Rural Missouri - May 2024 - 49

Throughout its long history, the building that houses
the restaurant served as a dry goods store, tearoom and
antique shop. " I think it's one of the best-preserved and
all-original buildings in the Midwest, " she says.
Then there's the food. Many of the dishes were inspired
by family recipes. Dolores' mother owned a traditional
Mexican restaurant in Cabool for 48 years. While she
didn't share her recipes with Dolores, she instilled a love
for food, fresh ingredients and hard work - all of which
are evident on the menu.
The Mexican entrees are the stars of the menu. One of
the best sellers is the Carne Asada Street Tacos. " What
makes it so special is that I use very tender meat, " Dolores
says. " You don't have to chew or gnaw on it. I think that's
the most important aspect of a good steak taco. It is probably
the most authentic thing we have on the menu; it is
very similar to what you would get if you were visiting the
streets of Mexico. "
The tacos are garnished with cilantro and onions and
served with a side of guacamole, limes, rice and beans.
While the tacos are very fl avorful, they are not spicy.
Another customer favorite is the Smothered Burrito,
which is a 10-inch fl our tortilla fi lled with beans and seasoned
ground beef. The burrito is topped with either queso
(the most popular) or enchilada sauce (Dolores' favorite).
It's smothered with cheddar cheese the team grates inhouse.
The dish is garnished of lettuce and sour cream
and served with rice and beans.
" The Smothered Burrito is a comfort food, " she says.
" It's like eating Grandma's chicken and dumplings, but it's
not chicken and dumplings; it's a big Smothered Burrito. "
A new item on the menu is the Trainwreck, which was
inspired by some of the restaurant's customers who had
lived in New Mexico. The customers described a dish to
Dolores, and she headed to the kitchen. Named in honor of
the train track that runs 30 feet out the back door of the
restaurant, the Trainwreck is a stacked enchilada.
" We stack the enchiladas in a cast-iron skillet, starting
with enchilada sauce, a tortilla, seasoned ground beef,
onions and cheese, " she says. " Then we do another tortilla,
seasoned ground beef, onions and cheese. Then it is covHousemade
guacamole and freshly fried chips are the perfect start to
your experience at Mama Loca's. " Food preparation is important to
me, " Dolores says. " It makes your whole experience dining better. "
Mama Loca's Cafe & Cantina
Specialties: Mexican entrees, such as tacos, enchiladas and burritos,
burgers, salads and a half-dozen varieties of pizza.
Price: Mexican entrees from $11.95 to $24.95. Pizzas from $15.95 to
$21.95. Burgers and chicken/fi sh baskets from $10.95 to $22.95.
Details: Open Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Cash,
credit cards and checks accepted. Nonsmoking. Located at 111 W.
Main St. in Ash Grove. Contact at 417-672-2200 and on Facebook.
WATCH VIDEO
Ash Grove
Scan to travel
to Mama Loca's
Cafe & Cantina.
MAY 2024 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP 49
ered with enchilada sauce and cheese. It is served with a
fried jalapeno, crispy potatoes and a side of beans. "
The menu is rounded out by gourmet pizzas, cheeseburgers
and hand-crafted salads. Good food served in a
special building creates an inviting atmosphere that keeps
customers returning over and over. Marc says they have
regulars from as far away as St. Louis, Kansas City and
Branson. They also have customers from other states and
countries, who fi nd Mama Loca's as they bike along the
TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, which passes Ash Grove on a
coast-to-coast route along mostly rural highways.
" We just had a family from France visit, " Dolores says.
" It is really exciting for us that we can be right here in
rural Missouri and meet and greet people from all over the
world. But at the same time, we can sit and have coffee or
an adult beverage with our friends right here in town. "
For Dolores, Mama Loca's has been a place of healing.
In 2006, she sustained a traumatic brain injury in a car
wreck. She had to relearn how to speak, and her doctors
didn't expect her to ever work again.
Dolores didn't believe them and
exceeded everyone's expectations.
" The restaurant
has been part of my
healing and recovery, "
she says.
" Being in service
to others is what
helped bring me
out of my darkness.
We love
serving. It's what
fulfi lls us. "
http://www.RURALMISSOURI.COOP
Rural Missouri - May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - May 2024
