Authentic Mexican at Jessy's

In 2003, when Alejandro Romero set out to relocate his North Carolina taqueria, it wasn’t the weather, the military bases, nor the beaches that attracted him to Norfolk. 

It was the city’s vast taco desert.

At the time, Tidewater—and the nation at large—was on the cusp of a culinary renaissance. Interest in ethnic cuisines and cooking was on the rise. Sure, there were local Tex-Mex places serving plates of gloppy beans and rice and the most basic of tacos and quesadillas. 

But authentic Mexican? Nada!

So in 2003, Romero rented a tiny storefront in an East Ocean View strip shopping center, named it Jessy’s after his daughter,  and began offering up the flavors of his native Hidalgo, a central Mexican state just north of Mexico City.

At first Jessy’s clientele was mostly Latino, but soon the restaurant drew a diverse cult following for its lamb barbacoa, savory tacos, and menudo, a tomato-based soup made with beef tripe and feet served with onions, cilantro, and lime.

How authentic was it? Alejandro’s son, Jorges Romero, recalls that early on, his father brought a live lamb home planning to butcher it in the backyard for the restaurant before learning that health regulations strictly forbade it.    

Fast forward 22 years and Jessy’s is thriving with three locations: one in Ghent, one near Oceana, and the original Jessy’s in E. Ocean View.

The first time I visited Jessy’s, probably around 2007, the menu consisted of pictures of dishes above an open kitchen with an adjacent tienda and bakery. 

A recent renovation updated the dining room, and the once tiny tienda has expanded to include a full-service bakery, a butcher shop, dry goods, every kind of pepper, fresh produce, piñatas,  and a wall of Mexican tchotchkes. 

The legal-sized, spiral-bound, fifth-generation menu features scores of authentic Mexican dishes such as Pozole ($17), a tomato-based soup containing pork riblets, corn hominy served with a side of house-made tostadas, radishes, lettuce, onion, and lime. The Consome de Borrego ($22)—Jessy’s original lamb soup—is still on the menu and should be on the bucket list of lamb lovers everywhere. Fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, and more are plentiful, made truly authentic with mole, epazote leaves, cactus, tomatillo salsa, and squash blossoms .

The full bar features 47 tequilas ($7-$18) and eight smoky mezcales ($8-$14), available in flights ($22-$55). A whole page of Mexican-inspired specialty cocktails includes the Mezcalena ($12-$15), an unforgettable blend of muddled jalapenos, habanero liqueur, mezcal, sour mix, and lime, plus 21 different margaritas ($8-$21). Meanwhile, the kids can sip on Aguas Frescas ($4.50 with one free refill). These are made-from-scratch fresh fruit juices blended with sugar and water.

Jorges, who has assumed leadership of the restaurants, met me for a tasting lunch and, with a hint of pride, described Jessy’s menu as “80 percent traditional central Mexican” food. Soon, a waitress proffered a pair of plates ringed with fresh-fried tortilla chips and a fluted tortilla bowl centerpiece brimming with chipotle and queso guacamoles—two of four of Jessy’s versions of the classic Mexican appetizer.

Immediately, Jorges mixed the two, and at first bite I thought, I forgot how good this is. Jessy’s guacamole ($9.50 or $17.77 for a trio sampler) is chunky and smooth, and the chipotle adds a hint of spice. Paired with the impossibly light, just fried tortilla chips, it alone is worth a trip to Ocean View.

Next up: Ceviche de Cangrejo & Camaron ($20.50). Ceviche is a dish where seafood is “cooked” in an acid, usually lime juice. Jessy’s more inventive version had shrimp marinated in habanero-lime juice to lend a whisper of heat. It’s studded with lumps of crab. Diced mango and a whiff of coconut cream add a subtly sweet foil to the heat while the lightly crunchy house-made tostadas add texture. I’m serious, it’s yet another reason to venture to Jessy’s Taqueria.

As Jorges explained how his occasional research missions to D.C. and New York City lead to new menu items, we sipped a “skinny” margarita ($14) that tasted chubby. Jessy’s Palomon ($12), a  riff on the classic tequila-lime-grapefruit paloma, is elevated with the use of smoky mezcal.

Dessert was an opportunity for sister Jessy Romero’s bakery to shine. In the tienda, pre-lunch, we had admired a long, tall case of colorful pastries and gorgeous layer cakes. For dessert, Jorges offered up the traditional Pastel Tres Leches ($6.50), Mexico’s classic three milk cake. This one comes drenched in sweetness, yet somehow retains a measure of lightness. One bite leads to another and another and another. It’s that good.

“Traditional,” Jorges said smiling, as I took my fifth or so bite. “The way it should be.” 

Food Find: 

Jessy’s Taqueria
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3 Locations: Ocean View, Ghent & Oceana

Winter Hours (until Easter weekend):
Sun. & Mon. 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Wed. & Thur. 9 a.m.-9 p.m
Tues., Fri. & Sat. 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Spring/Summer Hours:
Mon., 9 a.m.-9 p.m. 
Tues.-Sun. 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Breakfast huevos and chilaquiles (for 2): $11.50-$28.50
Starters: $4-$29.50; Soups: $15.00-$35.00
Antojitos street food such as tacos, quesadilla and huarache): $4.22-$19.50
Torta sandwiches: $12.50-$18.50
Burritos served w/ 0-3 sides: $10.50-$18.50
Quesadillas w/ 1-3 sides: $16-$28.50
Beef, chicken and seafood: $17.50-$58.88
Vegetarian dinners: ($16-$28.50)
Lunch specials, M-F, 10 a.m-2 p.m.: $10.50 - $15.50 Sides: $2.99-$5.99
Kids’ meals: $8.50 Desserts: $6.50-$18

Lorraine Eaton, formerly with the Virginian-Pilot, is co-author of the “Food Lover’s Guide to Virginia,” and author of “Tidewater Table.” She has won numerous writing awards, and her work has been included in “Best Food Writing.” Lorraine lives in Va. Beach.