Culturas Hidalgo y Oaxaca

All Martha Tapia has ever wanted for her family is a piece of the American dream. She came to the United States from Tulancingo, Hidalgo, in Mexico, and spent nearly 20 years packing cauliflower in Salinas, California. Her permanently swollen wrists tell the story of that life, the one she had before opening Culturas Hidalgo y Oaxaca with her son-in-law, Roman Monjaraz. He, too, understands the toll agricultural work can put on the body, a trade-off for the opportunities it offers. His parents harvested strawberries in Monterey County for years, and brought their children to Salinas he told The Californian, “They brought us along to give us a better future. I think that’s why we all immigrate.”

Tapia and Monjaraz’s future, and their present, is being formed by Culturas, which the pair opened in 2016. Named for the birthplaces of the two owners, Culturas Hidalgo y Oaxaca serves traditional pre-Hispanic food local to both places. Alongside Mexican dishes that many are familiar with like quesadillas, enchiladas, and burritos, you’ll also find mixiote, well-seasoned barbecued meat traditionally wrapped in the parchment-like leaves of the maguey plant (though many use parchment paper), tlacoyo, a dish made of masa (corn dough) and usually stuffed with cheese, beans, and meat, and guajolote, a sandwich found in Hildago. This super-stuffed sandwich is traditionally made with two enchiladas verdes, refried beans, slices of boiled egg, lettuce, and queso fresco, layered between toasted French bread. “I wanted to do it homemade-style,” Tapia told The Californian, “everything made in the instant it’s ordered.”

The restaurant has struck a chord with the community. Though the pair thought their customers would mostly be agricultural workers and immigrants missing the tastes of home, they’ve been surprised by how diverse the customer base is, and how quickly it became a local favorite for all kinds of diners. “Our mentality when we opened the place was: Cook something they’re not cooking,” Monjaraz said. “And people can taste it.”