Guadalajara - Kimberly Horg

G u a d a Ia ia ra
text and photo by Kimberly Horg
J
oin me on a ride off the beaten path, venturing
into the well-known, family-oriented Mexican
restaurant, Guadalajara. The dishes are made with
family recipes from Mexico. The inviting atmosphere
is laid back and friendly.
The Place
Naysayers told them their location on Weber near
Shields was in the middle of nowhere, but the Garcias
followed their hearts. Twenty-five years later, the
hole in the wall is a local favorite, famous for their
authentic Mexican cuisine. They've since opened a
second location on Willow in Clovis.
bell peppers, carrots, and squash, and served with
lemon and orange slices for an extra tang.
The Owners
Cecillo and Rosalinda Garcia, along with three
The Catholic family gave up meat for Lent, so they
children, arrived in the United States in 1978. They
decided to get creative with shrimp. A perfect
spent a decade working tirelessly in the restaurant
creation resulting from their sacrifice is the camarones
business until they saved enough to open a small
envueltos en tocino. The plump shrimp are wrapped
establishment on Weber Avenue. The American
in bacon, making for a mouth-watering delight. This
dream is alive and well for the Garcia family, with
is definitely a craveable item that I will keep coming
the restaurant still owned and operated by the
back for.
founders and their seven children, all who help run
Guadalajara.
Bursting with flavors, the shrimp in garlic butter sauce
is made with a rich sauce. The tasty, juicy shrimp are
"My parents said that whatever you put your mind to,
polished in flavor. Lastly, I tried the breaded shrimp,
you can do," said co-owner Julie Duarte. "You might
which was lightly breaded and not too greasy. I
fall and get bruised, but pick yourself up."
took turns dipping them into freshly made creamy
guacamole and salsa.
Rosalinda still oversees the cooking, and while she
gives the chefs the necessary seasonings, she won't
The restaurant gets new shipments of seafood every
give up her recipes - even to her children. She makes
week, and you can tell the difference if you've ever
sure all the ingredients are homemade, with nothing
had the misfortune of eating a hard, chewy shrimp.
coming from a can.
Fresh, made-to-order food is what has helped make
Guadalajara famous.
Favorite Fare
I started off by trying a homemade flour tortilla.
"We would rather take a little longer making our food
Hot and fresh, it's good alone or perfect to dip into
and make it fresh," Duarte said. "We take requests,
the hot and tangy sauce used in the camarones a
and can make it as you like it - spicy, or not so hot."
la diabla (shrimp in a hot sauce). This dish is usually
prepared with just hot sauce, but the founder is
diabetic, so he tries to use healthier foods by cooking
with vegetables. The shrimp is cooked with onions,
36
I Fresno Life Magazine
Guadalajara is located at 3020 N. Weber Ave. in
Fresno. For more information, call (559) 268-9528
or visit guadalajarafresno.com.