I'm excited because today I get to try something that I've never tried before and it's going to be happening at Wahaka Restaurant, which is on the northeast corner of Belmont and Chestnut. I've heard amazing things about this cuisine. Let's give it a shot. I'm Jason Ferris owner of Fresias Realty and I've lived in Fresno all my life. Join me as I visit some of the best food spots 559 as to offer. This is Fresno flavor. Music First thing I'm struck by is the bright colorful feel of their cozy space on Belmont Avenue. From what I can see the vibrant colors and eclectic textures match the amazing food. This family owned establishment has been serving the Valley for over three decades. Every single plate has something special about it. I'm going to learn all about the restaurant's history and amazing food today. I can't believe you guys have been here for over three decades and sadly I didn't even know we were here. Yeah, we're a little hidden. That's okay, but sometimes these hidden places are the best in town and so far I have to say we're starting off right. I'm familiar here. Yeah, maybe too familiar, but what is this? This is our wahakka in Orchata that we put a walnuts, melon and or tuna. It's our cactus. Okay, yeah, sorry. I love the color the vibrancy. It kind of goes along with you know the restaurant. Tell me a little bit about wahaka. Well to us the wahaka is our culture. Now I did a little digging so that's in the southern end of Mexico, right? My parents came around like 30 years ago. We wanted to open our wahakka restaurant in Fresno. We knew there was no wahakka cuisine in this area and the central valley. So how old were you in this? What's happening? How was about like five? Yeah, I still remember. We go to wahakka like every summer to visit our own ghosts. What a host you are. I'm already getting food. What is this? We have a little surprise here. Chappalinas? Crickets? Like the actual cricket? Okay. We call them chappalinas. They're grasshoppers all the way from Wahaka. It's sauteed with the tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, a little bit of salt. It's just a gradin people order. Ah, so secret menu items. That's the kind of place we're rolling into. I like it. All right. You just get a chip. Oh, so I'm not being punked. It's real. All right. All right. Let's try some chappalinas. They've been sauteed and cooked. Like there's nothing. They're not going to jump off my plate or anything. This is why you have the beer, huh? What do you think? The texture caught me off guard. But wow, it's spicy. You know what? They remind me of the sunflower seed a lot. But they were good. I can actually see myself coming back and having them in Chalada and Rebonon some chappalinas. Well, thanks for the surprise. So let's get back to Wahaka. People say like, oh, it's a Mexican restaurant. This is really not. Yes, our food's really different. Our number one item. We call them a clavulas. It's kind of basically like like a Mexican pizza. It's rolling this big. We put an armida da sago into a beef. Our sessina, which is a pork enchilado. And we also put chorizo. We have customers that come all the way from San Francisco. We have some from Seattle, from Cleveland. And they come just for our clavulas. Well, I haven't enjoyed some of this beer and I've had a little bit of an appetizer. So I'm ready for the main course. Let's head back in the kitchen so I can see how it's made. All right. Do it. It's rare to step into a restaurant and feel like you're transported to the place where the whole cuisine originated. But that's exactly the vibe. Wahaka pulls off. Let's hop into the kitchen to see how this Wahaka classic is put together. So first we start off with the clavula, which is a tostada from Wahaka. And then we're going to add the black beans. Our beans are made with chili, the arbol and some garlic. Did you just scare one of your secrets with me? All right. Now I'm just getting to the secrets. We add our shredded cabbage, queso fresco. And then we put our Wahaka cheese, albacaos and the gotta have avocado, tomato. It's likely to make an appetizer. Yeah, basically not our Wahaka pizza. We're going to add our sessina, our work, our tazajo. And that meat is sliced so thin. This is going to be delicious when it's done. I just know it. We have our chorizo cactus. Sometimes when the people that were in the order like a whole clavula, they don't be surprised when they see how big it is. You'll just see their faces like like really really surprised. Oh look at that bad boy. It's clavuda time. This looks absolutely amazing. That is nothing like what I imagined it would look like. And how do people eat such a thing? I mean this is huge. It's the clavida, a little bit of chorizo, a little bit whatever you like. There are everything's really fresh. This is basically how they serve it in Wahaka. They'll have it outside in the street. They'll have their grill and they will make our the clavida for you. That's fantastic. That's got really good flavor and it's cooked perfection. This is probably the most Wahaka in a plate. So you're bringing authentic Wahaka food in here and then doing your thing. What a commitment. Is it always been that way? Since the day we opened. So now I get it earlier when we were talking and you were explaining that they come here all the way from San Francisco. I understand why I would come here for this. We sell probably about a thousand. How many of them a month? A thousand? Probably even more. Wow. Well I mean I really shouldn't be giving the wow because it tastes so good. I mean I'll be coming back for sure. I can't put into words how unique our visit has been here today at Wahaka Restaurant. If you want to taste and experience a culture and cuisine of this special part of Mexico, come on down to Wahaka Restaurant. For more stories about the people, the places, the lifestyle, the homes and the delicious food that our Valley continues to put out, please check out Shrezyes.com. So you guys aren't the only ones with the secret agenda, the menu items and stuff. I actually have a secret today and it's for my Fresno viewers. So I want to give you another reason to come down here and try this amazing food. And so I'm going to buy a $50 gift certificate from the fine gentleman here and I am going to give it away to one of you viewers. And all you have to do is click the link below. Thanks for watching and get down here to Wahaka. Do love it.