Olivia’s Cafe

Typically train stations are not a hotbed for quality grub. But over in Oldtown Salinas, where Olivia’s Cafe serves excellent and authentic Mexican food – just steps from the Amtrak depot, of all places – it’s a great place to get on the flavor train.

The restaurant is cozy, with a few tables situated in the dining room and a compact kitchen which opens onto a counter area.

On my first visit, David Alvarez, who I later discovered is the son of the welcoming owner, Olivia, and a computer science student at CSU Monterey Bay, greets me with chips and salsa as I peruse the menu.

It isn’t the biggest list, but offers classic dishes such as huevos con chorizo, tocino (bacon) or jamón (ham) with rice, beans and tortillas for breakfast ($8.99), plus tacos ($2.99) with lengua (beef tongue), carne asada or pollo (chicken), and pupusas ($3.99) with chicharrón (fried pork skin and meat attached) for lunch and dinner.

The menu features caldo de res (beef soup) and menudo (soup made with beef tripe) ($9.99/small, $11.99/large) on the meaty end, with filet de pescado (fish filet, $12.99) and camarones a la diabla (a spicy shrimp dish, $12.99) on the seafood side.

Vegetarians will lean toward huevos rancheros, huevos con papas (eggs with potatoes) and huevos Mexicanos (eggs scrambled with onions, peppers and tortilla strips), $8.99 each, chiles rellenos (roasted peppers stuffed with cheese, $11.99) and enchiladas ($10.99) for lunch and dinner.

The homemade salsa starts off sweet, lulling me into a sense of security before drop-kicking my tastebuds with dried chiles de árbol. Cold Corona ($4) with lime enhances the smoky finish, and the burn doesn’t linger on the tongue for too long at all, allowing bite after pleasantly painful bite.

As I wait for my pupusa de chicharrón, I overhear David conversing in Spanish with customers in the dining room, as well as his mother whom he helps in the kitchen, washing dishes and chopping vegetables. Olivia herself occasionally comes out of the kitchen to snack on mango and apple slices coated with Tajínchili and lime seasoning and chat with the customers.

I learn from David that Olivia’s has been a Salinas institution since 2001, and that they sometimes receive orders from Amtrak conductors en route on behalf of hungry passengers (and themselves) on the way to Los Angeles or Seattle.

My pupusa arrives after a short wait. The chicharrón is salty and well-fried, providing a crunch that complements the homemade fried corn tortillas. The beans add a creamy texture and keep the fried pork from falling out.

The food and atmosphere are both good enough to warrant a return trip, and as luck would have it, one of the most Mexican food-obsessed people I know, my mother, was in town. After we sit, she decides on mole de pollo ($11.99) while I opt for two carne asada tacos and two chicken tacos ($2.99 each). We also agree to try the fried jalapeño peppers ($1.99 for an order of two). My mother also orders a side of corn tortillas ($1.50) to go with her mole.

The mole plate, complete with seasoned rice and refried beans, is massive. The meat falls right off the bones, and the sauce tastes primarily of cocoa and nuts, with hints of smoke and a slight tang on the aftertaste. My mother, a Texan of Mexican descent, testifies that the mole is as good as her mother’s and grandmother’s, albeit spicier. High praise.

The carne asada in my tacos is tender and seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic. It isn’t greasy, and generous amounts of cilantro and onion add color and zest, and the corn tortillas are strong enough to contain the delectable ingredients from the first bite to the last. The chicken tacos are seasoned similarly to the chili-spiked rice, and have a noticeably higher level of juiciness than the asada, so watch out for drippage. The corn tortillas, homemade like everything else in the restaurant, are thick, which helps add structural integrity to the tacos.

The jalapeños are not breaded, simply pan-fried to achieve an attractive char and pleasant roasted flavor. As with most jalapeños, some bites are spicier than others, but not as spicy as the salsa. They pair nicely with the milder mole de pollo while holding their own as a standalone side dish.

Back on my original visit, I asked David about some of their other popular dishes as I closed out the tab.

Menudo, a traditional Mexican comfort-food cure for hangovers, is a big seller each Sunday, while enchiladas and chile verde (pork shoulder cooked in a green sauce of jalapeños, garlic and tomatillos, $11.99) are fan favorites every day of the week. David says their homemade tortillas as a large part of their popularity.

So it works, and works well, for travelers passing the time before the train or a hungry local looking for good food with quick service. It’s a simple place that satisfies simple cravings for authentic Mexican chow, served in a warm, family atmosphere with a price that won’t leave you in tears, although their salsa might.

OLIVIA’S CAFE 14 Station Place, Salinas. 8am-8pm daily • 422-5430.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the following correction. Olivia's is located just outside of the train station, not in the train station.