The Chew Crew hadn't met up in a year due to the pandemic and we were sad to hear the last restaurant we visited has since closed. Linda at Live in Everett told us La Hacienda on Everett Mall Way had a happier story to tell and we were excited to see their new look and give the food a try.

A look in side courtesy of Mellzah.

MELLZAH'S REVIEW

It's no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on the service industry, with many businesses struggling to keep their doors open. Fresa Mexican Kitchen (formerly La Hacienda) saw the silver lining in this crisis and used this period as an opportunity for reinvention, to remodel and emerge with a fresh face for the public. Gone are the carved wood benches and brightly painted walls, and in their place is a sleek, contemporary look. 

The carpets have been replaced with polished concrete. Starburst chandeliers twinkle from dark grey ceilings and reflect from mirrors; textured walls and seatbacks engage the eye and stave off the sterility that a monochrome palette could otherwise invoke. It serves as a modernist frame for a mural painted on the back wall, Frida Kahlo crowned in carnations. 

It looks like a place ready to host a party; the drink menu screams "bachelorette" and there are a few drinks I'd like to try but would face the conundrum of already needing some liquid courage pumping through my system before I could look a server in the eye and utter their names.

I haven't been dining out often over the past year, so when I do, I tend to look for something hearty and comforting; a meal that essentially wraps me in a starchy, cheesy blanket of nostalgia. So while there are many other options on the menu at Fresa, as a former San Diegan, I knew in my heart that there was no option for me other than the California Fries with chorizo. Would I like to add queso? Yes, yes I would. 

And yet I say this as someone who celebrates cheese and who did order that extra dollop of liquid cheese: there is almost too much cheese on these fries, particularly as takeout. It coagulates around the fries into what is essentially a fork-defying block of cheese that's punctuated by the occasional bit of chorizo. I typically have a "take it or leave it" attitude when it comes to the sprinkle of pico de gallo, but on these fries, it's absolutely necessary for brightness and texture variance. 

ERIKA'S REVIEW

The last time I saw Christopher, Garrett, and Mellzah was at Banh Meetup 2, and even though I think I'd be impressed by any party with a banh mi buffet, I was exceptionally impressed by the way the party was set up. From the way the sandwiches were displayed, to the perfectly designed comment sheet, to the gift bags everyone received, every single aspect was considered by Christopher and Garrett, ever the consummate hosts.

Given that experience, I shouldn't have been surprised that the way they set up their backyard for me and Mellzah to come have a meal was absolutely perfect. The perfect six feet distance, comfortable chairs, side tables, even a centrally located host station that not only included water, napkins, hand sanitizer, and silverware, but an entire tea service with hot water and paper cups. It was the perfect place to spend a couple hours eating a meal with great friends. They thought of everything.

This made it seem like kismet that Fresa also thought of everything. Chips and small cups of salsa and guacamole, three sauces for the cajeta churros, perfectly sturdy take out containers, and whipped cream and peanuts on my mazapan milkshake.

My al pastor torta with pineapple was buried in the sandwich section of the menu, but it's worth looking out for. A wonderful telera roll filled with beans, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and jalapeno before you even get to the star: the al pastor. Pleasantly crispy and chewy, slightly spicy, and cut into small pieces making it easy to bite through. The pineapple was a welcome addition, pops of juicy sweetness that worked well with the other ingredients. Next time, I might ask for rice and beans instead of fries on the side, because the takeout containers, while sturdy, held in all the steam making them a bit soggy. When I can go into the restaurant though, I look forward to the great seasoning they used on crispy fries.

My mazapan milkshake was excellent. Mazapan, for those unacquainted, is a peanut candy that is somewhat like a peanut and sugar dust compressed into a little cake. It's one of my favorite Mexican candies, so when I saw the milkshake on the menu, I knew I had to choose it, even over their extensive to go cocktail menu. It was deeply peanutty, and less sweet than you'd imagine. I'd get it again in a heartbeat, and I'd wonder if they'd be willing to add a little strawberry to it next time for a PB&J style experience.

All in all, I really enjoyed my meal from Fresa and look forward to working my way through the rest of their menu, both food and cocktails (or milkshakes) alike.

CHRISTOPHER'S REVIEW

Setting up in our backyard with socially distanced seating on the first sunny day in weeks, I was so excited to see Erika and Mellzah again but of course bummed that we wouldn't get to try each other's dishes. Tasting three times as many meals has always been a fun part of our get-togethers. But since we were eating at home, my husband Garrett joined us, and he and I planned a "taster twister" of our own. I'd already picked the pollo en mole, which was his first choice too, so he asked for the carne asada burrito. On weekends, they only serve the dinner menu, so his order became the deluxe burrito, substituting carne asada. 

It's not often I say so because I'm kind of a lightweight when it comes to spice, but the burrito could have used more. It was tasty, though, and the beef was amazingly tender, so a side of salsa or hot sauce is definitely in order. My pollo en mole was fantastic as it came.

You might look at a dish like that and think it's over sauced. With a mole that tasty, I say it's more like a generous pour. After finishing the perfectly-cooked strips of chicken, I finished the rest of the sweet and smoky mole as a dip with the chips we got. There were still more than enough chips to enjoy with guacamole and salsa. We shared an order of cajeta (caramel) stuffed churros which came with a few lovely dipping sauces. Nobody opened those, though, because they seem almost unnecessary with caramel already inside, and we weren't sharing items anyway. 

I also had the coconut margarita to go, which was refreshing and fun on our only sunny day that week. Hopefully the WSLCB lets cocktails to go continue after the pandemic, it's a really nice option to make a take-out meal that much more fun.

Fresa Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar
620 SE Everett Mall Way #200
Everett, WA 98208
(425) 355-0858

Erika, Christopher and Mellzah formed the Chew Crew in 2019 after realizing they could try more dishes in more restaurants by joining forces. They triple-dip in and around Everett as often as possible.