By Alec Lautanen
Theme Editor
The relatively new establishment was named after head chef Thomas Ortega and the number of different tequilas the bar stocks. Chef Ortega has been featured on Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” and the restaurant has the best classic margarita in the Los Angeles area according LA Weekly.
“We do everything with fresh juices and have a secret ingredient too. Our drinks have fresh lemon juice, fresh orange juice, and fresh lime juice. We also don’t serve any margaritas with salt,” co-owner Demi Stevens said.
The interior of Ortega 120 is reminiscent of a barbecue restaurant, with solid wood tables and leather padded chairs, but the Mexican influence is inescapable. A sensational Dia de Los Muertos display dominates the foyer and colorful crosses adorn the back walls. A projector displays black and white Mexican films onto a small white space on the wall.
Ortega 120 is also renowned for its homemade mole sauce, based off of a family recipe of the chef. The sauce, which comes paired with chicken, enchiladas and ribs, adds another layer of flavor to otherwise simplistic dishes.
The restaurant recently held a party to celebrate the season finale of “Hell’s Kitchen.” Ortega 120 is also the site of numerous Tequila University programs, aimed at teaching participants how to mix tequila-based drinks.
“In my personal opinion, the mole goes best with duck. I had made a special pan-roasted duck breast with a Oaxaqueño mole sauce for our “Hell’s Kitchen” party, but that’s not something that’s usually on the menu,” Ortega said.
Meals start out with fresh baked chips and salsa, with the option of guacamole. The chips are large in size, but still crispy and light. The salsa is thin but spicy. This pairing lacks solid substance, but serves well as an appetizer. The guacamole is very creamy, with almost no salt. It’s bland, but provides more depth to the chips.
The appetizer menu offers a great variety of foods. Included in this list is tortilla soup, easily one of the better cups in the South Bay. The body of the soup, comprised of tender marinated chicken, is fulfilling by itself. It also includes onion, lime, and cilantro. The tenderness of the chicken gives an interesting contrast to the crunch of the onions and the chewiness of the cheese, providing a varied and interesting soup.
“Overall, it was really good. My friends who have never been there before really enjoyed it,” said sophmore Braden Currey. “Still a bit pricey, but hey, it was delicious.”
The signature dish is Enchilada de Mole Poblano. It is simple, comprised of only two chicken enchiladas and mole sauce. The enchiladas contain only chicken and cheese. Although there is a generous amount of mole, it is not overpowering. The unique taste of the chocolate and spice combined with firm tortillas and crispy chicken never fail to impress at every bite.
“I’ve been here a couple of times and everything I’ve tasted has been great,” sophmore Ari Howorth. “This place isn’t cheap, but the quality of the ingredients and taste always make me feel that coming here was worth it. I need to try a mole dish next time.”
Dessert is the high point of the meal. The two most recommended plates are churros and sopaipilla. The latter is comprised of five chunks of fried dough, topped with powdered sugar and served with agave nectar and strawberry jam. This dish works well because of the integration of its parts. The powdered sugar dissolves perfectly with the sweet agave nectar and mixes in very well to accentuate the strawberry jam.
“Unlike most Mexican restaurants in the area, there’s more than just the average tacos and burritos at this restaurant. Though vegetarian options are sparse, they had a wide selection of food from authentic Mexican to more barbecued options,” junior Haley Meisenholder said.
Ortega 120 is located at 1814 South Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach. Entrée prices range from $10 to $24 and the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner every day of the week, as well as for brunch on Saturdays.
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