Mijita is a Cocina Mexicana with a Bay Area flavor. Chef Traci Des Jardins cooks from her roots using local, seasonal ingredients. The name Mijita is a sentimental nod to the past and Traci’s Mexican-born grandmother. An excellent cook, Grandma Angela Salazar loved to spend time with Traci in the kitchen and called her the endearing diminutive, “Mijita,” meaning “Little One.”  Today, Traci is a James Beard award-winner and known nationally as the Chef/Co-owner of Jardiniere, Mijita Cocina Mexicana, Public House and Chef/partner of Manzanita in the Ritz-Carlton Highlands in Northstar at Lake Tahoe.

The Mijita menu features special regional dishes of Mexico, such as Oaxacan Chicken Tamales, as well as classic street foods -- carnitas, carne asada, Baja style fish tacos, ceviche -- and albondigas, a spicy meatball soup. Whenever possible, organic ingredients are used. MIJITA serves lunch and dinner and offers aagua frescas, beer, wine, margaritas and Mexican sodas. There is a special market breakfast on Saturdays. The space is a model of "green design," using environmentally friendly building materials. When you can't get enough of these delicioso flavors, there are salsas and handmade tortillas to take home.