Maybe it’s a symptom of being a millennial (or maybe just a symptom of humanity in general), but I think we spend a lot of our lives chasing nostalgia, looking to recreate the long-remembered comforts of our pasts. Down south where I’m from in the Inland Empire, there’s a particular kind of casual Mexican food, a mix between Tijuana and mission-style, with maybe a hint of Cal-Mex; whatever you call it, it tastes like home. Fortunately, Humboldt’s expansive offerings of Mexican food from various regions give me options that spark joy and reminiscence of that particular taste I long for. Case in point: The Patron Kitchen down in Rio Dell (70 B Wildwood Ave, (707) 499-2494).
The first time I walked into the Patron Kitchen was eight years ago, not long after they’d opened. There are few things I love more than a simple plate of freshly rolled taquitos, and back then, they only offered them as a special. I had recently started following their business page on Facebook, and as soon as I saw taquitos were available that day, I jammed out the door of my old house in Fortuna and headed down to Rio Dell to try them out for the first time. Gerardo Gonzalez and Leticia “Letty” Escobar, the husband-and-wife owners of the restaurant, greeted me and took my order. In the far booth, their daughter was seated, diligently doing her homework, like so many kids of restaurant families do while their parents are hard at work.
After their other customers had cleared out and they’d served me my taquitos — a plate of five delectably crispy rolled tacos, generously filled with chicken, topped with fresh lettuce, drizzles of sour cream and an aguacate-tomatillo sauce for the ages, finished with a deluge of cotija cheese — Gonzalez and Escobar disappeared into the back. They emerged a moment later with a birthday cake, singing as they walked toward their daughter. I remember feeling bashful, peering in on an intimate family moment that made me miss my own family, but not bashful enough to stop me from joining in on the song. When they offered me a slice, it made for a memory as sweet as the cake; I felt like a part of their family for just a moment. Now I have a little more nostalgia to chase each time I go back there to eat.
Back then, they were only occupying one side of the building, but they’ve since expanded to the room across the hall to increase their seating capacity. And it’s for good reason; as Escobar tells me (with the translation assistance of my dear friend Juana Resendiz), her voice welling up with emotion, the community of Rio Dell embraced their family business with open arms, welcoming them and supporting them with repeat business since they opened in 2018. Gonzalez mirrors his wife’s gratitude, telling me that customers come from Northern Humboldt, all the way from McKinleyville and Arcata, just to indulge in the Patron Kitchen’s menu. Since moving north from Fortuna, I can attest that those tastes of home are well worth the drive.
The Patron Kitchen offers a robust menu of food and aguas frescas, with a drink case filled with Jarritos and other soft drinks,as well as an ice-cream case with eight flavors. When I somehow manage to tear myself away from horchata, a refreshing agua de jamaica(hibiscus tea) makes the perfect accompaniment to hearty Mexican food and spicy salsas, with its fruity and floral notes and balanced sweet and tart flavor. Try a glass with their famous quesabirria tacos — an order of three tacos stuffed with cheese and birria de res (that’s stewed beef for the uninitiated), served with consomé (chile and beef broth) for dipping and fresh cilantro and onion on the side. A trophy from their win in the Best Birria category at Bear River Casino’s Taco Fest 2024 is proudly displayed in the restaurant.
When asked what people should try on their first trip in, Gonzalez and Escobar emphatically exclaim: the torta Cubana. You might be picturing a Cuban sandwich, but dear reader, this is so different and so much bigger. Originally from Mexico City, rumored to have originated on Calle Republica de Cuba in the 1950s during an influx of Cuban immigration, this behemoth of a sandwich is an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of sandwich. On a torta roll, they pile high milanesa, salchica (sausage), chorizo, ham, cheese, avocado, tomato, onion, jalapenos, pineapple, mayo and their house-made chipotle salsa for a jaw-stretching, awe-inspiring experience that meat lovers do not want to miss (*heavy breathing intensifies). If you’re in the mood for something lighter, you can’t go wrong with their street tacos — I haven’t yet met a meat there I didn’t like, but I recommend starting with the carne asada or the al pastor tacos with grilled pineapple slices, both topped with more of that killer aguacate-tomatillo sauce.
The Patron Kitchen is a brick-and-mortar shop open daily in Rio Dell. You can find their taco truck at community festivals and special catering events. In addition to their Mexican food menu, they offer American sides, appetizers and burgers. Stop in and meet the folks behind the counter — just make sure you bring a friend or clear your schedule for a post-Cubana food coma. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The Patron Kitchen
70 B Wildwood Ave, Rio Dell
(707) 499-2494
the-patron-kitchen.edan.io
This article appears in My Humboldt Life September 2025.