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Along the quaint downtown stretch of La Mesa Boulevard lies La Torta Mexican Deli, where you can find some of the best tortas in the region-- and that includes Tijuana.
lf you don’t know what tortas are, think of a deli sandwich. Now, instead of rye or wheat or any other kind of sliced bread, think of an Italian roll, only broader, in the shape of a turtle, and call it telera. (It’s produced by local Mexican bakeries.)
Now you have your torta bread. The fillings at La Torta, unlike those in most deli sandwiches, are mostly pure Mexican concoctions ranging from chiles rellenos to carne asada, shrimp and cochinita pibil.
Some tortas do come with the usual slices of beef, ham, turkey and sausage. All feature a chipotle mayonnaise sauce that makes them yummy. And, if you so desire, they’re topped with “the works”: avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomato and onions.
And at La Torta, in La Mesa and also at a newer Pacific Beach location, these marvelous creations are filled to excess – a fact that, last we heard, had prompted no complaints.
The history of the torta is rather sketchy. Some speculate it appeared during the occupation of Mexico by the French, whose deliciously hard, crusty bread was transformed by Mexican bakers into smaller loafs called bolillo, birote or telera.
Tortas take on distinct flavors based on the Mexican regions where they are made. In Guadalajara, rolls filled with roast beef, ham or milanesa (breaded steak) are dipped in a large jar of thick, hot salsa. Known as tortas submarines, they are said to sober even the most confirmed lush.
In Monterrey and the state of Sonora, the favorite is the carne asada torta. In Tijuana, where people favor milanesa and turkey tortas, the bread commonly is sliced, toasted and spread with refried beans and the usual accoutrements.
At La Torta, all the aforementioned ingredients - with the exception of the hot salsa favored in Guadalajara --are at play. But before we delve further into these tasty delicacies, a little background is in order on the Rojos family, the owners of the delis.
Their tale has all the elements of the great American immigrant story: desperate people who came to America to start a new life, and through perseverance and hard work managed to establish a small business and make it successful.
It started back in the early 1970s in Mexicali, Baja California's capital. That's where the Rojas family - all 11 brothers and sisters, and their mother, Maria de los Angeles Contreras - lived under less than ideal conditions.
Maria, whose first husband, a professional boxer, died in an accident, and whose second one abandoned her and the children, was a singer who provided for her family by performing in the town's night spots. She was talented enough that music promoters tried to sign her up and take her to Mexico City and New York. She declined time and again because of her children.
“I had to pick between my children and me, and my children have always come first,” she said recently.
Maria worked late into the night, then had to get up in the morning to feed her children and send them to school.
Her oldest daughter, Maricela, helped around the house. Still, the going got tougher as time went by, so Maria decided to take her family to Tijuana for a new start.
But the move and the devaluation of the peso in the mid-1970s didn't improve things. As the Rojas saw it, the solution to their plight was to the north, in San Diego. Maricela was the first to travel surreptitiously across the border. She found work and started bringing her mom, brothers and sisters across one by one.
Miguel, the oldest son, and his brother Gerardo started working immediately at whatever jobs they could find --washing dishes and cars, or working as mechanics. Miguel Rojas said there were overwhelming reasons why he was willing to face the obstacles of entering the country illegally.
"When your family does not have enough to survive and there is no work, and when there is work but you make $10 a week instead of $100, one doesn't think about political matters, or about the whys," he said. "You only know you have to get out of the country to search for a way to make a decent living."
In 1986, when the U.S. government launched its Amnesty Program, giving undocumented immigrants who had been in the country since before January 1981 the opportunity to get their legal resident cards, the Rojas family members, including Maria, were quick to sign up. Miguel and Gerardo, in the meantime, were saving their money. They wanted lo establish an eatery. For years they searched all over San Diego for the right place, but the price was always prohibitive - that is, until 1994.
It was then that they found the right place al the right price - a deli in La Mesa called Town Center Wine and Spirits, which Miguel and his wife bought with their savings and a few loans.
“It was the dream of a lifetime come true,” said Miguel, 37.
Of course, there was still the matter of making the business a success. With the help of Maricela and other members of the family, the Rojas brothers went to work.
Al first, said Miguel, they kept the Town Center's menu but added a few torta selections. Noticing that the customers favored their concoctions over the other fare, they added more tortas, finally going all out and converting to a classic Mexican deli with 29 different tortas.
They also added quesadillas and a tortilla soup that became an instant hit with the customers.
Finding a name for each torta was easy, Miguel said. "We decides to name each one after the members of the family." Natalia, Miguel's daughter, born on the day he opened the business, was the first to have a torta created in her name. Hers - the Super Natalia - comes with roast beef, ham, turkey, Jack cheese, Cheddar cheese, bacon, beans, and jalapenos.
The Nohemi torta, named after one of the sisters, is made with chiles rellenos (Pasilla chiles stuffed with cheese). "Nohemi is a vegetarian, so the name fit quite well" Miguel said.
Maricela's torta comes with roast beef, bacon, Cheddar cheese, and avocado. Gerardo has his torta too. It's filled with chorizo (Mexican beef sausage), onions, bell pepper, Cheddar, sour cream and avocado.
And, of course, there's mom's torta, a wonderfully savory creation featuring turkey, Swiss cheese, avocado, and the works. "That's our best-selling torta," noted Miguel with pride.
Miguel said the deli never skimps on avocado or vegetables such as lettuce or tomatoes, whether these are in season or not.
"We pride ourselves on our consistency," he said. "Our tortas are the same year round. Maybe we will pay more for onions or avocados, but we will never change our offerings even if it's hard on us."
The success of the first La Torta spurred the family to open the second restaurant in Pacific Beach in May 1999. Gerardo is in charge of that one.
"our success is due to Miguel's dedication," said Gerardo, 35. "I have always respected him for his work ethic. I have always followed his lead. He has been like a father to me and all of us."
The Rojas family, as close as families come, often get together at one of the two businesses to celebrate birhdays, holidays and the like. On a recent Saturday, Maria belted romantic tunes for a crowd of family and friends at the La Mesa deli.
As she became caught up in the emotions of the songs, tears ran down her cheeks. Sons and daughters, who all call her Mommy, embraced her. The petite, salt and pepper haired 62-year old still has a fine timbre. Accompanying her were two old friends with whom she once formed a trio in Tijuana.
"I'm so proud of my sons," said the grandmother of 21 and great-grandmother of 2. "I offer a prayer for them every night. We have always been united, and union is strength."
Some of La Torta's customers have become friends of the family, and they come around often, not only to eat but also to visit.
To retired highway patrolman Jim Anderson, La Torta represents more than just a place to eat. "I like the food, but I like (Miguel) more. I think of him as my son," Anderson said.
Miguel says the delis have been so successful, the family is thinking of opening one in Chula Vista soon, and perhaps one in North County in the next couple of years.
Miguel wants to be the Mexican Colonel Saunders. He would like to have a La Torta Deli on every corner of the United States.
In the meantime, Miguel, Gerardo and their clan keep going at it, their spirit buoyant, their future bright.
"I know hard work will keep us afloat," Miguel said. "And it is the people of this wonderful country who have made our dream come true."
By Fernando Romero
San Diego Union Tribune
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