Found Treasure: Veggie Torta at La Plaza Bakery

July 22, 2022 – My life was incomplete. Only I didn’t know it.

Then the first torta of my existence hit my face hole. 

Time stood still. 

A portal to unfound flavor opened forever. 

I remember where it happened, namely a street corner north of Ensenada.

It didn’t matter that I had spent two decades on the planet without testing the Mexican-style sandwich. 

The key element was I immediately understood maybe the best expression of a sandwich: the slathering of refried beans on the crusty but soft bolillo roll, the fact that avocado and jalapeño are a mandatory part of the proceedings, and that grilling the whole production must complete the effort. 

Another something that’s been sitting there the whole time without my awareness, or much fanfare, is a Monterey County institution called La Plaza Bakery.

Its original spot sprouted in Soledad way back in 1982. 

Co-owner Jesse Rodriguez remembers those days well. 

“There were very few Latino business owners at that time,” he says. “What we discovered is that we were accepted by our community right away.” 

Since then the family-owned-and-operated outfit has expanded to seven locations including Salinas, King City, Greenfield and Gonzales.

I came across them 10 years ago and was impressed by their versatility, authentic Mexican pastries and, yes, tortas. 

When I asked Rodriguez what gives them the traction to expand across the area, he references the hours (“We fill a need: We open at 4:30am and serve the agricultural workers”), the spirit of community (“We are a part of something bigger”) and one other crucial detail.

“We make everything from scratch and we make it as you order,” he says. “We do good food and we do it fast.”

Typically tortas bring a generous amount of animal protein. But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

One of my favorite torta permutations, the quesillo cheese take, is meat-free.

I’ve been meaning to spotlight La Plaza for a while, but it’s their vegetarian accessibility that provided timely inspiration. 

My collaborators at Blue Zones Project Monterey County, where I contribute as an advisor, told me this week that all of the La Plaza outposts have just been added to a BZP’s collection of vetted health-helpful restaurants. 

As you may recall, Blue Zones is the nonprofit that tries to make life-affirming activity—including smart eating—easier so community members enjoy longer and more satisfying lives.

Not everybody thinks of Mexican food as healthy, which helped fuel the partnership between Blue Zones and La Plaza. 

“Blue Zones talks about providing healthy alternatives,” Rodriguez says. “And I thought about all the vegetables we [cook with] and wanted to be a part of it.”

When it comes to vegetarian options, he gets most animated discussing the nopales (aka cactus paddles) and garbanzo action. 

“The tanginess of the nopales goes so well with the garbanzos and sautéed peppers, onion and tomato—it has a really good flavor,” he says. “These were dishes that we ate as children. I was going back to eat the same way as when I was a kid.” 

But I wanted to talk torta. 

On the Blue Zones front, it’s all about the veggie version. At La Plaza they combine a little bit of beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers, cabbage and a splash of vinegar into a memorable meal, no meat missed. 

“When we first opened, no one sold tortas in Monterey County,” Rodriguez says. “We were the first ones to do it. People know us for our tortas, because of the texture of our fresh bolillo [bread] and because our recipes are a little bit different.”

Blue Zones is commemorating their teamwork with La Plaza with a series of events that wrap with a 12:30pm Monday, July 25, hangout at their 1036 N. Davis Road spot—with snacks for attendees.

Dalila Alvarado, food and environment lead for Blue Zones Monterey County, thinks the relationship between business and an advocacy nonprofit tends toward synergy.

“It’s meaningful because of the institution [La Plaza} is,” she says. “It has an impact, locally and throughout Monterey County, to experience plant-based dishes across the area.”

It’s a Meatless Monday situation. With the Monday event, the working plan, as this publishes, is to feature the garbanzo and nopales tasting. 

If you attend, I’d recommend a veggie torta on the side. 

More at La Plaza Bakery’s website and the portal to Blue Zones Project Monterey County.