Roughage isn’t usually our go-to when dining at El Mercado Modern Cuisine. Instead, we usually order succulent carnitas, spicy-plump aguachiles or delicious taco flights. But chef Bryan Bustos’ roasted beet salad has changed all that.
Bustos’ creation combines roasted wedges of beets with dollops of golden beet purée, placing them upon a crescent-shaped bed of wild arugula dressed in lemon and oil. The greens are served alongside a vibrant circle of beet purée that’s meant to be used as a dressing. Mix everything up to create a colorful winter salad!
El Mercado Modern Cuisine, 301 N. Spurgeon St., Santa Ana, (714) 338-2446; www.mercadomodern.com.
Cynthia Rebolledo covers anything and everything food, culture and spirits.