the customer experience and their likelihood for a return or repeat visit,” the post notes.
Information from The National Restaurant Association (NRA) echoes those findings.
“Desserts increase average check size, boosting both revenue and perceived value, and enhance the overall dining experience as a personal indulgence or a shared tasting,” the NRA reports.
Those assessments are proving true for Fonda del Barrio in San Diego and Santa Masa Tamaleria in Chicago.
“Everyone is intrigued by our dessert selections, and more often than not a table will order one or all three,” Fonda del Barrio owner Gerry Torres says. “Dessert sales add 10 percent to 15 percent to check totals, so essentially a 12.5 percent increase in sales.”
Santa Masa Tamaleria enjoys a similar increase in check averages.
“They’re adding a nice boost to every guest check. Our Tamal Specials are $6.50 a piece, which allows us to play with ingredients while always being conscious of the bottom line to meet food costs,” owner Jhoana Ruiz says.
So what desserts are making the most impact on restaurant menus overall?
Handheld desserts often deliver the highest sales margins, according to Datassential. “Indulgent desserts like pie and cheesecake have wide appeal, yet, for operators, these aren’t necessarily the desserts bringing in the most bang for their buck,” that research says.
According to the NRA and Datassential, these dessert categories are currently trending:
- Nostalgic interpretations of past favorites — the “old made new.” Fonda del Barrio’s Elote Flan is one example of a dessert that recalls memories of the past while elevating the flavors for modern diners.
- Seasonal sweets. Santa Masa Tamaleria’s Pumpkin and Carrot Cake tamales are good examples.
- Mini treats/dessert flights. Desserts from global cuisines are trending, and churros are among the fastest-growing desserts in that category. One idea: Serve a variety of mini churros with a selection of dipping sauces that a table of customers can share.
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