“No! Please! I can’t eat another bite!” were Editor-in-Chief Kaylyn Nguyen’s last words when struggling to finish one of Mar y Tierra’s delectable dishes.
Step into comfort on West A Street at Mar y Tierra, where Hayward meets affordable and appetizing. Show up in a three-piece suit or Crocs, you will always be welcomed by quaint staff. Once you sit down, you and your party are presented with the menu along with a couple servings of tortilla chips and salsa.
“It’s very homey,” said senior Sasha Heichenko.
The interior is unassuming, flat screen TVs play sports while wooden tables and cushioned chairs line the wall.
After gnawing on some chips, the wait staff will give you around 5 minutes to decide before checking in. Once the waitstaff returns, drinks, appetizers, and entrees can be ordered all at once.
The group ordered jamaica, horchata, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Heichenko found the jamaica sweeter than most. The horchata was not a hit with Nguyen and Co-Editor Sofia Cordoba.
“The juice has a lot of pulp and it’s tangy, but in a good way. You can tell it’s not from the fountain,” said Catherine Escoto, who ordered a beer mug of orange juice.
The group tried a variety of foods to get a full perspective of what Mar y Tierra has to offer. Heichenko regarded trying the nopales con huevo, cactus with scrambled eggs, as a good first impression of cactus.
Next, the quesadilla, a flour tortilla filled to the brim with cheese and choice of meat and served with a side of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Maria Villanueva said the quesadilla was loaded, and filled with fresh pico de gallo.
Despite the popularity of the quesadilla, Nguyen had some critiques.
“I would want it to be crispier,” she said. “It’s f—ing ginormous.”
Chilaquiles con huevo is a classic Mexican dish of fried tortillas scrambled with eggs and cheese.
“I like how the tortilla is not super soggy or super stale because that ruins the dish,” said Cordoba.
Moving along, the tacos de barbacoa are a simple corn tortilla filled with cheese and beef barbacoa.
“I’m used to lamb, but I really like [the beef],” said Escoto. “It’s very juicy, really fresh.”
Need more be said?
Next, camarones a la plancha, charbroiled shrimp served with rice and beans.
“It’s noticeably salty,” said Aundrea Mabana. She added that the rice and beans balance out the saltiness of the shrimp. Mabana regretted ordering the dish because it required peeling each shrimp, making her hands excessively greasy.
I usually hate beans. I will throw up if I have beans. But I actually like it,” said Escoto after trying Mabana’s dish.
Lastly, the huevos con jamon, scrambled eggs and ham.
“The eggs are average, but mixing the eggs, rice, and ham is a new combination,” said Jarryd Manangan. “It’s a good first impression.”
Star Rating: 4.5/5 stars
