ChaCha's Tacos & Tequila in Brea the Height of Hubris

By Gustavo Arellano Thu., Aug. 27 2009 at 12:53 PM

Categories: Indigestion

Pin It

A cha cha girl costume. Does this look Mexican to you (disregard fake-blond Mexicans, por favor)?

I've yet to see the menu at ChaCha's Tacos and Tequila in Brea, let alone taste the entrees of the recently opened restaurant, but I can unequivocally say that the man behind it is a pendejo with no knowledge whatsoever of Mexican anything.

In an interview with the Orange County Register, Don Meyers--the same genius who opened that paragon of high cuisine called El Torito Grill--told the reporter, "We can't wait to bring excitement back to Mexican food."

The arrogance of this man! Either this is PR drivel or Meyers is wacky. Guarantee there's more excitement in one sip of the green pozole at Las Brisas de Apatzingan, one crunch of a tostada topped with Mariscos Licenciado #2's aguachile, a spoonful of Taleo's flan, than the entirety of ChaCha's existence will ever imagine it can do.

Oh, and why the name "ChaCha"? It either derives from the cha-cha-cha or the slur cha-cha girl, both which pertain to the Caribbean, not Mexico. Idiot. Want good Brean Mexican? Try Durango Mexican Grill.

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Dining Newsletter: The week's top local food news and events, plus interviews with chefs and restaurant owners, dining tips, and a peek at our print review.

Write Comment

Email to Friend

Print Article

Related Content

Cha Chas is what college boys call womens' breasts. Calling a restaurant Cha Chas simply sounds stupid. The Cha Cha girl's costume looks like something a hooker would wear and ridicules the traditional Mexican garb worn by women during Mexican dances. So the restaurant is basically called tities and dresses their staff like whores. Not a place I want to visit with my family. This is why I don't go to the OC unless I absolutely have to. I keep reading about retards like Meyers.
Yeah, i used to work in a don meyers resturant and talk about little mans syndrome! Cha-Cha's obviously is not real Mexican food... Go to la habra for some real tacos, amigos
Merriam-Webster is free online. It comes highly recommended by people who are into definitions. I'm done, Gustavo. This has been fun. Cheers.
Since you're into definitions, Leslie: a second-hand account is when someone tells you something someone said with no actual proof of said conversation like, say, an interview. A quote is a recorded statement. Nancy Luna doesn't make things up, and the guy never demanded a retraction for his idiotic statement. I'm not arrogant--I just report the facts. Go ahead and support a fool--the rest of us will continue to enjoy much-better cuisine by people who aren't blowhards.
Why don't you go interview the man for yourself rather than repurpose some secondhand account of it from another reporter? Oh yeah and the definition of haughty is: scornfully arrogant. I'd toss that comment right back at ya, babe.
Yes, we're being the bullies when some moron slams an entire genre of restaurants in Orange County. Go enjoy your haughtiness!
I'm with Jeremy. I know journalism is a dying profession, but really Gustavo? A restaurant slam based on a line you read in the OC Register from a man who clearly DOESN'T have a PR coach? From what I see, you didn't even interview him. It's sad to me that people are given a forum to barbecue people not based on how they run their business or make their food but how they pissed you off with one sentence. I'm going to go just because you and your other angry jurors are being the mean frat boys.
Jeremy: Did you not read the first sentence of this review?
You're reviewing a restaurant based on reputation and rhetoric. Try the food and then crucify it.
I used to work for that guy, and sadly, that is one of the least douchey things he has said.
Let the local college fraternity fucks take over this shithole once and for all. Yeah, I got your chacha right here, pinchi poseur pendejo. Oh, and don't forget to charge those frat fucks through the nose when they shout out for their Cuervo 1800. Worst fucken' tequila ever but it's the choice of gabachos. Hmmm, maybe we should use it as a WMD for the ReConquista...
Typical racist Orange County whites!
I can hear it now from "The Real Housewives of Brea": "Oh my God, girls, look, we can eat Mexican food without having to go into the ghetto in Placentia!" Good thing I try never to go to Brea (I use Irvine for all my chain-store needs).
Gustavo, my wife's sister is working on her oil-based salsa as we speak- ingredients: Japanese chili peppers, ground garlic, salt, sesame, and hot oil...put it on with eyedroppers-want a jar?
Yes, that remark of his has been rankling me since I read it on Monday. I don't know what the food will be like there but what is he comparing it to? I was at Gabbi's at lunch today with a friend and told the friend about this place that says they're going to "bring the excitement back." That perturbed my friend who had all sorts of things to say about it. Of course, it might just be hired PR hyperbole but they have to be careful about making statements like that.
I gotta agree with you on this one Gustavo. That statement of his made me look at my computer screen in disgust. Ummm, what? Bring back the what? If it's anything like El Torito, the guy is DELUDED.