From the grand hacienda styled restaurant to the Delgado name, Las Casuelas Nuevas in Rancho Mirage continues a family legacy dating back to the rich traditions of generations past.
“One of my earliest memories of my Mom in the kitchen,” said Joaquin Delgado, owner of Las Casuelas Nuevas, “was the strong smell of hot chilies cooking for the salsa. As a youngster, I would cough violently due to the strong fumes. Over several months, I not only grew accustomed to the smell, but actually, grew to love it. It will always remind me of my Mom.”
The focus switches genders Sunday (June 16) with Father’s Day, but for Joaquin and his wife, Sharon Delgado, their mission is still the same.
“Great Mexican food is an important part of our culture,” said Joaquin. “I like to entertain big families here. What better way to say ‘I love you’ than with food?”
The tradition began in the 1900's in the culturally rich city of Mazatlan, Mexico, where founder Florencio "Del" Delgado's grandmother prepared sumptuous dishes and perfected classic Mexican recipes to share with and pass down to her children.
After immigrating to Arizona, Del’s father died to leave five young children. His mother supported the family by selling delicious homemade burritos from her back door. The burritos became so famous that she soon opened a café, launching a legacy of family-style restaurants and hospitality.
The late Del and Mary Delgado decided to serve those family recipes to a bigger audience by opening the original Las Casuelas in 1958.
Over the years, the Delgado’s collection of restaurants grew along with their family. Currently, five Las Casuelas restaurants are located throughout the Valley; each separately owned and operated by Delgado siblings and their spouses.
“This particular Las Casuelas restaurant, Nuevas, is the realization of my parents’ life-long dream,” Joaquin said, “And it is the first hacienda style restaurant of its kind in America. Mom was the ‘face’ of the restaurant and Dad made sure everything was just right.”
Authentic Mexican architecture, ambiance and hand-selected décor have gone hand-in-hand to the Delgado’s presence in the Valley for 40 years at the landmark Las Casuelas Nuevas location.
“To continue sharing our heritage with family recipes and old fashioned hospitality still today makes us very proud,” said Joaquin.
Las Casuelas Nuevas offers Dads a Sunday Buffet Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring strolling Mariachi.
“Las Casuelas Nuevas remains a wonderful place because of Mom and Dad’s reputation, and the attention to customer satisfaction that they established and instilled in us children. I think our success is just really a testimony to hard work and our fabulous staff,” Joaquin said.
Las Casuelas Nuevas, 70050 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage, (760) 328-8844, www.lascasuelasnuevas.com
