La Abuela means “grandmother” in Spanish, and this charming restaurant in West Reading’s trendiest stretch of sidewalk is inviting, warm, lively and fabulously home-cooked. If you’re lucky, you might even get to meet James Castaneda’s real life abuela, the smiling, sweet-faced, gracious woman who inspired this venture and who oversees the cooking from time to time. Partner to Castaneda is Glenda Rosil, whose grandmother also contributed her best recipes to make La Abuela one of the very best places to eat Mexican food in Berks County.
“Think of this place as your grandmother’s house,” says Castaneda. “And we’re going to cook the best. If you go to your own grandmother’s house, you know she’s going to give you the best she’s got!” So if you’ve got a special hankering for Mexican around Cinco de Mayo, just park around the back (or find a spot on Penn Avenue near 5th Street) and dance into this colorful atmosphere with a hearty appetite. Guaranteed, you’ll find yourself coming back well past May and throughout the year. Added bonus: they do food deliveries!
Best Black Bean Soup, Ever
As expected, the table is adorned with a basket of super-fresh, tasty, house-made tortilla chips and Grandmother’s salsa. La Abuela is BYOB at this point in time, but there are plenty of enticing drinks, among them sweet rice water flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, and hibiscus-flower water, a sweetly fragrant, richly red refresher.
As a starter, the Black Bean Soup is off-the-charts delicious. There are three other traditional soups on the daily menu — Sopa de Tortilla, Pozole Mexicano and Tampico Soup (made with shrimp and lump crab). But do not ignore the common black bean; it makes its debut here as an unforgettable taste experience. The creamy tan broth in an earth-colored pottery tureen with its decorative paint, the black beans poking up, thin tortilla strips lying like slender boats falling into the soup — gently garnished with crumbled mild cheese and pico de gallo — ahhh. The deeply satisfying flavor that only black beans can impart is positively addictive. Each element is obviously approached with care in the kitchen: perfectly tender beans, smooth savory base, a light kick from fresh-chopped tomatoes and diced onions, the texture wake-up delivered by the half-crunchy, half-softened corn tortillas, plus light bites of melting cheese. These all blend together for an unmatched sense of wholeness.
If sliders appeal to you, try the lovely Gorditas de Chorizo con Papa. This is a great shared appetizer of cute round gorditas stuffed with smoky spiced pork sausage (chorizo) and mashed-up potatoes, topped with lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, and fresh bright cheese (queso fresco). They’ve got just mild heat, so everyone can eat these and whet the appetite for a main course. With a soft green tomatillo sauce on the side — made with secret spices and a touch of avocado — you add just as much as you care to, all the while making a wonderful mess. Castaneda laughs as he shares his motto: “I think the messier the food, the better it is!”
Quesadillas, Mole, Enchiladas — and Much More
The entrée selection suits all preferences, from vegetarians to steak and seafood lovers. Glenda’s grandmother’s influences sing in La Abuela’s seafood dishes, since she came from the shore. The Camarones a la Mexicana is a huge platter of grilled shrimp with sautéed jalapenos, onions and tomatoes in salsa roja with rice, black beans and tortillas (soft, hot, round shells). Luscious, perfectly-grilled shrimp shine in this medley of complementary veggie flavors, the sea’s flavor pulled forth by mild peppers and herbs. A marvelous red-yellow rice enhances every other flavor on the platter, with its generous mixture of long grains embracing peas, carrots and corn. You can roll up the shrimp, peppers, rice, beans and sauce to eat this dish as tortillas; the wraps stay warmed in foil on the side.
The Steak Quesadilla is another excellent meal in itself, filling the plate with one grilled flour tortilla loaded with tender beef and sweet bell peppers, tomatoes, Chihuahua cheese, pico de gallo and sour cream. As you fold this baby over into a picture of perfection, and slice into the center of this melt-y, cheesy, beefy creation, you’ll feel almost like you’re part of a well-orchestrated ballet, where movement and lift, warm tones and images have all melded together. Get ready to ask for a take-out box. It’s big.
Fried Ice Cream and Mexican Banana — fried plantain with coconut cream — end the meal with sweet, hot, and cold sensations. Do try the Choco Flan, a sensationally moist chocolate cake 1 and 1/2-inch thick, topped by an equally thick layer of creamy, ivory-colored vanilla flan — plus pure white, fluffy whipped cream on top, swirled to look like wedding cake. Pretty to look at, prettier still on the tongue. The contrasting textures make this a lovely, very different dessert, combining two of the world’s favorite flavors.
By Marian Frances Wolbers | Photos by Heidi Reuter
