Incredible amount of online information make sure that I 
know everything about the place even before my visit - history, attractions, best place to eat and, my favorite, independent reviews and ratings. But this blessing comes with a problem that I am quite upset about these days. Passionate tour guides and writings on the walls appear redundant; I have an opinion about a restaurant even before I eat in there and the soul inside me is always longing for an honest surprise. However, a half day impromptu visit to San Juan Capistrano historic mission was a welcome change.
know everything about the place even before my visit - history, attractions, best place to eat and, my favorite, independent reviews and ratings. But this blessing comes with a problem that I am quite upset about these days. Passionate tour guides and writings on the walls appear redundant; I have an opinion about a restaurant even before I eat in there and the soul inside me is always longing for an honest surprise. However, a half day impromptu visit to San Juan Capistrano historic mission was a welcome change. Visiting a Spanish Mission is immersing in the history of California. Farming and ranching practices pioneered by the Missions were integral to California’s path to prosperity. A number of fruits-orange, grapes, peach, pear and fig included-were brought over by Padres from Europe and then painstakingly nourished and experimented for decades in fertile California soil. Eventually, these fruit trees thrived in scale into large orchards and become synonymous to the California brand. Cattle and sheep relished the vast open pastures on
the coast and multiplied boundlessly. On flip side, natives were hassled for labor and perished while struggling to adapt to new life challenges. A stopover in such a historic site is an education in itself and also a pilgrimage in many ways. San Juan Capistrano is our (&my wife Sheena) eighth mission out of 21 along the El Camino Real. Known as ‘Jewel’ of missions, this one deserves a special mention.
the coast and multiplied boundlessly. On flip side, natives were hassled for labor and perished while struggling to adapt to new life challenges. A stopover in such a historic site is an education in itself and also a pilgrimage in many ways. San Juan Capistrano is our (&my wife Sheena) eighth mission out of 21 along the El Camino Real. Known as ‘Jewel’ of missions, this one deserves a special mention.Walking past the mission entrance to the courtyard, an indoor wine vat room appears on your left with a surprising sign board that reads “home of Californi
a’s very first winery”. You then realize that this is the place where ‘well washed’ young Juaneno men stomped the succulent mission grapes and then the juice was streamed to an adobe vat for fermentation. As wiki records, The Criolla or ‘Mission grape” was first planted at San Juan Capistrano in 1779; in 1783 the first wine produced in Alta California emerged from the Mission winery. In 1822, Captain John Hall, in his log book of a voyage to the coasts of California, states that “Good wine can be procured from the Friars, both white wine and red, the latter being of fine flavor”. Let me rush to conclude that Mission grape is America’s heritage grape.Not Zinfandel. And it’s not Cucamonga or Napa that pioneered winemaking in this country. It’s the Orange County!
a’s very first winery”. You then realize that this is the place where ‘well washed’ young Juaneno men stomped the succulent mission grapes and then the juice was streamed to an adobe vat for fermentation. As wiki records, The Criolla or ‘Mission grape” was first planted at San Juan Capistrano in 1779; in 1783 the first wine produced in Alta California emerged from the Mission winery. In 1822, Captain John Hall, in his log book of a voyage to the coasts of California, states that “Good wine can be procured from the Friars, both white wine and red, the latter being of fine flavor”. Let me rush to conclude that Mission grape is America’s heritage grape.Not Zinfandel. And it’s not Cucamonga or Napa that pioneered winemaking in this country. It’s the Orange County!Well, it not just about wine – the Mission Museum exhibits artifacts 
from Mission days and the site preserves the remains of steel making and other industrial activities carried out in the Mission. You could also see the mud nests of famous cliff swallows , the birds migrate from Argentina every year. The Serra chapel, the spiritual centre of the mission, dates back to 1780s and this is where several generations of Catholics celebrated mass and received sacraments. And this is the only existing church where blessed Father Junipero Serra said prayers. When spirituality alone is not a stirring experience, Spanish style colorful high altar and detailed art works inside seem to compensate.
from Mission days and the site preserves the remains of steel making and other industrial activities carried out in the Mission. You could also see the mud nests of famous cliff swallows , the birds migrate from Argentina every year. The Serra chapel, the spiritual centre of the mission, dates back to 1780s and this is where several generations of Catholics celebrated mass and received sacraments. And this is the only existing church where blessed Father Junipero Serra said prayers. When spirituality alone is not a stirring experience, Spanish style colorful high altar and detailed art works inside seem to compensate. Just outside the mission, San Juan Capistrano downtown trees and electric poles are adorned with Christmas decorations and holiday lights. Exploring a couple
of blocks revealed several eating opportunities and we settled at Sundried Tomato Café- an American Bristo. Light bodied Frogmore Creek 2007 Pinot Noir had refreshingly pleasant aromas and paired well with three cheese, blackened chicken pasta. The bowtie pasta was a delicious mix of gorgonzola, parmesan, asiago, roasted garlic, red bell pepper and sundried tomato puree. The salty gorgonzola blend produced a slender nutty flavor of turmeric and every bite was leaving behind a craving for more. Walking back to the car, Camino Capistrano street felt livelier with pub performances and the restaurants were getting filled in with dinner crowd . We left the place thinking to come back again for another evening, when the cliff swallows visit.
of blocks revealed several eating opportunities and we settled at Sundried Tomato Café- an American Bristo. Light bodied Frogmore Creek 2007 Pinot Noir had refreshingly pleasant aromas and paired well with three cheese, blackened chicken pasta. The bowtie pasta was a delicious mix of gorgonzola, parmesan, asiago, roasted garlic, red bell pepper and sundried tomato puree. The salty gorgonzola blend produced a slender nutty flavor of turmeric and every bite was leaving behind a craving for more. Walking back to the car, Camino Capistrano street felt livelier with pub performances and the restaurants were getting filled in with dinner crowd . We left the place thinking to come back again for another evening, when the cliff swallows visit.
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