One of my absolute favorite “comfort” foods is Mexican Pozole, also known as Posole (Vietnamese Pho is another of my favorites).  Pozole is a Mexican soup (actually, a pre-Columbian soup).  Pozole has many variations, but the most common here is a red chile sauce, with hominy (usually substituted for Posole corn which is hard to find), pork, cabbage, radishes, limes (or lemons), oregano, and chopped onion.  Delicious!

Before moving to Southern California, my second family would make the best homemade Pozole ever, and it was always a special occasion and resulted in great get-togethers.  After moving to Southern California, I never found a place that served Pozole.  I’m sure there are places, but I’ve never seen one, and haven’t looked as actively as I should have.

Recently, I was really craving Pozole and began looking for places when, by coincidence, I came across El Baja Chef on the Redondo Pier.  They were closed, but they had a sign outside of their restaurant that said they serve Pozole on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  I haven’t spent much time at Redondo Pier until recently, but I was happy to stumble on El Baja Chef and came back the next day to try their Pozole.

El Baja Chef is a small Mexican restaurant on Redondo Pier, overlooking the Marina section (across from the arcade).  We met the owner, Victor, and his daughter, and they were both very cool, friendly people.  There a lot of people there (seemed like regulars) having a great time.  The place has a very friendly vibe to it, and the awesome marina view always makes for a great atmosphere.

There’s a small bar inside, and along the outer wall another small bar, where you can sit inside with a great view of the marina, or sit outside in the sun.  The windows and doors open for a very open atmosphere, with a great view and lots of sunlight.  There’s a couple of booths in the back, some counter high tables, and some regular tables in the middle.  A couple of TV’s always playing the popular sports games, and always great music playing.  Today they were playing Maná.

Homemade Chips and Salsa and Pacifico Beer

We ordered the Pozole, with a couple of Pacifico Beers.  While we waited for the Pozole, we had the traditional chips and salsa.  These were not the tyipical chips and salsa that you get at most Mexican restaurants, but the real homemade chips and salsa that you would experience in Mexico.  These would have been enough!  These chips and salsa are great!  They taste like they were just made, nice and thick, with a great flavor.  Very crunchy and tasty!  Perfect to get us ready for the main event, the Pozole!

And then it came.  It’s been a few years since I’ve had Pazole, and I was ready!  It was just like I remembered, along with all the fixings on the side.  Inside the bowl, the hominy and pork in a somewhat spicy red chile soup.  On the side, cabbage, cilantro, onions, radishes and lime.  After dumping in the fixings and giving it a try, I can only say that you have to come here for a bowl of Pozole!  It was delicious, just like I remembered it.  Just the right amount of spice, the pork and hominy mixed with the fixings and I was in paradise.  Add to this a great environment, with beautiful views, good music and great people and it makes for a special treat.

A beautiful bowl of Pozole

I’ve since been back many times, for Pozole, of course.  But I’ve also tried some of their other dishes, all of which are excellent.  And if you don’t believe me, the old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” applies:

There's a happy girl!

El Baja Chef
102 Internatl Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
1 (310) 376-0838