Adobe Restaurant’s Chef Ybarra Makes Guacamole From Scratch
Celebrating one of the best appetizers, ever, it’s “National Guacamole Day,” and Adobe Restaurant’s Chef Michael Ybarra whips up a mean batch – fresh, of course. Come out today, or really any day that you fancy some of the finest Guacamole you’ve ever tasted.
“We make it fresh daily,” he said. “You can taste the cilantro; you can taste the onions; you can taste the jalapeno and all the seasonings. And it still has that pure-avocado flavor. The quality explodes.”
No misfire, the deliberate impact of Chef’s made-from-scratch fare is evident throughout the entire menu. Rummage around the kitchen, and it’s what you won’t see that makes the difference: “No can foods or frozen foods,” Chef said. “Starting from the beginning to the end: roasting, peeling, seeding.”
It’s all about “time, patience, organization and consistency” for Yabarra and crew, whom he was quick to recognize as critical to the whole operation.
“I can only do what I do because of what they do,” he admitted. “It takes time to get everything prepped, heated correctly, cooled correctly. “You have to have the skills and then care enough. You have to have the pride to do it correctly every time.”
“The way chef prepares the food is not something you typically see,” said Heather Wissler, Adobe Restaurant’s general manager. “Most places just try to get you in and out, and we do that, too, with golfers trying to make tee times, but we’re still going to provide good, fresh quality food.”
For the chicken, which goes into popular salads such as the Southwest Chicken Salad, chef roasts them whole, breaks them down, pulls and seasons all of the juicy chicken meat by hand. Same goes for the Reuben, made from in-house pastrami that starts as a burly roast the chef cooks, cools, and slices for an exceptionally tasty sandwich. It’s this labor of love that works its way into the entire menu down to the soup of the day and chili.
“There’s a creative process that goes into making stuff fresh, from scratch, every day,” Wissler added. “You need to be more organized to get through busier days. Everything is fresh. All salad dressings, all the salsas are made in-house, the guacamole; there’s time and commitment that goes into it.”
Guest feedback?
“’The food is amazing,’ is the consistent feedback I’ve gotten since I’ve been here,” said Wissler. “’Amazing, everything’s so great, so fresh.’ I brag to everybody that it’s the from scratch cooking.”
What else is good? Sunday brunch ranks among the favorites. Eggs Benedict is another. Chef whips it up “old school,” with a “classic technique” that yields a “smooth, velvety sauce.” And there’s the pancakes: “I’ll say this: we have the best pancakes in town, made from scratch,” Chef declared.
Huevos Rancheros and an all-vegan veggie burger are on the horizon, and if a custom-catered menu fits the occasion, chef and his team are up for that, too.
The tradition of serving hearty, calorie-replenishing favorites is a big part of the golf lifestyle. This still holds true today at The Adobe Restaurant, with one big difference: the food is made from scratch.
Now, there’s not a cattle yard or apple orchard on the property. They do order from traditional vendors, but instead of ringing up a few salmon filets here and there, chef buys the whole fish and butchers it onsite for the best quality.
Since Chef Michael Ybarra came onboard in 2012, they began making all menu items this way. Whether playing golf that day or joining family and friends for Sunday brunch, the food will be made from scratch, and it will be fresh.