Ricardo’s Place

Ricardo’s Place
By Bonnie Small

Ricardo Beas and his eponymous restaurant, Ricardo’s Place, have been pillars of San Juan Capistrano for over a decade; known as much for their commitment to our local community as for their delicious traditional soups. As a lifelong Mexican food devotee, I have spent the last few years branching out from the world of combination platters in order to acquaint myself (and my doubting family) with the lighter side of the menu.

On a recent visit, we began with a beautiful plate of ceviche made with fish and octopus and garnished with slices of avocado and lime wedges. I had to battle the skeptics for my fair share.

We also enjoyed Ricardo’s shrimp cocktail served in the traditional Mexican style – large chilled prawns immersed in a delicious sweet tomato sauce with diced avocado, onions and tomatoes. This dish is eaten like chilled soup – with a spoon and a handful of saltine crackers.

A word about condiments – the housemade pico de gallo is delicious and, if you have a thing for salsa, make sure you ask for Ricardo’s roasted jalapeño and green chile salsa, tomatillo salsa, and chile de arbol salsa which each have some spice, but mostly you’ll be dazzled by their depth of flavor.

If you’re feeling festive, try a Mission Margarita – a refreshing blend of lime juice and tequila modernized and amplified with the addition of muddled cucumber and fresh jalapeño.

Other notable favorites at our table were the chicken fajitas – the sizzle alone draws me in every time – and a platter of tender, slow-cooked, pork carnitas; each is served with beans and rice, but the kitchen will gladly substitute a green salad if you prefer.

We shared Ricardo’s flan for dessert and those few bites of velvety custard with golden caramel sauce were the perfect way to round out the meal.

Ricardo’s Place is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and closed on Mondays.