Coastal Culinary Experience: Marila’s Mexican Celebrates Huntington Beach’s Flavors

A new restaurant, Marila’s Mexican, is being introduced by the team behind the award-winning Puesto Mexican Artisan Kitchen & Bar. This establishment aims to provide the comforts of home cooking through cherished family recipes that have been passed down through generations.

Scheduled to open on Friday, May 26, the 7,600-square-foot restaurant will be located at Huntington Beach’s Bella Terra Center, taking over the space previously occupied by Puesto. Its design will reflect the coastal community of Huntington Beach, featuring organic forms, raw materials, and blue hues that evoke the expansive beaches of the city. The menu will also be influenced by the coastal community.

The owners of Puesto and Marila’s Mexican, namely Eric, Alan, and Alexander Adler, who are first-generation Mexican-American brothers, along with their cousins Isidoro and Moy Lombrozo, have chosen to name the new restaurant after their beloved abuela, Marila. As the family’s matriarch, Marila has played a pivotal role in igniting their passion for authentic Mexican cuisine, making the name a fitting tribute to her influence and legacy.

Marila’s Mexican will share the vibrant flavors of Mexico through its diverse lunch, dinner, and brunch offerings, all made with authentic ingredients. The menu will showcase ingredients such as grilled nopal, hibiscus, chipotle, tajin, Oaxacan cheese, and housemade chorizo. For lunch and dinner, guests can indulge in a variety of appetizers, including the Tuna Tostada with ahi tuna, avocado, diced white onion, salsa macha, chipotle crema, and fried shallot; the Shrimp Coctel with Mexican shrimp, Marila’s classic coctel sauce, cucumber, cilantro, and julienned radish; and the Fish Ceviche featuring line-caught fish, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and ceviche verde sauce.

One of the highlights on Marila’s dinner menu is the selection of sharable and sizzling Fajitas Fundidas, designed for two guests and served with queso fundido, jalapeno torreados, grilled nopal, peppers & onions, and a choice of housemade flour or corn tortillas. The options include enticing flavors such as chipotle and tamarind glazed Mushrooms, achiote-marinated Chicken Pastor, roasted tomatillo and garlic-marinated Ribeye, jumbo Mexican Shrimp, and Surf & Turf, a tantalizing combination of Shrimp and Ribeye.

In addition, the restaurant will feature Puesto’s renowned tacos wrapped in crispy melted cheese, presented in various Taco Plates. These include the Al Pastor with braised chicken, hibiscus and chipotle tinga, and grilled pina pico; and the Filet with marinated filet mignon, avocado, and spicy serrano pistachio salsa. The tacos will be crafted with handmade tortillas and will showcase sustainable meats, line-caught seafood, local produce, and scratch salsas.

Marila’s Mexican will also offer an enticing Weekend Brunch, where guests can savor traditional Mexican breakfast classics. This includes the famous Corn Pancakes with almond granola, blueberry, and whipped vanilla butter; Chilaquilles made with house-fried corn tortilla chips, salsa roja, Mexican crema, white onion, avocado, and an over-easy egg; and Huevos Rancheros featuring eggs over easy, refried black beans, corn tortillas, and salsa molcajete. The brunch menu caters to a variety of tastes and is complemented by options such as the Breakfast Burrito and Mexican Breakfast Pizza.

Marila’s Mexican presents a thoughtfully curated bar program showcasing a delightful selection of agave spirits, including tequilas, mezcals, sotols, bacanoras, and raicillas, carefully sourced from various regions across Mexico. These spirits take center stage in a range of signature cocktails crafted with creativity and expertise. The cocktails feature freshly squeezed juices, enhancing the vibrant flavors and providing a refreshing experience. Especially for brunch, Marila’s offers a selection of invigorating drinks that are perfect for rejuvenating and enlivening the senses.

Complementing the spirits, Marila’s Mexican takes pride in its beer selection, which includes Puesto Mexican Lager, Mexican Amber, and Mexican Negra Lager. These beers are exclusively brewed at the Puesto Cervecería located in Mission Valley, San Diego. Alongside these house brews, the beer list also features a variety of local and Mexican microbrews available on draft. For wine enthusiasts, Marila’s offers a selection of Valle de Guadalupe wines, allowing guests to explore the diverse flavors of this renowned wine region.