Dine and Dish: Compa Franks in Madera

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A taste of Sinaloa awaits you at Compa Frank's on Howard Road and Dwyer Street in Madera.

Compa is short for "compadre."

"All of the family is from Sinaloa," says owner Frank Flores.

"My mom makes more of the traditional seafood, and my dad makes more of the traditional Mexican food," says Manager Benny Flores. "I think it's the best way to integrate those cultures together."

A searing hot stone bowl holds a bubbling favorite.

"One molcajete Azteca with a compa special salsa inside," Frank said.

"We make sure we got the lava rock nice and hot so that way, it continues to marinate all the meat," Benny said. "All the juices combine very well."

They soak into the steak, chicken and chorizo. Grilled cactus or nopal helps the molcajete stand out.

A tortilla, homemade by Benny's mom every day, holds in that wonderful mixture.

Something is always sizzling or smoking.

"We have some chicken and state fajitas -- these we serve with a sizzling hot skillet," Benny said. "We marinate it with our homemade salsa negra to make sure all the juices and everything are nice and tied together."

This place is also known for seafood dishes like ceviche, even sushi.

Compa Frank says think of "his" restaurant as "your" house.

"It's something different from the other place," he said. "In this place, I want to cook with my heart every time."

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