“For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne!”
— Traditional Scottish Tune, words by Robert Burns
Fernando’s Costa del Sol
Fernando’s Costa del Sol, which used to be at the southern corner of highways 49 and 193 in Placerville, moved to its present Cameron Park location at the southwest corner of Green Valley Road and Cameron Park Drive, about five years ago and has been doing well ever since.
To many it looks like a Mexican restaurant, which it is, but it is also something very special and different. It serves delicious Salvadorean food in addition to the Mexican menu.
The owner, Fernando Sierra, is from El Salvador and just happened to be visiting San Salvador when I dropped by. But, I was able to talk to his lovely daughter, Kristina, who gave me a rundown on everything old and new.
The items on the extensive menu, which Fernando makes sure are prepared with only the freshest ingredients, starts with quite a list of Mexican appetizers and sides. Then there is the ala carte menu of burritos, super burritos enchiladas, rellenos, tacos, tamales and more.
There are eight soups on the menu, five of which are Salvadorean style. The list starts with Sopa de Seven Mares (shrimp, fish, squid, clams and crab), which is followed by menudo, and sopa de camarones, chorizo, patas, pollo, res and the always tasty sopa de tortilla. The salad list includes chicken, fajita, taco, vegetarian taco and more.
The Salvadorean food list, which is next on the menu, includes a number of dishes using New York steak or chicken, sautéed or topped with different sauces, and some even come with French fries.
The Salvadorean specialities, which I like, include papusas filled with different meats and cheeses, Salvadorean tamales (tamals) which are cooked in a banana leaf, yucca (similar to potato) and fried plantains (platanos fritos).
Following these dishes on the menu is a whole page of delicious looking seafood items, including, prawns, stuffed prawns and fish cooked several ways.
The Mexican part of the menu includes the normal selection of different meats, all cooked in Fernando’s special way, and served as a one, two or three item combination plate or separately. The list is two extensive to describe here, but you will love it. These are followed by a short “Buenos Dias” menu including a breakfast burrito, huevos con chorizo, huevos rancheros, machaca con huevos and a Salvadorean scramble.
For dessert you can select from ice cream, fried ice cream, sopapilla, a strawberry chimichanga or a churro with ice cream.
On top of all of this, they have weekday lunch specials and vegetarian lunches and dinners.
To accompany the meal there is wine and wine drinks, quite a list of soft drinks, fountain and bottled (Mexican), orange juice, coffee, tea, milk, milkshakes, horchata, tamarindo and jamaica tea, along with domestic, Mexican and Salvadorean beers.
Recently they have introduced a happy hour weekdays from 3 until 6 p.m. and during Monday Night Football, 6 until 8 p.m. (several new televisions added for this and other sports). And to help introduce you to the world of Salvadorean food, they now have a Salvadorean sampler with a papusa, tamal, platanos and yucca.
Fernando’s Costa del Sol is open daily from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., has indoor and patio seating and can be reached at 530-676-4480.