{"id":3618,"date":"2013-11-12T10:34:00","date_gmt":"2013-11-12T10:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbpost.com\/articles\/life\/food\/lola-s-challenges-mexican-cuisine-stereotypes-with-new-branded-olive-oils\/"},"modified":"2013-11-12T10:34:00","modified_gmt":"2013-11-12T10:34:00","slug":"lola-s-challenges-mexican-cuisine-stereotypes-with-new-branded-olive-oils","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/food\/lola-s-challenges-mexican-cuisine-stereotypes-with-new-branded-olive-oils","title":{"rendered":"Lola’s Challenges Mexican Cuisine Stereotypes with New Branded Olive Oils"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Creamy refried beans seasoned with lard, sizzling fatty meats and lots of melted cheese–these are the sights and smells that may come to mind at the thought of the term “Mexican cuisine.” One local business, however, has made it their mission to challenge and broaden the unhealthy image that pervades Southern California’s perceptions of food from south of the border.<\/p>\n

Luis Navarro has been serving his mother’s gourmet Guadalajaran recipes at Lola’s Mexican Cuisine<\/a> on 4th Street near Cherry Avenue since 2008. His years as Lola’s owner and chef have convinced him that Southern California’s Mexican cuisine is hyper-focused on a high-fat street-side variant of Northern Mexican food, almost to a fault. And built into his restaurant is an objection to the stereotype that Mexican food is synonymous with low-grade ingredients and grease.<\/p>\n

“There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s not the only thing out there,” Navarro said. “What I tell our servers is that we have to be the ones to educate others on the differences between regions of Mexico and their food, such as a how Baja [California] has a lot of seafood. The number one question we get [from customers] is, ‘Is there lard in the beans?'”<\/p>\n

In addition to serving lighter fare from Central Mexico, Navarro has found a unique new answer to his most commonly asked question: branded olive oil. The family-owned restaurant debuted its first shelf product recently in an attempt to battle against Mexican culinary stereotypes.<\/p>\n

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“Our oil producers said, ‘When you first think of olive oil, you think Mediterranean, you think Italy–not Mexico,'” Navarro said. “So why would Lola’s want to enter the olive oil sector? Well the answer is, that’s exactly why.”<\/p>\n

By providing original infused olive oils for purchase that are also part of Lola’s recipes, Navarro hopes for Long Beach restaurant-goers to view traditional Mexican cuisine as something akin to a warm, home-cooked meal rather than a quick dish covered in grease.<\/p>\n

The idea of developing an original olive oil began during a visit to Baja California in 2011 as part of an annual culinary tour with celebrity chef Rick Bayless. During a stop at an Ensenada winery, Navarro became acquainted with Mexiterra, LLC, a premium olive oil producer.<\/p>\n

Lola’s collaborated with Mexiterra and developed four infused flavors of olive oil–ancho chile, jalape\u00f1o, smokey chipotle and habanero–which are now available in 5-ounce bottles for $6. The non-enfussed 12-ounce bottles runs $12. The oils are delivered from Baja groves to Long Beach within approximately 14 days of pressing.<\/p>\n

Lola’s is not the first Long Beach restaurant to branch it’s brand into locally supplied shelf-products. Everyone from Enrique’s Mexican Restaurant to Beachwood BBQ & Brewing has bottled and packaged house specialties from salsa to BBQ sauce.<\/p>\n

“I think when the recession hit, people became frugal and started looking for local, quality products worth their dollar,” Navarro said. “It’s how, I think, so many Long Beach eateries have survived: through their quality.”<\/p>\n

Lola’s Mexican Cuisine is located at 2030 E. 4th St. Olive oils are available for purchase inside the restaurant. For more information on Lola’s, visit lolasmexicancuisine.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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