LA SIERRA
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑
District: South Omaha
Mexican restaurant serving dishes authentic to the state of Durango
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Takeout
Standout Dishes: Mexican Hot Dog; Gordita with Cactus & Eggs; Bean & Cheese Burrito; Rajas con Queso Burrito
What if I told you there’s a Mexican spot in Omaha where you won’t find a taco on the menu. No nachos or enchiladas, either.
Even the menu items you think you recognize—burritos and gorditas—are far different from what you’ve had at Chipotle or Taco Bell.
Nope, La Sierra is all about offering food from the Mexican state of Durango, and while it might seem unfamiliar at first, your tastebuds will want to get to know this food on a regular level.
Located in Little Italy (near downtown Omaha), La Sierra was started by the Cazares family. The husband-wife team, along with their two daughters, couldn’t find anyone offering the Durango’s food when they moved to Omaha, so they opened their own place and created a highly customizable menu to enjoy all they have to offer.
La Sierra offers 14 different protein, potato, and veggie combinations that can be ordered as a plate (with rice and beans), gordita, quesadilla, or burrito. Each is a very manageable size, and most diners would probably want to order 3-4 dishes to satisfy their appetite, giving you an ability to cover the wide swath of flavors in the menu.
Just check your preconceived notions of Mexican food at the door.
First, the burritos. Most burritos are rolled then folded on the end, making a pudgy rectangular package. In Durango, however, burritos are rolled with untucked, open ends. While this strategy would seem to welcome spillage out the ends, the burritos are wrapped so tightly that the precious cargo inside remains in place.
The foundation of any burrito is the tortilla: it can either add a delicious base or cause the entire structure to crumble. La Sierra employs fresh flour tortillas that not only don’t tear but also possess a delightful chewiness—as you bite, the tortilla almost bounces back. It’s a texture immediately recognizable in upper echelon tortillas, of which this is one.
Much as I adore the tortilla, it tends to be the dominant player in La Sierra’s burritos. For instance, the Papas con Chorizo (Potatoes w/ Chorizo) is surprisingly mild; the spice and smokiness of the chorizo gets lost in the tortilla. This isn’t a bad thing, necessarily, as the tortilla is absolutely delicious. But I’d like to see the flavors of the innards be more pronounced.
This isn’t a problem, however, with the most simple of La Sierra’s filling options: Frijoles con Queso (Beans w/ Cheese). The cheese is so gooey and melty, making every bite very dairy forward. As a kid, my diet consisted heavily of rolled flour tortillas microwaved with shredded cheese. This is like that sinfully simple dish, only crafted with fresh tortillas and professionals’ hands. It’s beautifully simple.
The gorditas also benefit from La Sierra’s commitment to homemade products. Forget the Americanized flatbread version; these traditional gorditas are palm-sized pockets of masa dough stuffed with meat, cheese, and other fillings. The term gordita means “little fat one” in Spanish because these flavor frisbees are so packed with ingredients.
Remember the relatively mild chorizo I mentioned above in the burrito? It ain’t mild in gordita form. Here the thin masa dough allows the chorizo to play the starring role, and it bursts forth with spiciness and a touch of sweetness.
The Deshebrada features tender strands of spicy beef, and the Nopales con Huevos (Cactus w/ Eggs) offers buttery, flavorful scrambled eggs mixed with the mild sourness of cactus. Whatever filling you choose, these mini sandwiches promise to highlight the innards.
Something to note on all La Sierra’s offerings: there’s no filler here. Lettuce, tomatoes, and onions need not apply. Whatever the menu says is in the item is exactly what you get, and I admire the straightforward approach that focuses on the protein and cheese.
The menu items may seem a bit foreign on your first visit, but don’t fear; the friendly staff at La Sierra (most of which is the owners’ family) is more than happy to explain the different dishes and preparations. They also commonly visit tables to ensure guests are enjoying their meal.
But the star of the menu might actually be a more familiar item: the Mexican Hot Dog, a frank wrapped in bacon, tucked into a pillowy bun, and topped with mayo, mustard, ketchup, onions, and peppers. Sweet, salty, smoky, fatty, tangy flavors all meet in the middle for a flavor bomb.
There’s nothing wrong with Americanized Mexican food, and many Omaha restaurants do it extremely well. But it’s a breath of fresh air to find a restaurant that’s sticking to the roots of what Durango is known for. Don’t be afraid to try something outside of the box. Get to La Sierra and taste all that burritos and gorditas can really be.