Humberto Hernandez opened his first restaurant at the age of 16 in Jalisco, Mexico. He had spent the past five years learning to cook at home and working in kitchens and thought he was ready to take the next step.
"We had a little bar and food," he said. "It was hard because it was my first business. I was too young. But it was a good experience."
Hernandez spent the next few years building up his skills, spending time working in restaurants in California. He opened Deli Delicias in Santa Maria in March of 2016. He said business has been strong ever since.
Deli Delicias is a small kiosk-sized eatery located by Town Center East, facing Pine Street. The business attracts a strong lunchtime crowd, drawn by Hernandez's signature tortas. But don't expect the usual style at Deli Delicias.
"This is a different kind of torta we have here," Hernandez said. "We don't use any beans or any lard. It's not soggy; it's not loaded with a lot of salsa or things like that."
He said the tortas are the reason Deli Delicias has a five-star rating on Yelp, where diners compliment everything from the sandwiches to the picturesque location, which features small picnic-style tables around the fountain in front of Hernandez's kiosk.
The most popular item on the menu is the deli torta, which features a combination of meats and other ingredients including pork leg, pork loin, ham, turkey, panela cheese, and grilled pineapple.
"In Mexico, the tortas use more single meats," he explained. "They have just pork leg or just pork loin, but here people love a lot of meat. That's why I did this one. It has a lot of meats and comes with jalapeño, lettuce, tomato, onion, and avocado."
Other popular tortas are the Hawaiian, with grilled ham, pineapple, and melted Oaxaca cheese and pulled beef made with Hernandez's own secret recipe red sauce.
I chose the pork loin and was extremely impressed. The sandwiches are packed with a lot of flavors that all work well together. The pickled jalapeños are a nice contrast to the avocado, and the saltiness of the pork helps pull everything together.
The venue also offers a pretty robust variety of fresh-squeezed juices and smoothies as well as milkshakes.
"In Mexico, in the state where I lived, these little kiosks like this are used for these kinds of foods," Hernandez said. "Juices, salads, agua frescas, and milkshakes. In our milkshakes, we don't use ice cream so you don't have to worry about the calories."
The milkshakes are made with ice, milk, honey, and a choice of fruit. You can also add chia seeds, a superfood renowned as a source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
I chose a cucumber and lime agua fresca, which was every bit as refreshing and delicious as it promised to be. Hernandez keeps an eye out for going overly sweet or tart in his drinks, and the cucumber lime is an excellent example of good balance in flavors. Hernandez said the extensive selection of clean and light options is a true reflection of his roots.
"This is the real Mexican food," Hernandez said. "Tortas, fresh juices, the smoothies. It's not too loaded like you see in some restaurants."
The menu has fluctuated since opening as Hernandez experiments with what does or doesn't work. Tostadas were a staple, including pork, until he realized it didn't work with his type of operation. Ceviche tostadas were popular with customers, but as the season changed from summer to winter, he found it difficult to keep fresh product on hands.
"We keep what the people want," he said. "But the problem is I try to have everything fresh, every day. It's hard because we might sell 10 on one day and only four the next day. So that's a problem."
Patrons can also get Deli Delicias delivered through their website and by using the meal delivery app Doordash, which operates in Santa Maria. It's a feature that is popular and has helped expand his customer base in the city. While the business grows and customers rave, Hernandez dreams of future possibilities.
"Next year I want to open an authentic Mexican taqueria here in Santa Maria," he said. "With asada tacos made on the grill, handmade tortillas, things like that. I want to make it like a real taqueria."
Arts and Lifestyle Writer Rebecca Rose is a good source of fiber. Contact her at [email protected].
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