From our kitchen to yours.
It’s, in essence, what the Mystery Diner loves about family-owned, authentic Mexican restaurants that chains will never match. It is sons and daughters and moms and pops proud to share a sample of their culture, and cuisines right from their kitchen passed down through generations.
This week’s column takes us to one of those quiet treasures, La Cabaña D’Oswego.
Owned and operated by the Valencia family for over a decade, according to their website, La Cabaña is tucked in a strip mall on the south side of Route 71 just west of Oswego High School.
The Mystery Diner and his companions found themselves there on a warm Thursday evening.
We walked into a quiet storefront restaurant that was decorated for a celebration.
From colorful streamers and pinatas to authentic Mexican dolls that we were told the owner periodically switches out from her collection, La Cabaña provides the perfect atmosphere for a meal.
Our mood set, we started our meal with chips and homemade salsa – and, of course, a round of margaritas. The fresh salsa and guacamole we ordered is made from scratch. One basket of chips wouldn’t do on this night.
La Cabaña offers margarita specials Mondays and Tuesdays, and the Mystery Diner recommends. I tried a frozen strawberry margarita, while my companions opted for the original. A cold treat, with just enough kick.
On to the main course.
The Mystery Diner has always enjoyed a good grilled skirt steak, ever since I was introduced to them at a friend’s backyard barbecue in my hometown.
La Cabaña happily measures up.
I tried the carne tampiqueña, a grilled skirt steak garnished with grilled onions. It is served with a cheese enchilada, choice of corn or flour tortillas, rice and beans. Not every restaurant gets it right, but La Cabaña’s skirt steak had just the right texture, just the proper amount of seasoning. I was a little wary of all the onions – but they’re highly recommended and delicious.
My dining companion went in a different direction, opting for the chicken flautas. Three tortillas stuffed with chicken, which diners can order deep fried or sauteed, are topped with guacamole and sour cream. They are served with rice and beans. They were met with a seal of approval.
We recommend the atmosphere of La Cabaña’s dine-in experience, but we also took note of the restaurant’s bustling takeout business.
For authentic Mexican food from the Valencia family, and a festive but quiet atmosphere, La Cabaña is the restaurant to try in Kendall County.
• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.
If you go
What: La Cabaña D'Oswego
Where: 4550 Route 71, Oswego
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays
Information: Call 630-554-3500 or visit www.lacabanaoswego.com.