Finally, a clean, lean and green place for families to get Mexican has arrived on the peninsula! Magdaluna Mexican Café on Broadway in Burlingame serves up wholesome, mainly organic fare with a Michoacan flare, based on the way a very special mom used to cook for her daughter when she was growing up.
“I wanted to share my mom’s recipes with people. It’s the one thing I thought about when opening the restaurant. It’s her name, her recipes, her everything,” explained Diana Guerrero who owns Magdaluna with her mom, Magdalena Perez.
Menu specials are often the result of one of Magdalena’s culinary experiments. The very popular Magdaluna salad for example is not exactly Mexican but it came to fruition out of Magdalena’s concern when Diana went vegan a few years ago. “My mom wanted to make sure that I was getting enough nutrients. She always tries to include ingredients that are nutrient dense like garbanzo beans and black beans.”
The vibrant eatery, with its colorful hand painted frescos and cheery décor has become a local dining spot for vegans and vegetarians.
But everyone is welcomed as all entrées have the option to be served with carne asada, grilled chicken, shredded chicken or carnitas. Magdaluna’s exclusively uses meat from Nieman Ranch and Mary’s chicken. “It just has to be the kind of meat we serve. It is really important to us that the meat is raised and slaughtered in the most humane way,” reflected Guerrero.
A family restaurant, sometimes Guerrero’s dad, grandmother, and sister lend a helping hand. But you will always find mother and daughter there. Even the name of the place represents their bond. “My name in Spanish means ‘huntress of the moon’ so I just changed the last part of my mom’s name by adding a part of mine,” explained Guerrero of how she came up with “Magdaluna”.
One menu favorite of owners and patrons alike is the Enchiladas Michoacan, named after the Mexican province where Guerrero and Perez were born. “We don’t make them the way they eat them in Mexico,” Guerrero said. In Michoacan they are served a little differently. “They are not meant to be pretty, just good. Normally the pulled chicken is on the outside of the cooked corn tortilla with a red sauce but for presentation purposes we place it and the red sauce inside with queso seco.”
*From now until the end of February, examiner readers will receive a free flan or sweet corn pie with an entrée by simply mentioning examiner.com.
For a list of more delectables, check out: www.magdaluna.com
To order online: www.leapset.com/magdaluna
*limit one per order/table. Offer good while supplies last.
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