On our way out of the Imperial Valley on Sunday we stopped at Celia’s Restaurant in El Centro (location) for a special quesadilla. A special quesadilla is a deep-fried flour tortilla, crimped like an empanada and filled with quesadilla cheese. Apparently the recipe originated in this area but never really spread further much to the chagrin of people with fond memories of them and who now live elsewhere. I heard this second hand: the idea of deep fried, cheese-filled quesadilla is really the product formed at the intersection of Mexican and American culture as occurred and continues to occur in this area.
And the verdict on the taste of the special quesadilla? Very good. You can order one and one or two tacos and be satiated. The other spot to snag a special quesadilla that keeps coming up is at the Mt. Signal Café* named after the nearby Mt. Signal. There is always the next visit.
* from Anonymous 2010-05-25: "Sorry dude, but Mt. Signal has been closed for about two years. Camacho's though has the best special quesadillas around. Just ignore the roaches on the walls! "
Update 2011-06-02: We tried a special quesadilla a Camacho’s Place discussed here.
um, why don't you swing by Casa Dingo on the way home and deliver one or two or twenty of those please?
ReplyDeleteYou need to check out Camacho's Mexican Restaurant. Its way out in the sticks....but they have the BEST BEST Special Quesadillas i have ever eaten.
ReplyDeleteOr try Sobe's in the Garcia Shopping Center (a waitress from Camacho's opened up her own restaurant) Same food, closer location!!!
Sobe's is the best!
DeleteThanks for the suggestions. I'm lobbying to try them next time I'm in the area.
ReplyDeleteSorry dude, but Mt. Signal has been closed for about two years. Camacho's though has the best special quesadillas around. Just ignore the roaches on the walls!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Guess I need to get out more.
ReplyDeletea group on facebook "remembering El Centro when" is having a discussion about the special quesadilla. They desperately need a real recipe. When I get back to EC I'll try Sobe's. Sorry to hear about Mt.Signal closing. Lots of memories from there.
ReplyDeleteI now live in Lakewood, Colorado (ex-Valleyite) and nobody but nobody knows what I'm talking about when I mention Special Quesadillas! I finally found a small Mexican restaurant that makes their own tortillas (therefore the raw tortilla dough needed to make said item) and I'm coaching them on how to make them. Their first attempt was actually quite good but I was able to speak directly with the cook and explain better how to make it all come together. He promised to practice so I'm anxious and excited to get back and see how it's going. Yippee!!
ReplyDeleteLet us know how it goes. Sounds like fun, especially eating all the 'tests' until you get it right.
ReplyDeleteCamachos is disgusting! If they allow roaches to invade the dining area, just imagine what's going on in the kitchen! Try Sobe's, not only closer but the place is clean or El Zarape in Imperial.
ReplyDeleteHeard a little about what is going on with Camachos. We are just leaving the valley today (after a long weekend). We ended up at Dora's again. Thanks for the suggestions. My contacts here have heard of El Zarape, but not Sobe's so I have one on them. Next time we'll try one of them.
ReplyDeleteLa Fonda on 4th street has the best quesadillas (second only to Mt Signal Cafe which has been closed for several years). Big and fluffy with dripping melted cheese. Yum!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Will look for La Fonda next time we are in the area.
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