Tortuga Loca

Tortuga Loca returns for another season of soccer madness
With locations in Cashmere and Wenatchee and almost 20 years of tasty dishes, La Tortuga
Loca (Spanish for “The Crazy Turtle”) has made a name for itself as the place to be for people
looking for a very distinct type of Mexican food.
Edwin Fonseca, co-owner of La Tortuga Loca, says the chain has managed to stick around
because people welcomed that unique touch.
Tortas, the Mexican version of the “poorboy” are the trademark dish of La Tortuga Loca, but it’s
not the only one that’s caught the eye of the public here in North Central Washington, says Fonseca, who co-owns the eateries with his parents. “It’s a combination of unique and different dishes,” he says, “combined with our attention to the customer.” From seafood to sausage to tacos, to chorizo to a simple ham-and-cheese, the combinations abound in the restaurant’s colorful menus. “Our menu is based mostly on Mexico City, which is where we come from,” he said. “We wanted it to give it that kind of touch. Mexico City is very well known for its street food, so our menu has a lot of that, sopes, gorditas, enchiladas, tortas. A lot of people say ‘Hey, I had never tried that,’ because that style of cuisine has not been represented. Also, we make everything fresh and homemade.”
Still, the torta is king, even the name of the restaurant reflects that. Tortuga means turtle, but it’s also slang for a torta. Fonseca’s dad came up with the name. The “loca” part reflects what people thought of the idea of innovating on a time-honored dish like the torta. “People used to say, ‘that’s madness, how can you even think about putting in sausage, ham and fresh cheese in a torta?’ Well, that’s how they do it in Mexico City.” That attention to the customer goes beyond the four walls of the restaurant. La Tortuga Loca wants to be seen in the community, and because of that, they have announced that they will return as sponsors of Cashmere Soccer League this spring. “Anyway we can help, we want to get involved,” he says. “People like that, and they show it by continuing to support us.” This is their third year with the league. League CEO approached the Fonsecas and they accepted right away. “That’s what it’s all about,” Fonseca said. “We are all in this community and we ought to support each other.” A league like CSL brings a lot to a community like Cashmere, Fonseca said. “It keeps teenagers and everyone else active, in a healthy way,” he said. “It also brings people together, watching the games.”