Calaca Mamas Cantina owners are sisters who believe family is everything
Boasting a sibling bond like no other, sisters Mariam and Angela El Haj claim to do everything together. They vacation together. They spend holidays and all special occasions together. And they love Mexican cuisine and culture so much that they decided to open Calaca Mamas Cantina, inspired by their many trips to Oaxaca.
Situated in Anaheim, California, the colorfully decorated eatery opened last spring. It certainly stands out in a city full of touristy and chain restaurants. The space is filled with artwork and a beautiful, wall-length mural created by a local artist. It offers a distinct atmosphere that’s modern yet family friendly.
But the real conversation pieces are the many tributes throughout the restaurant to those who have passed away, including the El Haj sisters’ parents. Most significant to them is a painting they commissioned a local artist to re-create a photo of their parents dressed in black tie during the 1970s. It’s their favorite photo of them, and it’s done respectfully in the spirit of Día de los Muertos, a widely observed holiday in Mexico that honors loved ones who have died.
“We wanted to celebrate our parents’ lives, so we embraced the Day of the Dead and learned more about the cultural relevance of it,” Angela explains. “That’s where the theme of the restaurant came from.”
They center Mexican culture and cuisine because they’ve been surrounded by it their entire lives. The sisters, who are Spanish and Palestinian, were born and raised in Southern California, where Mexican culture dominates. Their mother’s first language was Spanish, so they are also fluent in Spanish.
Their parents owned restaurants their entire lives, so working in hospitality comes easy for the sisters. Yet, with Calaca Mamas, they wanted to lean into their favorite comfort food, Mexican cuisine.
“We always represent Mexican culture in the most authentic manner,” Angela says. “The flavors that you get here, we don’t try to tone them down. We embrace the authentic recipes, mostly from Oaxaca. We feel, as ambassadors, we have to be very respectful in the way that we show the culture and the way in which we represent the food.”
She goes on to say that they source authentic ingredients as well as local and non-GMO ingredients whenever possible. Diners may order tacos, burritos or bowls enhanced by various sauces and proteins. Highlights range from chicken tinga with tomatillo salsa and grilled shrimp with salsa verde to charred cauliflower with pumpkin seed salsa and mushrooms with charred corn salsa. Sweet treats include piping-hot churros that arrive in a miniature cart with chocolate and dulce de leche dipping sauces.
“We put on the menu all our favorite things to eat,” Angela says. “We hired an outside company for some of the dishes, but most are dishes we enjoy. The big surprise was the vegan options. I find them to be phenomenal and I am really proud of them.”
One year in, the sisters look forward to sharing their versions of Mexican culture for generations to come.
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Au revoir!
Good stuff! Thank you for sharing!