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In 2011, Gustavo Gonzalez and his wife Alejandra came to Hollister, leaving behind the cafe they had operated in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Gonzalez was unsure of his plans but, armed with his family’s recipes, he started his own business in the old Las Palmas Restaurant location on San Benito Street.
“We were making cookies from our grandmother’s recipes,” said his son, Gustavo Jr. “along with whole wheat bread, cemitas de trigo. My dad was using just the kitchen and selling them to grocery stores.”
As the business grew, Gonzales brought the rest of his family from Mexico and, together, they decided to expand into a full-service restaurant. It took about a year to get the permits and loans before La Catrina was able to open in 2014.
For the first few years, La Catrina operated as a restaurant during the day and switched gears at night to keep up the production of their cookies, which they had been distributing to Mexican grocery stores throughout the area. The bakery finally spun off to its own location in 2019.
Early on, they were joined at the restaurant by chef Carlos Gallardo, who had owned his own place in Mexico City. Gallardo is responsible for much of the creativity behind the menu, including Camarones al Chipotle, a recently added dish made with shrimp in a creamy chipotle sauce, served with poblano-tinged green rice, and Salmon al Ajillo, pan-seared salmon topped with garlic and chile de árbol.
A number of the recipes, including the traditional mole, made with peanuts, almonds, raisins, and chili peppers, come from family recipes, but the restaurant prides itself on rotating regional dishes into the menu a couple of times a year.
“We try to have a little from different parts of Mexico,” Gustavo Jr. said. “Like the Cochinita Pibil (slow-roasted pork marinated in citrus) from Yucatan and the Tacos Norteños with steak from Northern Mexico.”
The authenticity of the menu even reaches to its tortillas, which the restaurant has begun making by hand from blue corn.
“We have been thinking about the tortillas for a couple of years,” he said. “It takes more time to make them, of course, but I think it’s important because they are softer and they completely change the flavor of the food.”
They also make their own traditional beverages like horchata (rice, milk, vanilla and cinnamon) and jamaica (hibiscus iced tea), and La Catrina has a well-stocked bar with a variety of tequilas, occasionally hosting tastings, a tradition that began with a 2016 benefit tasting for BenitoLink.
“The last tasting we did had six different kinds of tequilas,” Gonzalez said. “We explained how to differentiate between the flavors and the smells. It’s not just an alcoholic drink to get drunk: good tequila has many different notes, and making it is a long process.”
The Gonzalez family also owns Paine’s Restaurant, which they purchased in 2022 from owner John Kouretas.
“We were always thinking about opening another business,” Gonzalez said. “We thought about expanding the cookie business then we saw Paine’s was for sale.”
Gonzalez said that, while the last few years of dealing with the pandemic were difficult, his family is proud to be serving—and feeding—the community.
“I think Hollister is a great place to live,” he said. “We are happy serving and being involved in the community, and we thank everyone for their support.”
The Dishes of La Catrina
Enchiladas Potosinas – “Enchilada” is a nod to the crisp chili-infused masa that has been stuffed with Oaxaca cheese and roasted poblano peppers, then deep-fried. Served as an appetizer and topped with guacamole and crema, these empanada-like delights have a great texture and a relaxed heat to them, with the peppers subdued by melted cheese. It is an effortless combination of ingredients that end up delivering a deliciously complex flavor.
Suizas – These shredded chicken enchiladas have been my go-to favorite since I first discovered La Catrina. Packed with roasted poblano peppers and cream cheese, the dish is brought together by a vibrant green poblano sauce that matches heat with a citrusy tang. I also love the presentation, with the sauce on the three enchiladas crisscrossed with crema and flanked by rice and beans. I never get tired of them and, for me, they are a must-try.
Pechuga San Francisco – The poblano pepper sauce also makes an appearance here, topping a crispy breaded chicken cutlet and Oaxaca cheese served with green rice and vegetables. And, again, the presentation is excellent, with the green sauce and the poblano-infused green rice serving as a counterpoint to the colorful assortment of veggies—corn, red and green peppers and carrots—that works to make the dish sparkle. I found out that any dish on the menu can be served with green rice, and I know that is how I will be ordering from now on.
Tacos Norteños – These tender skirt steak tacos are topped with cilantro and guacamole, with a pile of softened onions, a cube of queso fresco, and a dish of chili sauce served on the side A blistered chile and a nicely spiced piece of street corn complete the dish. I like the understated seasoning—just a bit of salt and pepper—which places the flavor of the meat front and center. This would make a very satisfying lunch, but I could easily see ordering these as an appetizer for the table.
Al Pastor Tacos – I visited La Catrina on Feb. 22, National Margarita Day, and the specials of the day were of course, a crafted house margarita and these amazing marinated pork and pineapple tacos served on house-made blue corn tortillas. This dish comes with Papas a la Jardinera—potatoes with onions, cilantro, tomatoes and chiles—and a dish of guacamole-based sauce. The spiciness of the meat was perfectly matched by the sweetness of the grilled pineapple and the tortillas were pillowy and soft. These are not on the regular menu at the moment, but I am really hoping they feature them often. This was my favorite dish of the day and I will keep my fingers crossed any time I come here, in hopes of having them again.
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
