A La Plancha: How Costa Mesa’s Descanso Restaurant handles the heat
Descanso Restaurant, a modern taqueria in Costa Mesa, is known for its plancha dining, where guests watch the food prepared in front of them on a flat iron grill, or plancha.
Descanso, which celebrates its three-year anniversary on Nov. 18, has been compared to Benihana’s, and while the concepts are similar, Descanso borrows more from street tacos than teppanyaki.
“I think where people draw comparison is the set up and layout, but that is where the similarities end,” said Descanso owner Rob Arellano.
Descanso has large flat iron grill tables inside the restaurant, with overhead fans and seating for up to 10 guests to gather around them. Multicourse meals last about 90 minutes with a planchero explaining and preparing each dish. But don’t expect teppanyaki antics. Arellano said he drew inspiration for his concept from the trips to Mexico his family took throughout his childhood.
“I spent a lot of time south of the border. Dad would take me and my brothers and he was always in search of the ultimate street vendor that served the best tacos,” Arellano said. “My dad, he would make us order in Spanish, and it was always a fun experience, and that is really what inspired this experience.”
Descanso opened in 2018 with the plancha dining experience at its center. So how did an interactive restaurant fare during the pandemic?
“We are all about the atmosphere around the experience, so it was quite difficult for us,” Arellano said.
Descanso shifted its focus to takeout and in the process developed ways to improve its food.
“Our food didn’t travel that well in the beginning, and so we had to figure out how to get it to people at home, without sacrificing flavor and quality,” Arellano said.
Their blue corn tortilla recipe was adjusted to create a tortilla that wouldn’t dry out and tear, for example.
Arellano said the restaurant also utilized its patio, adding heaters and bringing in live music.
“Our patio wasn’t the focus of the design of the restaurant, but it ended up being a life line for us,” said Arellano.
The last year makes the upcoming third anniversary even more meaningful.
“The third year is the golden year. Most restaurants can sneak in a second year,” said Arellano. “And the third year has been the best year, even with the pandemic.”
An anniversary celebration is planned for Nov. 18 at Descanso with live music from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., a photo booth and new dishes from executive chef Fonzy de Zuniga.
New menu highlights include Paraiso Huachinango, a chili-seasoned deep-fried whole red snapper served with guacamole, pico de gallo, limes, side salad and blue corn tortillas.
“Chef Fonzy has many talents, but one of his great talents is that he is great at deep fry rubs,” said Arellano. “He created the most flavorful dry rub for this red snapper.”
Guests can toast the anniversary with celebratory cocktails like the Desperado, made with Bacardi rum, Cointreau, orgeat syrup, tangerine juice and pineapple juice.
“All day, in celebration, we are doing half off select margaritas, beers, tequila flights and wine bottles,” Arellano said.
He says Descanso has much to toast to.
“As a restaurant owner you kind of always think about the longevity of your concept,” Arellano said. “And this anniversary means more than any other for us.”
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