Martanne’s is a great little hole-in-the-wall restaurant located on San Francisco Street that serves authentic Mexican breakfast and lunch.
With so many dishes to choose from, Martanne’s makes it difficult to pick the perfect meal. Deciding on the huevos rancheros was a very tough choice between chilequiles and posole.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with Mexican cuisine, huevos rancheros are eggs served sunny side up on a tortilla topped with chile verde — which in this case was pork– in green chili sauce.

Bryan Kinkade / The Lumberjack

The rancheros came on a huge plate overflowing with rice, pinto beans and hash browns — the perfect combination for this mouth-watering breakfast. The huevos rancheros themselves weren’t cooked enough, but the flavor of the chile verde heaped on top made up for that. It wasn’t too spicy or too watery. Also, the amount of pork in the sauce was substantial and cooked to a tender, flaky perfectness.

When asked if I wanted salsa with my meal, I immediately said yes. The waitress handed me a bottle of the best salsa I’ve tasted in any Mexican restaurant. Most of the time, when you ask for salsa at a restaurant, the server hands you some watered-down store-bought version. I want a sauce that is so spicy it makes your eyes water and your breath come in quick huffs and puffs. Unfortunately, it’s not that hot, but it is the best I’ve gotten from any so-called Mexican restaurant.

The food isn’t the only thing that makes Martanne’s a great place to go. The restaurant is decorated in just the right way so all of the mismatched pieces don’t look lame. The red and blue walls, sky-painted ceiling, black and white checkered tile floor, and glittery chairs make it unnoticeable as a Mexican restaurant.
The service is another attribute that adds to the experience of Martanne’s. There was only one waitress, but she was all smiles and never ignored customers. She checked on everyone regularly and made sure I had everything I needed. In restaurants where there is only one server, that one server usually tends to be moody, but the waitress at Martanne’s was polite and friendly, never seeming fake.

When I was ready to pay, I handed my server my debit card, and she informed me they only accept cash or check, neither of which I had. However, she was very sweet and told me where the nearest ATM was; I have the feeling they tell that to a lot of people.

After getting the money I needed to pay for my meal, I left Martanne’s with full expectations to return. Although paying nine dollars for my breakfast was upsetting, Martanne’s delivered enough food for two people. The food might be pricy, but Martanne’s serves the best Mexican food from any restaurant — and a lot of it. I can’t wait to try more from their menu.