Sitting down for a late January lunch with Cynthia Segura, the co-owner of the immensely popular Pasión Comida Mexicana in Old Orcutt, was a chance for me to taste their delicious new creations, and for her to catch her breath. The previous two months were a whirlwind.
Segura had just returned from a Los Angeles shopping trip with a vehicle full of extra restaurant supplies: six-dozen plates, glasses, and silverware—all urgently needed due to Pasión’s instant success.
So many more customers than the owners anticipated are clamoring for Pasión’s traditional Mexican cuisine with a modern twist.
“Oh my gosh! The first week we were slammed! I said, ‘Oh my god! What do we do?’ People kept coming in that door,” Segura said with a giggle. “But we love it!”
Segura and her husband Gabe opened their dream restaurant on Nov. 28, 2012, in Orcutt Union Plaza, with the help of two daughters.
The first-time restaurateurs thought they’d ease into the business by initially opening for dinner only.
But instead, “it’s just been a mad rush,” Segura exclaimed. “We are very, very blessed.”
When Pasión added lunch service, scores of midday customers suddenly appeared, willing to wait to be seated.
“There was a line! And we have not advertised. … I’m so happy! I still can’t believe it. I still can’t believe it,” Segura said.
Obviously, Pasión fills a need in the Santa Maria Valley.
“In the first few weeks, some customers came seven or eight times. They said they’ll never get tired of it,” Segura recalled. “They sit at the taco bar. They order tacos. They get their drinks. They just love it!”
The taco bar at the front of the restaurant was Segura’s idea; customers are able to watch a cook prepare their fresh tacos.
Segura grew up eating Tex-Mex meals made from scratch by her mom, a native of San Antonio, Texas.
“I wanted to bring the tacos from my home to the public,” she told me.
Pasión employs two expert tortilla makers during the day and another pair at night who take turns making fresh tortillas in full view of the dining room.
The taco menu options are steak or chicken asada, coffee and ancho-braised brisket barbacoa, carnitas, zucchini and mushroom, shrimp (crispy or grilled), and local cod (crispy or grilled). All are served with shredded cabbage, onion, cilantro, and a fresh lime wedge for $3.50 to $4.50 each.
Starters include Shrimp Diablo with sweet corn tamale; local cod and sour orange ceviche tostadita; empanada with roasted peppers, almonds, and goat cheese; and jalapeño poppers filled with goat cheese and chorizo, beer battered, and deep fried, with a contrasting raspberry sauce.
The most popular entrée is white enchiladas: pork chili verde covered in sour cream sauce and queso anejo.
Another crowd-pleaser is the Puffy Taco de San Antonio: a crispy, puffy tortilla shell with shredded cabbage, queso, pickled red onions, pico de gallo, and crema. Choose from steak or chicken asada, shrimp, or fish (grilled or fried).
Other entrees include shrimp Yucatan, lamb shank Birria, chili Colorado, chipotle chicken, and sliced New York steak.
Pasión sells 12 beers on tap, as well as fine Central Coast wines, wine margaritas, and sangria. (A liquor license is in the works.)
The Seguras hired consulting chef Ryan Gromfin, Central City Market’s former chef, to help them design recipes, train the staff, and get the restaurant off the ground.
“Ryan worked in Texas,” Segura gushed. “So I said, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s like a marriage made in heaven!’”
In an e-mail to the Sun, Gromfin wrote, “Pasión is such an exciting project to be a part of. It has been so amazing to hear all the positive feedback regarding the food and how busy the restaurant is. I am so proud of Cynthia and their kitchen manager Ruben [Serna]. They have put their heart and passion into the restaurant and it shows. I honestly believe that food will get people into a restaurant, but hospitality and engagement are what bring them back.”
Head cook Serna, who was born and raised in Santa Maria, has prepared meals for U.S. presidents, Michael Jackson, and the Pope. But he’s now thrilled to create exciting cuisine for eager crowds visiting Pasión.
“I want it to succeed, just as I do,” Serna said. Right now he feels “on top of the world!”
The owners are already planning to expand the outdoor dining area. Look for a new patio oasis later this spring: “It’s going to be homey. It’s going to be pretty. It’ll be a little different,” Segura promised.
She also designed the inside of the warm and inviting restaurant, calling it high-end yet comfortable. With the help of her professional contractor husband, Segura combined all natural elements: rustic wood, rocks on the taco bar, linen booths, and stained concrete floors.
From the moment you walk into Pasión, you can see, hear, feel, and, yes, smell the passion.
“We put love into everything we do,” Segura said. “We put passion into everything!”
And Pasión patrons are returning the love.
Sun food and wine writer Wendy Thies Sell will spend Valentine’s Day with her loved ones. Tell her about restaurants you love at wthies@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 14-21, 2013.