La Cocina de Ricardo Menu – Lake Forest, CA

Type : Mexican restaurant

Location : Lake Forest, CA

La Cocina de Ricardo is dedicated to the family tradition of excellence that began with Grandma Juana in Mixtlán Jalisco, México. She was the main chef of her town and would prepare the food for small and large events, from parties to weddings, making every occasion memorable. This tradition of thoughtfully prepared recipes was passed to Mamacita Alicia, who brought all this knowledge to Southern California over 30 years ago.

Festive Mexican eatery for jumbo platters, lunch combos & cocktails in a casual, colorful space. Based on 556 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.4 stars. Price $

✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout ✔️ No-contact delivery

La Cocina de Ricardo 92630

Address:
23532 El Toro Rd #11, Lake Forest, CA 92630

Phone: (949) 586-1477

Website:

Social Profile:

Hours

Friday 11 AM–9 PM
Saturday 11 AM–9 PM
Sunday 11 AM–9 PM
Monday

(Labor Day)
 11 AM–9 PM

Hours might differ
Tuesday 11 AM–9 PM
Wednesday 11 AM–9 PM
Thursday 11 AM–9 PM

Menu

Appetizers / Para Abrir el Apetito
Super Quesadilla
Flour tortilla with cheese, Beef, Chorizo, Chicken, Carnitas or carne asada. (Shrimp $2 more) Garnished with guacamole & sour cream		 $11.95
Choriqueso
A generous portion of melted cheese topped with chorizo. Served with pickled carrots & tortillas. spicy on request		 $11.95
Chiles El Jefe
Grilled onions & hot peppers, served with lime & tortillas		 $5.95
Botanas Doña Alicia
Beef taquitos, Chicken flautas, cheese quesadilla, Served with guacamole & sour cream		 $14.95
Oysters $13.95
Aguachile
A generous portion of raw shrimp cooked in lime juice and serrano peppers sauce. Garnished with cucumbers, red onions & oranges (Please allow 20 minutes to prepare)		 $20.95
Guacamole Dip
Served with chicharrones. A low carb option		 $13.95
Mexican Pizza
A crispy flour tortilla topped with beans, (Beef, chicken or pork) cheese, guacamole, sour cream, onions, cilantro & tomatoes, (jalapeños on request)		 $11.95
Taquitos
5 corn rolled up taquitos with beef, pork, chicken or potato. Served with guacamole, sour cream & cheese		 $11.95
Pork Chicharrones
A basket of pork cracklings		 $3.50
Soups / Sopas y Caldos
Caldo 7 Mares
Fish, shrimp, crab legs, mussels & octopus soup		 $21.95
Caldo De Camaron
Shrimp broth, shrimp, zucchini, carrots & cilantro, (mixed with fish or octopus $3 more). Also available with fish or octopus		 $15.95
Sopa De Mama
Chicken soup with noodles. Caldo de pollo con fideos. Garbanzo beans on request		 $10.95
Pozole (White, Red Or Green)
Hominy soup with pork or chicken		 $10.95
Sopa De Albondigas
Meatball & vegetable soup		 $10.95
Sopa De Tortilla
Tomato & chicken broth, served with tortilla, cilantro, jack cheese & avocado (with chicken on request $2 more)		 $10.95
Caldo De Res
Chunks of beef with vegetables (garbanzo beans on request)		 $10.95
Menudo
Tripe with red broth (available with hominy) (with pata $2 more)		 $10.95
Birria
Goat meat soup; meat and red broth (garbanzo beans on request)		 $12.95
Caldo De Pollo
chicken soup with vegetables (garbanzo beans on request)		 $10.95
Caldo Tlalpeño
Chicken soup with vegetable, melted cheese & avocado slices		 $10.95
Mole De Olla
Chunks of beef with vegetables, red beef broth (garbanzo on request)		 $10.95
Cocktails / Cocteles
Coctel De Camarones
Shrimp cocktail with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, avocado & special sauce, (spicy or with cucumbers on request) (mixed with octopus $2 more)		 $15.95
Campechana
Shrimp & octopus in cocktail sauce, with onions, tomatoes, cilantro & avocado (spicy or with cucumbers on request)		 $21.95
Campechana Familiar
A 32 Oz. cup with shrimp, octopus and oysters in cocktail sauce, with onions, tomatoes, cilantro & avocado (spicy or cucumbers on request)		 $29.00
Combinations / Combinaciones
Chile Relleno
Limit one per combination
Mini Burrito
Bean & cheese, Beef, chicken or pork. Wet on request
Mini Chimichanga
Bean & cheese, Beef, chicken or pork
Gordita
Beef, chicken or pork
Enchilada
Beef, chicken, pork or cheese
Flauta
Beef, chicken or pork
Quesadilla
Cheese, Chicken, Beef or Pork
Sope
Beef, Chicken or Pork
Taco Crispy
(Beef, Chicken, Pork, Fish, Bean or Potato.) with lettuce & cheese
Taco Soft
(Asada, Birria, Carnitas, Lengua, Pastor) with onions, cilantro & salsa de tomatillo
Taco Rosarito
(Breaded fish or shrimp) cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro & tartar sauce
Tamal
(With sauce & cheese) Beef, Chicken, Pork or Queso y rajas (Red sauce on Beef or Chicken) (green sauce on Pork or Queso y rajas)
2 Tacos Callejeros
(mini soft tacos Beef, chicken or Pork) with onion, cilantro & salsa
2 Taquitos
corn tortilla (Beef, Chicken, Pork or Potato)
Tostadita
Bean, Beef, Chicken or Pork
Platillos Especiales
Asada Y Camarones
Grilled steak topped with onions & poblano peppers. Served with roasted garlic shrimp, garnished with lettuce, avocado, cucumbers, limes & tomatoes		 $34.95
Family Specialties / Especialidades de la Familia
Family Specialties / Especialidades De La Famiai
All dishes are served with tortillas, beans and rice. Garnished with lettuce & radishes. (On request fries or salad, instead of beans & rice) Most dishes can be prepared spicy. Whole beans on request. Add a salad or a cup of tortilla soup for just $1.95. $2 more for combined meats (whole beans on request)		 $11.95
Sea Food / Pescados Y Mariscos
Mojarra Frita
Whole tilapia fish, marinated in lime juice and then deep fried, (add diabla sauce or roasted garlic on top, for $3.50 more) (single serving only)		 $16.95
Camaron, Pulpo O Pescado Shrimp, Octopus or Fish Fillet
Asados
grilled with onions, poblano peppers and red bell peppers
Al Mojo De Ajo
with roasted garlic, mixed with onions & poblano peppers
Al Chipotle
with a spicy red chipotle sauce
A La Diabla
with a spicy red devil sauce
Empanizados
breaded
Rancheros
with red sauce, tomatoes onions, poblano peppers & red bell peppers
Poultry / Aves
Pollo En Salsa Verde
Juicy chicken breast or thigh & leg bone in. In a mild tomatillo sauce, with onions & poblano peppers
Pollo En Mole
Chicken breast or thigh & leg. Cooked in our delicious mole sauce
Pollo Picado
Chicken breast; cooked with tomatoes, onions & poblano peppers. Topped with jack melted cheese
Pollo A La Diabla Or Al Chipotle
Chicken breast or thigh & leg. Cooked with spicy devil sauce or chipotle sauce
Milanesa De Pollo
Breaded chicken breast. Served with sliced fried potatoes, guacamole & hot sauce
Beef / De Res
Bistec Ranchero
Steak strips; grilled with onions, poblano peppers, potatoes & tomato. In a red mild sauce
Milanesa
Breaded steak, topped with sliced fried potatoes. Served with guacamole
Carne Asada
Grilled steak with onions, red bell peppers & poblano peppers. Served with guacamole
Picadillo De Res
A generous portion of our delicious shredded beef, mixed with onions and poblano peppers. Topped with potatoes. Served with cilantro & onions (also available with chicken or pork)
Calabacitas A La Tano
Zucchini strips buried under a mountain of shredded beef, grilled with onions, poblano peppers & tomatoes. Topped with melted jack cheese (offered also with chicken or pork)
Carne A La Tampiqueña
Grilled steak with onions, red bell peppers & poblano peppers. Served with a chicken mole enchilada & guacamole (single serving only)		 $18.95
Albondigas Al Chipotle
Meatballs in a tomato sauce, mixed with onions and red chipotle sauce
Pork / De Puerco
Carnitas Los Gordos
Roasted lean chunks of pork. Served with onions, jalapeños, cilantro & guacamole
Costillas (Verdes O Rojas)
Pork ribs in a mild green tomato sauce, or in a mild red sauce (mixed with nopales $1 more)
Pastor A La Lake Forest
Marinated chunks of pork. Cooked in a red sauce. Served with cilantro, onions & tomatillo sauce
Chile Verde
Chunks of pork. Cooked in a mild green tomatillo sauce. Garnished with cilantro & onions (with nopales $1 more)
Chile Colorado
Chunks or pork. Cooked in a mild red sauce. Garnished with cilantro & onions. Also available with beef or steak
Burritos
Beef, Chicken, Asada (Steak Or Chicken), Carnitas, Chile Verde, Or Pastor
(asada is grilled with onions & peppers) Flour tortilla, beans & meat, (onions and cilantro inside, except for beef & chicken)		 $10.95
Surfer
Double flour tortillas, beans, rice, (beef asada, chicken or pork) lettuce, tomato, guacamole, cheese & sour cream		 $12.25
Machaca Con Huevos
Flour tortilla, (beef, chicken or pork) with eggs, onions, poblano & bell peppers, tomatoes & beans		 $10.95
Chimichanga
Fried burrito with beef, chicken or pork. Served with guacamole, sour cream & cheese		 $12.25
Make Your Own Breakfast Burrito
Pick 5 items: avocado, bacon, beans, cilantro, cheese, eggs, guacamole, ham, lettuce, onions, potatoes, rice, salsa, tomato		 $9.95
Veggie Burrito
Flour tortilla, beans, rice, cheese, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole & sour cream		 $10.95
Chorizo Con Huevos
Flour tortilla, chorizo, eggs & beans		 $10.95
Bean & Cheese Burrito
Flour tortilla, beans & cheese, or bean, rice & cheese		 $7.95
Special Items
California Burrito
Carne asada, french fries, cheese & guacamole, wrapped in a flour tortilla		 $9.95
Guarachon
A giant thick corn tortilla, topped with beans, melted jack cheese, beef, chicken, pork or carne asada, lettuce, pico de gallo made of: avocado, onions tomatoes, cilantro, radishes, cucumber, nopales, a touch of lime juice & queso fresco. Served with tomatillo sauce. Spicy on request. (Healthy choice: instead of tortilla, a layer of chile poblano $2 more)		 $12.95
Lime & Pepper Salad
A bed of romain lettuce, carrots & red cabbage, topped with grilled chicken with lime & pepper, queso fresco & garbanzo beans. Garnished with avocado, tomatoes & cucumber and served with cilantro dressing		 $12.95
Burrito De Fajitas
Wheat tortilla, steak, chicken, fish or shrimp; grilled with onions, poblano peppers, red bell peppers & tomatoes, with whole beans		 $14.95
Child’s Plates para Los Niños
Choice Of Taco, Burrito, Enchilada, 2 Taquitos (Flour Or Corn) Or Quesadilla
Beef, chicken or pork. Served with beans & rice or french fries, (includes soda from the fountain)		 $7.95
Milanesa De Pollo (Steak Or Fish)
Chicken fingers. Served with beans & rice or french fries (includes soda from the fountain)		 $8.95
Pancakes (3)
includes a small milk or a small orange juice		 $7.95
Egg (Scrambled Or Fried)
With bacon or ham, served with beans & rice or french fries, (includes soda from the fountain)		 $7.95
Egg Dishes
Huevos Rancheros
2 sunny side up fried eggs on 2 corn tortillas. Topped with ranchero sauce		 $11.95
Huevos Con Machaca
Scrambled eggs with (beef, chicken or pork) onions, tomatoes, poblano peppers (spicy, on request)		 $11.95
Huevos Con Chorizo
Scrambled eggs with chorizo (hot pepeprs on request)		 $11.95
Huevos Con Jamon
Scrambled eggs mixed with ham (hot peppers on request)		 $11.95
Huevos Divorciados
2 sunny side up eggs on 2 tortillas. One topped with green sauce and the other with red ranchero sauce		 $11.95
Huevos A La Mexicana
2 scrambled eggs with onions, tomatoes & cilantro (hot peppers on request) (mixed with nopales $1 more)		 $11.95
Omelet Mexicano
Omelet stuffed with enchilada sauce, onions, poblano peppers, red bell peppers, tomatoes & cheese (spicy on request)		 $11.95
Chilaquiles Rojos O Verdes
Corn chips with sauce, onions, (orégano in red) (epazote in green) & queso fresco & sour cream (spicy on request)		 $11.95
Huevos Con Bistec
Petite steak; grilled with onions & peppers. With 2 sunny side up eggs		 $13.95
Huevos A La Diabla Or Al Chipotle
Scrambled eggs mixed with our delicious spicy sauce		 $11.95
Chicharrones En Salsa Roja O Verde
Pork skin pieces cooked with our delicious red or green sauce. Served with onions and cilantro (spicy on request)		 $11.95
Tostadas
Taco Salad De Carne
Crispy flour shell. Filled with beans, beef, pork or chicken. Lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole & tomatoes		 $12.95
Tostada De Ceviche
Corn crispy tostada topped with fish ceviche, Garnished with limes, avocado & hot sauce (Also available with shrimp or octopus)		 $9.95
Featured Items
Tortas / Hot Sandwiches
Choice of: Carne Asada Carnitas, Beef, Chicken, Milanesa (beef or Chicken) Ham & Cheese. Telera bun, beans, meat, lettuce, tomato & guacamole (jalapeños on request)		 $10.95
Torta Guadalajara
Torta Ahogada, Hot Sandwich Drowned in Spicy Sauce: Beans, Carnitas, Marinated Onions & Avocado in a Sourdough Bun		 $12.95
Twin Enchiladas / Enchiladas Gemelas
Enchiladas De Mole
Two enchiladas stuffed with chicken and topped with our mole sauce. Garnished with avocado, sour cream and onions		 $12.95
Enchiladas De Pescado O Camaron
Two enchiladas stuffed with fish or shrimp cooked in red sauce with onions. Topped with melted cheese & garnished with avocado, onions & sour cream (spicy on request)		 $15.95
Entomatadas
Two enchiladas stuffed with queso fresco and topped with tomato sauce & more cheese. Served with sour cream & guacamole (spicy on req.)		 $13.95
Enchiladas Suizas
Two chicken enchiladas topped with our delicious red or green sauce. Garnished with guacamole & sour (spicy on request)		 $13.95
Side Orders
French Fries $3.50
1/2 Avocado $3.00
Order Of Rice $3.00
Orders Of Beans $3.00
Sour Cream $1.50
Cheese $1.50
Chiles Toreados $1.50
Chips & Salsa $3.50
Soft Drinks / Refrescos
Coke $2.95
Diet Coke $2.95
Sprite $2.95
Orange Fanta $2.95
Pink Lemonade $2.95
Root Beer $2.95
Dr Pepper $2.95
Ginger Ale $2.95
Regular Ice Tea $2.95
Horchata $2.95
Tamarindo $2.95
Jamaica $2.95
Strawberry Lemonade $2.95
Piña Colada Bang $2.95
Orange Bang $2.95
Hot Chocolate $4.50
Coffee $2.95
Hot Tea $2.95
Fresh Orange Juice $5.50
Coca Mexicana $3.75
Refrescos Embotellados Sodas $2.95
Desserts / Postres
Sopapillas $4.75
Buñuelos $4.75
Platano Frito $6.25
Churros $4.75
Helado Frito $4.75
Cheesecake $6.25
Flan Kahlua $7.75
Flan $5.75

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Menu Photos

Photo Gallery

Reviews

Colin Nakano
Perfect everything Food, Service, Atmosphere!

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Terri Kramer
I found this place, again, after not being there for many years. They used to be at Trabuco n Los Alisos in Mission Viejo, CA. Years ago. I asked the lady if she would be able to build me a heart shaped taco platter for Valentine’s day. I showed her a picture, brought her the platter n by 6:30 Valentine’s evening, they presented me with a platter of street tacos filled with delicious assorted meats. They used limes , and salsa to create flowers for the center of the heart. Excellent team work, too.

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Mike Gentry
Great food!!! Quick and attentive service, comfortable welcoming environment. The Enchiladas de Mole was excellent.

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Ron Grater
Great lunch after golf. Had the Surfer Burrito beef, and it was great. Service is excellent. Salsa and chips are on the house and very good. Will return again.

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Alicia Garner
Very authentic, delicuos Mexican food, great price and many options to choose from. Service could improve a little bit as well as the atmosphere. Over all, it’s a place for delicious authentic food with good prices; not fancy it all, very casual!

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Julie Kirishima
This place is very nice and the food here is excellent. I got the Milanesa De Pollo and everything tasted fantastic. The place itself is kinda small but very nice looking and has lots of neat decorations. Will definitely will be coming back here again!

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Kyle Hemmig
Mario was so wonderful in helping me cater a taco bar for 30 people to celebrate my son’s graduation from UC Irvine! Everything he recommended was delicious! And he made it so easy to transfer the food into my chafing dishes. So very grateful since I am from the Bay Area. Thank you Mario and La Cucina de Ricardo for making our party a huge success! Everyone LOVED the food! ❤️

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Florinda Smith
Click your heels and your home, and you’ll smell the aroma of a Mexican kitchen the chef in the house family owned. Great hidden gem

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chaitanya kiran
Fish was simply out of the world, authentic Mexican restaurant, if you are looking to have sea food this is the place I would highly recommend in the area. Service was great and dishes were served on time too !

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Greg Coll
I love supporting small businesses, especially ones like place, this is why I’m giving it 4 stars. This place is tucked away in a strip mall off El Toro so there is not much charm or curbside appeal. The interior is out dated as well. Now for the food. You can’t expect much with regards to taste and depth, this your typical tacos and carnitas plates. The plates come with lettuces and tomatoes for filler and such. Food was basic tasting, not bad but not amazing either. The service was amazing and the staff was great with smiles everywhere. I would come back to try other items.

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