SOLEDAD — Darinel Cortes can whip up just about anything in the kitchen, from popular Italian cuisines to delicate Thai dishes. He even learned how to roll sushi as of lately, something he was thrilled of accomplishing on his long list of goals in the kitchen.
But most recently, the 35-year-old Oaxaca native proudly opened the doors to his first-ever restaurant in Soledad that he joyfully calls Casa de Chilaquiles.
“We’re bringing in a little bit of everything and bringing in what people like the most,” Cortes said. “Anything they ask for, we’ll make it.”
The specialty on the menu is, of course, the chilaquiles made with fresh crispy tortilla chips and simmered in either a green or red salsa, then topped with an egg. (I recommend going sunny side up or over-easy to let the milky orange yolk drip into the chips.)
The best part about the dish is Cortes can prepare them just about any way possible. (I went with the chilaquiles divorciados: half red and half green salsa with a side of juicy carnitas. It did not disappoint.)
They also offer classic breakfast diner dishes, such as Eggs Benedict but with a twist. Instead of putting a traditional slice of Canadian bacon, Cortes layers the English muffin with a pile of crispy bacon and slices of ripe avocado before drizzling it with Hollandaise sauce. Another masterpiece by the breakfast aficionado.
Casa de Chilaquiles at 101 Front St. is open everyday from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is exactly the type of spot Soledad needs. Think of it as a mix between a cozy cafe and a scrumptious taqueria.
Cortes believes his experience in the kitchen is what separates Casa de Chilaquiles from the other restaurants in the area. He has recipes that were handed down to him from previous chefs with more than 20 years on the cook line.
Cortes began working in the kitchen 23 years ago when he was 14 years old. He worked at Whale City Bakery in Davenport for 12 years as a baker and cooked breakfast on the line.
Cortes made the move to work at Santa Cruz Diner, then helped launch Señor Chilaquiles on 41st Avenue in Capitola.
Cortes and his brother, Reymundo, also co-own Geisha Japanese Restaurant and Tea House, which was part of a devastating fire in the Capitola Village in March.
Prior to opening Casa de Chilaquiles, Cortes and his wife, Berenise Campos, wanted to start with a food truck. They went hunting for a used one but instead found the spot where they are today.
Knock on wood, owning and operating Casa de Chilaquiles hasn’t been too difficult for Cortes.
The only setback is he doesn’t get to hang out with his 2-year-old daughter, Karely, because most of his time is spent at the restaurant. He leaves his house in Prundale at 3:30 a.m., arrives at the restaurant about an hour later and stays sometimes until 10 p.m. to close up.
“That’s my routine everyday. I just feel bad that I can’t be with my daughter,” Cortes said. “But we gotta start somewhere, just hoping that moving forward we’re able to relax a bit more.”
Cortes does have help from Campos, who was born and raised in Ventura County. She has a background in working in a warehouse doing administrative, inventory and logistics.
Campos said the local community has been extremely encouraging day after day, showing up to eat two or three times per week.
“The customers have been great, the community of Soledad has been very supportive,” Campos said.
Campos moved to the Central Coast three years ago, working as a server and then at the University of Santa Cruz as a food service worker, which got her into the food industry.
Similar to her husband, Campos’ biggest challenge is balancing between the restaurant and her daughter.
“It’s managing family and business, and trying to separate both as much as possible,” Campos said.
Another issue is they are short-staffed at times. Cortes currently has four full time employees, including himself and Campos. They’ve had people inquire about job openings, yet they don’t show up when it’s time to work.
Cortes mentioned he prefers to have a small staff that way he’s able to provide employees with enough shifts, and days off.
“If I can offer you five days, eight-hour shifts, you’ll most likely want to work here,” Cortes said. “Unfortunately, there are some people who want the job to come easy to them. But there are a few, thank God, that I’m grateful to have with me since the beginning.”
The days might be long for Cortes, yet his favorite part in all of this is being able to cook what he wants, and seeing his customers enjoy the food.
“It just motivates me to keep moving forward and to work hard,” he said.
