For
Spanish Xochitl's Cafe (pronounced Sochie's) in Cholla Bay has been under its present management since May 1994. When we talked to one of the owners, Jennifer Hudson, my first question was "Why did you choose such an unpronounceable name?" She explained that the previous owner's first name was Xochitl (an Aztec word), and she had helped them a lot with the transition, even though she was very ill. So in gratitude they decided to name the cafe after her. But for those who prefer a more familiar and pronounceable name, it is also called Cholla Cafe and has been for about 35 years.
Jennifer and her partner, Sally Dalton, are both therapists by profession. Jennifer worked with people in acute crisis and trauma situations; Sally with drug and alcohol abusers. They found it very stressful and wanted to try a different lifestyle. So, although neither of them had any previous experience with running a restaurant, they bought this one five years ago and started a new adventure.
We didn't get to meet Sally because she was out of town, but we felt at home with Jennifer immediately. She's a comfortable sort of person. One of the things she likes best about living in Cholla Bay is the strong sense of community. About 85% of their customers are regulars, and so they all know each other well. The community has adopted her and Sally, Jennifer said. If a door squeaks or a water pipe develops a leak, whoever is there will go home and be back with a screwdriver or a wrench to fix it within the hour.
On their part, Jennifer and Sally contribute to the community by collecting clothing, shoes, and school supplies for children. They are thinking of starting a program in which kids help to clean up the beach and bring in a bag of trash to exchange for a bag of clothing or supplies. Their first friends in the community were the kids, says Jennifer, so they want to show their appreciation this way.
We haven't even mentioned the food at this cafe yet, but it was delicious. When we first walked in, we saw some folks at another table eating a cheese crisp, and it looked so good we ordered one to eat while we were waiting for our order. It came amazingly fast, and we demolished it in a hurry. Then I had chilis rellenos, one of my favorite dishes, and John ordered a chimichanga. Xochitl's advertises "the best chili rellenos anywhere," a claim certainly justifiable. The cook's name, we found out, is Sara Zaragoza Ortega, and she is first class. Both our meals were delicious and reasonably priced. The cafe's hours are from 6 to 2 Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Jennifer says that about 80% of her customers are American and 20% Mexican. During the early days, their best customers were building contractors who would order lunches for their entire crew. Jennifer and Sally were always glad for these large orders; they kept the business afloat financially.
Xochitl's from time to time offers classes in various subjects, usually related to food. Jennifer told us that Sara had offered classes in making chilis rellenos and tortillas and was an excellent teacher. The instruction was in Spanish, but Jennifer translated for the English speakers. She and Sally hope to do this again sometime soon. Another talent of Sara's is making paper flowers, so perhaps they will have her teach a class in that They love seeing the kind of positive interaction that takes place between the Mexicans and the Americans. It's a way of sharing our cultures.
Another function of Xochitl's is as a women's hostel. Jennifer explained that it is not a crisis shelter, but a place like a European youth hostel for people with very limited resources. They pay what they can afford. It used to be limited to women because Jennifer and Sally lived there, and there was only one room, but now they live somewhere else, and so men can be guests too.
The cafe's furnishings and decor are casual and unpretentious. We were talking about the ambience of certain restaurants, and Jennifer said, "I think our customers would kill us if we had ambience." But of course they do. It's not the planned elegance of a new restaurant, but it feels comfortable and homey. Much of that feeling comes from the personalities of its owners, who are giving a part of themselves to their customers and to the community.
