La Bufa Restaurant

La Bufa is a small, no frills Mexican eatery located in Sierra Plaza off Fontana's historic main drag, Sierra Avenue. It falls into my favorite category of Mexican dining spot, the "hole in the wall", which means minimal decor and atmosphere combined with inexpensive good food and lots of it.

This is a "read the menu board and order" type of establishment. When your food is ready they bring it to your table plated on huge bubbling hot sturdy china plates accompanied by real metal flatware. I, for one, can't stand to eat on flimsy foam plates with plastic utensils, which seems to be the drill at many of the local places I try. If a beverage refill is needed they'll bring that to you also. Baskets of hot chips are provided and a serve yourself fresh salsa bar stands ready to provide you with all the pico de gallo, hot red sauce and mild green tomatillo sauce you can eat.

The menu is about what you'd expect in an Inland Empire Mexican establishment. Diners may order single or combination entrees with the ubiquitous rice and beans or a la carte without if they so desire. The refried beans are excellent, home made, and served with a crown of melted white Mexican cheese. The rice is typical and uninspired. But I don't come here for rice.

There are two dishes I always order to gauge the ability of a Mexican restaurant's kitchen.
One is carne asada and the other is their chile relleno. Both selections are bell ringers at La Bufa. In the asada, strips of tender beef, onion and jalapeno pepper are flat grilled and served piping hot as an entree with rice and beans, in a taco or in a burrito. I've had it every way they serve it here and can't make my mind up as to what version is my favorite.

The chiles rellenos are lightly breaded then lovingly fried in clean, crisp tasting oil. They are generously stuffed with a mild Mexican white cheese, possibly a Queso Fresco or a farm cheese. The come unsauced, which is my preferred way to have this dish served. So many places drown their rellenos in a glutinous, pale tomato sauce that it's a treat to see them served "dry". Ordering the chile relleno plate will get you 2 large chiles, rice, beans and a stack of homemade corn or flour tortillas. The tortillas, by the way, are made as soon as you order them. It doesn't get any fresher.

They even offer tripas, which is braised pig small intestine. I decided I'd be a gamer and take one for the Inside the IE dot com team, so I ordered a tripas taco the other day. Let's just say I won't be making that mistake again. Nothing against La Bufa, as my born in East L.A. friend Enrique Leopoldo Fajardo loved his. It's obviously a culture thing.

The beverage selection is standard, bottled and canned beer, fountain soda, along with fresh horchata and tamarindo. The horchata is unbelievably good.

La Bufa rests comfortably in my top 3 Fontana Mexican restaurant list. I suggest the readers drop by and find out why.

La Bufa

9936 Sierra Ave.
A few doors north of Stater Bros in Sierra Plaza
Fontana
909-355-4588