EL CHARRO RESTAURANT
One of the most popular places with locals, especially for dinner and on weekends, is El Charro Restaurant and Bar, on Woodland’s Main Street. There is often a crowd, both around the fullservice bar and in the large adjacent dining room — singles, couples, groups and families. The atmosphere is festive old Mexico, with classic rawhide chairs and tall, exposed brick walls dating from the 1800s, giving the place a rustic elegance. The owner, Olga Ruelas, is originally from Jalisco state, just inland from the coastal state of Nayarit, and runs the restaurant with her son, Reuben. They both can be seen on most days, working. “I’m also the one who goes to Mexico and brings back the terra-cotta jars for serving the cantaritos,” he says of the deceptively easy-to-drink combination of Tequila (your choice of brand), grapefruit soda, and lime juice garnished with fresh pineapple and orange slice, rimmed with salt. Everything is made from scratch. It’s hard to choose here — delicate empanadas, featherlight chile relleno, or one of the specialties, like camarones a la diabla (shrimp in spicy red sauce) chicken mole or the molcajete, a lava stone mortar filled with a combination of grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, cactus and onions, and served with salsas, beans, rice and tortillas — plenty for two people. 415 Main St., Woodland; (530) 661-3166. www.elcharrowoodland.com. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, until 1 a.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday. Full bar. Chile Relleno, a la carte, $3.95; empanadas (three) a la carte $9.95; camarones a la diabla, $14.95; cantaritos, $7.50.