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According to Nick Winkler, the manager of Jardines de San Juan, he employs two full-time gardeners to maintain the beautiful patio and event area behind the restaurant, the scene of countless outdoor lunches and dinners, not to mention around 50 weddings and hundreds of birthday parties and quinceañeras a year.
Indeed, the oasis of blooming flowers and decorative cacti that surrounds Jardines is a substantial draw to tourists and locals alike, but the real attraction is the food, a 47-year-old tradition founded on the family dishes of founders Manny and Alice Santana and their love of hosting.
“They were really into the labor movement and Cesar Chavez,” Winkler said. “They would host the farm workers and the labor unions at their home, and after a while, they thought, ‘Why not open up a restaurant and host everyone in town?’”
Jardines continues to pride itself on the hosting tradition, creating a welcoming atmosphere as much as providing fine Mexican food.
“If you look around, you won’t see a TV anywhere here,” Winkler said. “This is a family place where you get away from that, where you get to come in and sit down and actually talk to your family members, not stare at a TV and eat away like a drone.”
The place’s family feel extends to its cuisine, which the Santanas developed by adapting recipes they enjoyed on their twice-yearly visits to Oaxaca.
“They never had culinary training or anything like that,” Winkler said. “They always just cooked for themselves. A lot of the cooking styles are based on where their family came from, and we have been using those recipes all these years.”
Winkler says that Jardines strives to maintain consistency in its dishes, saying, “When you go to a certain place, if you love the enchiladas, then you want the enchiladas to taste like they did the last time you were there.”
Helping with that consistency is a core staff that has been working at Jardines for decades, including Chef Chon Vargas, who recently retired after 45 years in the kitchen.
“I’ve got three generations working here: a grandpa, his son, and his grandson,” Winkler said. “We have a lot of aunts, uncles, and cousins. And a lot of people come in just to see Nico Salas, who has been here for 30 years. I really want those people to stay with me.”
Vargas is the source for one of Jardines’ signature dishes: Chon’s guacamole, which, according to Winkler, “is made fresh every day from a 40-year-old secret recipe.”
The most popular item on the menu is the enchilada platter, which can be prepared with chicken, beef, shrimp, or vegan chicken. However, the dish that has won the most acclaim is the “People’s Choice” burrito.
“There was a local competition for burritos and we won it the very first year,” Winkler said. “It was just our regular burrito, but we renamed it after getting the award. Then we won it the next two years in a row. After that, they did not invite us anymore!”
The restaurant has also recently been experimenting with vegan offerings, at the Santana family’s suggestion. “Valentine Santana came up with the idea, and we tried 10 different recipes looking for the right one,” Winkler said. “We finally came up with Val’s Vegan Burrito. I think it is delicious—with the chipotle sauce and all of these vegetables, it is all about flavor.”
Jardines is on one of San Juan’s most historic properties. The restaurant is next to the Vache Adobe, which served as a depot for California wine pioneer Theophile Vache, who started the vineyards now owned by Eden Rift and DeRose Wineries in 1851. At the rear of the outdoor dining area, the Calavera Theater was once San Juan’s movie house and El Teatro Campesino’s first home in town.
“That is like a snapshot in itself,” Winkler said, “With these historic buildings, it’s almost like being transported back a little bit in time. This is a great place to just soak up the atmosphere. Bring the family, come sit in the garden, and you’ll be back. I promise ”
The dishes of Jardines de San Juan
Mini-Chimichangas – I have never been to Jardines with guests and without ordering these little bean and meat-filled deep-fried flour tortillas for the table, and I have occasionally ordered them for myself for lunch. They are topped with sour cream and Chon’s guacamole and are available with a choice of beef, chicken, or carnitas. Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, I love dipping them in the house red sauce. Obviously, for a fan such as myself, this is a must-try.
Garden Tostada – What might be otherwise known as a taco salad, this tostada features a crispy tortilla bowl filled with pinto beans, spring mix lettuce, Jack cheese and tomatoes, then topped with sour cream and Chon’s guacamole. It can be ordered as-is or with a meat option: shrimp, beef, chicken, carne asada or carnitas. Jardines also offers vegan asada or chicken if you want to keep it meatless. I had it with diced chicken, grilled with a spice mixture that gives it a wood-fired taste. The shell is light and flakey, almost buttery, and breaking it open reveals a mountain of food. I am not quite sure how many people could finish this in one sitting, but it is more than tasty enough to savor later as leftovers.
Val’s Vegan Burrito – I would not have ever thought to order this had it not been for Winkler saying it was one of his favorite items on the menu. Filled with squash, carrots, pinto beans, peppers, onions, guacamole and pico de gallo, with a spicy chipotle sauce to bind it together, vegan chicken or beef can be added for a little more heft. Not that it needs it—this dish is a delightful medley of flavors and textures without it. The beans are soft, the veggies are crisp, and the sauce has an excellent back-of-the-throat heat. I would definitely try this one again, but would most likely cheat and ask for some added grilled chicken rather than the vegan choices. (Winkler said the kitchen would be more than happy to make the swap.)
Chile Relleno – When trying a new Mexican place, my father would always order the chile relleno, which he considered a good benchmark of the restaurant’s quality. I think he would have approved of Jardines’ version of the dish. The egg batter is light and fluffy, the chile is mild-to-medium in heat, and the medley of peppers and onions mixed with a house red sauce that tops the dish adds just the right touch of sparkle to the flavor. I sampled all four dishes here, but the chile relleno is the one I kept returning to nibble at. Satisfying and absolutely delicious, another must-try. I am definitely going to rotate this one into my dinners at Jardines.
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.
