Mount Pleasant Magazine March/April 2020

www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.MountPleasantRestaurant.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com lowcountry cuisine LC 47 Celebrate Cinco deMayo La Hacienda F or decades, La Hacienda has been a staple for families, work gatherings and celebrations for people in the Lowcountry. Great food, reasonable prices and fun atmosphere are what attract newcomers, visitors and repeat customers. Jesus Ayala came to the United States with a dream that his family-owned estilo de casa (homestyle) Mexican restaurant would grow. Jesus and his son, Antonio Ayala, made his dream come true, opening their first restaurant in Greenwood, South Carolina, 30 years ago. Over the years, strict attention to details and dedication has gone into each of La Hacienda’s seven locations. “We have always wanted La Hacienda to be a place you can go with your family and not worry about your children being loud. It is a place where you can eat a good Mexican meal and have a drink,” said Yesenia, wife and assistant to the co-owner of La Hacienda on South Morgans Point Road in Mount Pleasant. “La Hacienda has been here the longest because of the quality of our food. At our restaurant, everyone can be happy.” Cinco de Mayo is La Hacienda’s busiest day of the year. Celebrating the Mexican Army’s win over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, has become a day where many Americans join in by celebrating Mexican-American culture. The Cinco de Mayo celebration at La Hacienda runs all day with giveaways, live music and a wide variety of drink specials. “We make Cinco de Mayo special and we appreciate the crowd that comes out every year,” shared Yesenia. “We hope to see all of you this year.” Enough cannot be said about the food at La Hacienda that started from traditional recipes, such as carne asada and fresh garden salsa that is paired with crispy golden tortilla chips. Modern dishes include Mexican street elote, which is grilled corn on the cob topped with Mexican crema, queso fresco and Tajin seasoning. A few of La Hacienda’s bestsellers include chipotle enchiladas, traditional molcajete and Charleston’s best burritos. Barbeque, pork, seafood, chicken, steaks, vegetarian dishes, desserts and kid favorites are all cooked fresh every day. La Hacienda boasts that they didn’t create the margarona, but that they made it perfect. Come in and decide for yourself or try one of their traditional margaritas. “We strive for our staff to be friendly and caring to our customers at all times. We want our customers to have an enjoyable meal,” said Yesenia. “We have a dish for everyone.” So whether you want sopes, empanadas or the best guacamole in town, La Hacienda welcomes you and your family to come in for a meal. La Hacienda extends the warmest welcome to all customers, whether you’re dining for the first time or a regular who the friendly and helpful staff know by name. Everyone, from the kitchen staff to the front of the house, truly believes that “mi casa es su casa.” BY STACY E. DOMINGO To view La Hacienda’s menu or to order online, visit LaHaciendaMexRestaurants.com, or call the Mount Pleasant location directly at 843-388-7636.