If you’re ever looking for a place to spend a fun Sunday at, look no further than Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen in Brea. On Sundays, the restaurant comes alive with the sounds of Sombra Quieta, a Latin trio belting out lively songs with their upbeat music to brighten your day. Some people even get up to dance in between courses!
I came here one such Sunday with my girlfriends and spent a few hours enjoying brunch and sipping on delicious cocktails. Classic Margaritas ($7.95 pictured right) is strong but the housemade sweet and sour is awesome making my mouth pucker a little. Mango Habanero ($8.95 pictured left) was fruity but devilishly strong and it took only one of these for me to feel that headiness seeping in.
My favorite was the Cha Cha Margarita ($9.50), strong, but disguised by all the ingredients including ruby red grapefruit juice.
A basket of chips are brought to the table with two types of salsa. I loved the tomatillo salsa and they brought these just in time as the cocktails were seriously messing with me by now. I needed to EAT!
We started with Wood Fired Queso Fundido ($8.50) , a blend of cheeses, melted over potatoes and poblano peppers, served with tortillas which you can wrap the cheesy concoction with chunks of chorizo in. So tasty but so sinfully rich!
Shrimp Ceviche ($10.95) arrived in a terracotta dish with shrimp marinated in fresh orange and lime juices, Serrano chiles, red onions and Haas avocado chunks. I loved this and could possibly polish an entire order off by myself — EASILY!
If you like crispy things, then Chicken Flautas ($14.95) may definitely be your thing. Fresh chicken, roasted corn, guajillo peppers, Oaxacan cheese are stuffed inside crisp flour tortillas and topped with mango habanero sauce. Kids will love them, but you might want to ask for the sauce on the side if the kids are eating these even though I didn’t think the sauce was spicy at all.
I’m a sucker for poached eggs so Cha Cha Hash and Poached Eggs ($15.50) definitely caught my eye. Roasted chicken, poblano peppers and potatoes are baked in the restaurant’s clay oven with cheese and fresh tomatillo sauce on top. The poached eggs are the piece de resistance of the dish.
Those not wanting breakfast items can try Fresh Mahi Mahi ($19.95), a generous portion of fish pan roasted, served with sauteed calabasitas, or squash, and fresh corn with a lime herb vinaigrette.
Alternatively, meat lovers can indulge in Wood Oven Carnitas ($17.95) slow braised marinated pork, with achiote onion, fresh salsas black beans, rice and corn tortillas.
For those of us on the breakfast streak, Chorizo Scramble Souffle ($14.50) was a light and fluffy egg dish with fresh chorizo sauteed with Yukon Gold potatoes, green chiles, Mexican cheeses baked in the wood fired brick oven and ends up on the table resembling the texture of souffle. You can eat it with tortillas or on its own low carb style!
All the portions are pretty big and I suggest sharing everything to maximize the things you can taste. This is a great place to spend with family or friends but make sure you call ahead and reserve a table because they get busy!
For an opportunity to try Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen, enter in this week’s giveaway for one of THREE $20 giftcards to visit them. Just leave me a comment with your FULL name for one chance to win, or, for an additional chance, “like” Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen’s Facebook page and diary of a Mad Hungry Woman’s Facebook fanpage and leave me another comment letting me know you’ve done that. GOOD LUCK! As usual, entries close on Sunday and winners are announced on Monday.
Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen
110 W Birch Street
Brea, CA 92821
Tel: 714-255-1040
Looks good!
Ohhh Anita, I have had this place bookmarked forever. The drinks (#1) look so potent and delicious and the food.. on nom nom nom. BTW, I already “like” Cha Cha’s and your page on FB! 😛 And the link to your FB link is a little off; I think you used a comma instead of a period somewhere.
Ohhh Anita…. I have had Cha Cha’s bookmarked forever!
The drinks look potent and delicious. Love it.
The food looks delicious and lovely. Love it.
Let’s see… I am already a fan of both Cha Cha’s and your page on FB. Will that count? 😉
And the external link to your facebook page doesn’t work; I think you put a comma instead of a period there.
yes that counts. thanks for letting me know, it is fixed now. please use FULL name as stated on the entry regulations on your comments otherwise your entry won’t be counted. Thanks so much.
ohhh….as much as I love Latin food as of late.. this just looks amazingly scrumptious…especially the Cha Cha Hash and Poached Eggs since poached eggs are the best and as of late have not been running into any decent poached eggs as of late..thank you for revealing such an appetizing place yet again!
Oh that’s weird. I wonder why that didn’t show up.
Christine Haejin Lee
🙂
In Brea? The hell you say!
I’m still searching for a place that make carnitas correctly, though. Carnitas is “surplus” parts of the pig slow-poached in a huge steel vat of lard.
Dave this isn’t your type of carnitas 🙂
The food looks and sounds delicious!
Hi again. I just “liked” both pages on Facebook too! I’m hoping to win!
Ryan Romeos
Liked both pages too!
Looks like there’s a lot of unique but reasonably priced items here.. I’ll have to check it out!
I love eating at Cha Cha’s and driving to Brea, from Whittier, best food and the chips and salsa are to die for…well all of their food is great~
congratulations Marta — you are one of the winners
Food looks really good! And with live music in the background? Awesome! I’m really hoping to win this time =)
Everything looks delicious!!! Xenia Galaviz
Chachas looks appetizing.
Sean solomon
congrats you are one of the winners of the Cha Cha’s giftcards
I would love to try Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen! Thank you! Anna Park
The restaurant looks really nice and the food looks delicious. Even if I don’t win, I would definitely try it. Thanks for sharing!
congrats you are one of the winners
I’ve been to chachas…..good margaritas, decent appitizers, will have to try the fish dish above!
Wow! Your wood fired queso fundidio, fresh mahi mahi, cha cha hash and poached eggs and souffle descriptions and pictures are making me droooolll. I’m already a fan of your Facebook; also linked Cha Cha Latin Kitchen!
I liked both Facebook pages too. ‘di boarder’
I would love the chance to try this place out too. Thanks!!
Latin brunch? Heck yes!
Robin Wachner
Both pages ” liked.”
Robin Wachner
I would love to try this place out! Definitely need a new Sunday Funday adventure.