In Mexico, Dona is used the same way madame is here, and implies the utmost respect. At this colorful Mexican restaurant, the tortas run the menu, and thus must be addressed with reverence. George and Arturo Guasso, two brothers from the city of Pachuca (located in central Mexico), have been catering to both the neighborhood crowd and their fellow devotee Mexicanos for 15 years. The recipes come straight from Guadalajara, Pachuca, Taluca and Mexico City, surveying a wide variety of their home country. The oversize burritos, enchiladas and tortas, not to mention the hearty breakfast dishes like huevos con carne asada (eggs with steak), keep customers and their families coming back for more.
Outside, the red awning is decorated with festive Dona Torta lettering, and the food-filled party continues inside. A line of fake flowers adorns the curvy, decorative cast-iron gates—similar to those commonly covering windows on Mexican homes in Pilsen—to create a little passageway from the ordering area to the dining area. Potted plants grow all over the place and only add to the feeling of dining in a cheerful outdoor garden area (even though you're sitting inside). Even the tablecloths have a garden-like theme to them. Friendly employees bring giant platters of food right to your table while soft Latin music plays from overhead speakers. Dig into the most popular dinner dish, the carne asada a la tampiquina, a juicy skirt steak served with guac, one quesadilla, rice, beans and a salad—a true deal for only $11.99. Customers can also create their own preemie-size burritos with the usual mix of veggies and options of steak or grilled chicken for $7. Save room in the fridge for leftovers.
Centerstage Reviewer: Alicia Eler
