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Founded as a cherry stand 83 years ago by brothers George, Joseph and Eugene Zanger, Casa de Fruta has grown into an archetypal roadside attraction, serving as the gateway to Hollister and hosting over 2 million customers a year.
Perhaps the best way to describe the restaurant, which was built in 1967, is “solid and reliable,” with well-prepared American classics in hearty portions, a friendly staff with down-home charm, dishes made with farm-fresh produce and a display case always filled with fresh-baked pies.
It has seen many changes in its 59 years, but the latest is an intriguing one: the hiring of a new executive chef, Alex Pasco, who began consulting at the restaurant last fall.
“Alex is a very talented individual,” said Casa de Fruta’s Chief Operations Officer Richard Hill. “He has a depth of experience in the culinary world. He does a wonderful job of trying to understand what the guest here is seeking and accommodating them.”
A native of Arizona, Pasco said that his interest in cooking began more out of necessity than anything else. His family ate out all the time because he said, frankly, his mother was not the best cook.
“My mother doesn’t love this,” he said, “but I tell people I learned to cook because of her. Someone in the family had to learn.”
Then, while attending Arizona State, he faced the same problem that students universally face: with limited funds, regularly dining out is not really an option.
“I started cooking for myself in the dorms,” Pasco said, “which led to me cooking meals for others. When I graduated, law school sounded like a lot less fun than culinary school did.”
Up till then, Pasco’s entire education came from reading cookbooks, like “Martha Stewart’s Cooking School,” which featured simple recipes using inexpensive ingredients.
“It had gorgeous photos of food that I could try and imitate,” he said, “And it was just so elementary that it broke everything down and made cooking as simple as humanly possible.”
Upon graduating, Pasco attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale. Moving from cooking by rote out of books to being formally taught how to cook was a major shift.
“Learning from books,” he said, “there were a lot of things I was doing incorrectly or not as well as I could have been. It was really helpful to have passionate instructors who took the time to make sure I was getting the principles and the basics down.”
Fresh out of culinary school, Pasco moved through a succession of restaurants before settling in at San Francisco’s high-end 25 Lusk under Chef Matthew Dolan.
“The place had very high expectations,” he said, “and you were quickly informed if you were not meeting them. I was working 10- or 12-hour days, five or six days a week. It was just non-stop, and everything had to be perfect.”
From there, he said, he learned his most valuable lesson: if a dish is not exactly the way it should be, it shouldn’t go out to a table.
“All of our palates are a little bit different,” Pasco said, “but at the end of the day, it’s about making sure that a particular dish is the best version of itself it can be.”
When he was hired at Casa de Fruta, Pasco said there were many conversations about menu revisions: what worked, what didn’t, and what needed to be dropped for lack of demand. He also surveyed regular customers to gauge their favorite dishes—and expectations.
Pasco said several menu items were jettisoned, like the linguica sausage, which had been hanging around for decades, seemingly out of habit.
“I loved it,” he said, “but it just wasn’t a huge seller. Some regulars are disappointed, but it was being wasted and the team was often overcooking it. If you’re not going to do the product justice, don’t leave it hanging around ‘just because.’”
Conversely, Pasco said, there are many dishes customers rave about that he will never touch. And in some cases, like the Bacado Burger, with Angus beef, bacon, avocado, cheese and Thousand Island dressing, one of the top three items on the menu, they help define the restaurant.
“It definitely screams ‘a really high-quality burger,’” he said. “Like the rest of the menu, it’s done really well here: if you’re on the road and looking for breakfast or lunch, this is a stellar place to make your stop.”
Pasco has already added some new items and is getting a very positive response, such as the churro pancakes: buttermilk pancakes brushed with dulce de leche, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, then topped with a mound of whipped cream.
“This was an iteration of pancakes that I hadn’t really seen before,” Pasco said. “And they’ve really blown up, especially on weekends where we’ve got a lot of kids on property. It’s definitely for someone who has a sweet tooth.”
And then there is the spicy chicken sandwich, which Pasco said is his favorite. Soaked in buttermilk for at least 24 hours, the chicken breast is dredged in paprika, cayenne, black pepper and flour, then fried to a deep brown.
“We add some good Wickle pickles,” he said, “then a spicy sauce and some hot honey to give a little sweetness to contrast with all the spices.
In an era when “Nashville Hot” assaults the senses, Pasco seeks a more sophisticated delivery. The overall impression of heat never takes center stage; rather, it plays a supporting role, allowing the natural flavor of the buttermilk-brined chicken to come through.
Pasco also takes full advantage of the fruit stand a few feet away from the restaurant and of the best of the local farmers. His Cobb Salad, with Romaine lettuce, bacon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, freeze-dried corn and blue cheese crumbles, is a full meal in itself and has that intensity that only comes from fresh ingredients.
And for a bit of fun, try the new Deviled Eggs, which feature a creamy center made with the yolk, pimento cheese, pickles, relish, bacon and a dash of bagel spice. They came from Pasco’s desire for a classic American comfort-food dish that would evoke memories of mom’s kitchen while offering a unique take on the classic.
And diners need to save room for a piece of pie, particularly the house specialty, Fruit of the Forest, made with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, rhubarb and lemon. It is the number one seller out of a bakery that produces up to 1,800 pies a month.
Ultimately, Pasco said, he is not out to change the nature of the menu, just to add a few accents that will harmonize with the old favorites.
“We’re not trying to do fine dining here,” he said. “But what we are trying to do is have a great burger, a great fried chicken sandwich and great pancakes. It might be simple stuff, but it needs to be done well.”
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
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