The fountain in Morelia's Plaza Vallodlid, in front of the Casa de Artesanía.
Are you hungry and looking for comida (main meal of the day) in Morelia? Would you like delicious, home-style Mexican food, as much as you care to eat? Would you like to pay a fair price? Ah, then Buffet Hacienda Valladolid, just a half-block from the Casa de Artesanía (House of Arts and Crafts), is exactly what you want.
One of several attractive dining areas at Buffet Hacienda Valladolid.
Gabriel Miranda Arredondo and his wife, Silvia Araiza González, opened Hacienda Valladolid in July 2009. Their hope was to feed not only business people in downtown Morelia, but also to attract hungry tourists in the area. They have succeeded remarkably well, in large part due to their own kindness and generosity as hosts.
Sra. Petra takes care of maintaining the guisados (prepared foods) on the daily buffet.
The first challenge for Gabriel and Silvia was finding the heart of the restaurant: a very special cook, someone whose unique sazón (essence and flavor in cooking) would draw clients through the door. Gabriel specializes in Chinese cooking and Silvia runs another business, so neither was able to devote adequate attention to the Mexican cuisine they wanted to serve. They put a help-wanted advertisement in Morelia's local newspaper and what showed up? A miracle!
Doña Yolanda Rodríguez Orozco, chief cook and head miracle-worker at Buffet Hacienda Valladolid.
Doña Yola, as she is known, told Mexico Cooks! that she has been a professional cook for more than 30 years. She lived with her godparents after she was orphaned at twelve; her godmother–a marvelous home cook–taught young Yolanda her kitchen secrets because, she said, "If you know how to cook, you can always support yourself. You never know what life will bring you, so it's best to be prepared."
Plates, bowls, cups and silverware are set up just inside the restaurant. Everything at Hacienda Valladolid is self-service, but if something is lacking at your table, ask maitre de Ernesto Gama Castillo (Doña Yola's husband for the last 32 years) and he'll see that you have it.
Doña Yola's kitchen training has served her well. After more than 25 years as a cook in port restaurants in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, she and her husband moved to Morelia. Here in the city, she was much in demand in industrial dining rooms, cooking for large businesses. She prefers to cook in a smaller environment like Hacienda Valladolid, so she was eager for the new work opportunity.
Some of the buffet items the last time Mexico Cooks! ate at Hacienda Valladolid included carne de puerco con chile negro (pork in black chile sauce), guisado de carne de res (beef), and albóndigas de pollo en salsa verde (chicken meatballs in green sauce).
Doña Yola laughed when she told me how she started work at the restaurant. "Everything had to be done! We washed walls, we cleaned floors, we installed stoves and grills–and we made everything look good, feel good, and taste good." The restaurant kitchen, less than half the size of Mexico Cooks!' kitchen at home, turns out food for hundreds of diners every day. The restaurant is especially busy during weekends, when families and regional tourists turn out for a wonderful and inexpensive comida.
Absolutely delicious caldo de pollo con verduras (chicken broth with vegetables, left) and rajas de chile poblano con champiñones en crema (poblano chile strips with mushrooms in cream, right) are buffet staples.
Traditional arroz a la mexicana (Mexican rice) and frijoles refritos (beans) are always on the menu.
Agua fresca de frutas (mixed fruit 'water') and agua de sandía (watermelon) are fresh-made daily. Coffee is always available and house-made atole is on the menu as well. All drinks (and all desserts, including freshly cut seasonal fruits, gelatins, arroz con leche (rice pudding), and cakes) are included in the cost of your comida. You might hit the jackpot and also find Doña Yola's capirotada (bread pudding) on the dessert menu; it's the best Mexico Cooks! has ever eaten.
Starting at seven o'clock and going clockwise around the plate: frijoles refritos, arroz a la mexicana, albóndigas de pollo con salsa verde, and carne de puerco con chile negro. And this was just the first helping! At Hacienda Valladolid, you are always welcome to try everything on the buffet and serve yourself as much as you like.
Homey and comfortable, Hacienda Valladolid is where you want to be when you want your comida plentiful, delicious, and inexpensive. Gabriel and Silvia will make you feel like part of the family. Doña Yola's cooking will delight you and satisfy your hunger. Like Mexico Cooks!, you'll want to go back as often as possible.
Buffet Hacienda Valladolid
Fray Juan de San Miguel #50 (south of Av. Madero, 1/2 block from Plaza Valladolid)
Colonia Centro
Morelia, Michoacán
Cost as of March 2010: 60 pesos, self-serve, all you can eat
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