Tag Archives: chefs

One Fun Sunday: Mi Casa & Nogada Fest

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We planned to be a support boat for our fave paddler, Jon Loren, in last weekend’s Catalina Classic. But due to unfortunate last-min problems, Bob’s boat, the “Wave Magnet” was not up for the task. Plan B = BAJA! Headed down early Sunday AM; while Bob surfed, I enjoyed a nice low-tide beach walk. On our way to Tijuana for the Chile en Nogada Fest, we stopped in San Antonio del Mar, where we were immediately attracted to Mi Casa Supper Club, open now for one year.

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I’d heard great things about these folks, Chef Bo Bendana & Dennis – and, I know and respect the fact that they organize the successful sold-out Sabor de Baja @ Rosarito Beach Hotel every August, so it was a no-brainer to visit their spot and enjoy a rooftop brunch.

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We shared a smoked salmon omelet, but the real stars were the insane San Quintin oysters; WOW, what a great example of delicious Baja products and beautiful presentation. Can’t wait to return to Mi Casa Supper Club for dinner!

On to Tijuana’s Avenida Revolucion for chiles en nogada. This is a very traditional dish, often associated with Mexican Independence Day, coming up Sept.16.

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And this was our first visit to Tijuana’s fest, the 6th annual, with free admission (one needs to buy one’s own food & bev). The revered dish consists of a poblano chile, roasted & peeled, stuffed with a mixture of meat (usually beef & pork), fruit & spices, topped with a cream sauce containing ground walnuts and fresh pomegranate seeds.

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More than a dozen competitors vied in the contest to be deemed the best! We enjoyed the onstage demonstrations, and were happy to recognize Scott Koenig of A Gringo in Mexico.com among the judges (we met Scott over mescal tasting @ the Baja Culinary Fest two years ago). The dish is visually stunning, mirroring the colors of the Mexican flag (Que Viva La Patria!) The dutiful judges sampled more than a dozen chiles; we could only handle one, from Tijuana restaurant Cien Anos, which was lovely and delicious.

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Personally, I would have LOVED to have seen some more “breakout” treatments of the nogada, stuffed with chicken, turkey or seafood. Beverage options at the fest abounded: Palomas! Sangria! Wine! Beer! We enjoyed tastings from Mundano winery, who has a vineyard

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in the Valle and (if I understood correctly) will soon offer tastings; we brought home a $17 bottle of their tasty 2012 Nebbiolo. One fun Sunday: we love and highly recommend Baja food fests!

Muchas gracias for photos by Bob Gove.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blues + Paella = A Very Filling Weekend

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We survived – even thrived – during our Baja mega-weekend. Our first visit to the annual Baja Blues Fest @ Rosarito Beach Hotel was thoroughly enjoyable. We grooved to Missy Andersen, the Bayou Brothers w/our friend Sista Judy Seid (rubboard player extraordinaire) + Michelle Lundeen, Backwater Blues Band, Tijuana-based Hola Soy Lola and headliner Tommy Castro + The Painkillers. Great set up/sound, not crowded, colorful folks, great friends and reasonably-priced beverages.

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Then to Tapanco south of Rosarito for a lovely dinner with a great bottle of Emeve wine (which we won as part of a fantastic raffle prize at the Blues Fest) followed by a sampling of Tapanco’s secret delicious housemade ice cream: pumpkin, coconut, beet, tres quesos & tequila.

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But hey, the fun didn’t stop there! Sunday: Valle de Guadalupe for the Granddaddy of all Baja food fests: the Vendimia Paella Contest. What a wonderful scene! With 80 paella-making teams, 50 wineries, 2 live music stages + (my estimate) 2,000 attendees, it was well-organized with plenty of food, drink + fun to go around. Paella is, however, very filling and after two to three bowls, it can be a bit difficult to differentiate.

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My favorite team names? Las Ovejitas Disobedientes (the Disobedient Lambs) and La Flaca + El Gordo (the Skinny Gal & Fat Guy). And altho we didn’t sample his paella, always great to see favorite Baja Chef Javier Plasciencia participating. Don’t miss this fantastic festival next year! Thanks to technology, tix were available online in May, but sell out as fast as a Rolling Stones concert. If you’re interested in going next year, let me know soon; wouldn’t it be fun to put an eatdrinkbaja group together?

Muchas gracias for photos by Bob Gove.

Best Bet: Latin Food Fest

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This weekend’s Latin Food Fest is shaping up nicely. The Grande Tasting is Sat. 11am to 3pm @ the Port Pavilion just N of USS Midway. With food & bev included, it’s a good value for the $$, & a very fun scene. PLUS it benefits our local YMCA! Especially looking forward to Kokopelli, La Diferencia, Fortaleza & Pura Vida Tequilas, Lomita, Cava Aragon 126 & Vinisterra. And I hope to interview emcee Ana Saldana, national TV host & Chef of “Historias Sabrosas” on Canal 22, who’s doing  a cooking demo @ 1:10 pm. Will we see you there?

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Bracero – SD’s hardest working new restaurant

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Count us among those who’ve been eagerly anticipating Chef Javier Plasciencia’s Bracero Cocina! Made it this week; not disappointed. From what we saw, if you don’t have reservations but arrive by 5:30 or so on a weeknight, you should be able to get in quickly. Don’t be intimidated!

IMG_0628We had reservations and were directed upstairs to a rather tiny table for two. We felt lucky to be there, but it was noisy and a bit hectic, with VERY close tables. A far cry from other Plasciencia venues we’ve frequented, Finca Altozano in the Valle (FAVE!) & Mision 19 in Tijuana. Fortunately, we had fabulous table neighbors, Sarah and Ethan Epperson.

IMG_0636We took a few mins to drink in the atmosphere – and then got down to the real drinks.

IMG_0616As long-time Sentri Pass holders, we HAD to try the Sentri Pass and the Ready Lane cocktails (with jalapeno-infused tequila; I’m SO inspired to try this at home!) With dinner I enjoyed a glass of Sacro from Lomita, one of our fave Baja wineries. We started the eating experience with a grouper birria taco (fish, not goat, the traditional birria centerpiece).

IMG_0617Tasty, but sorry, not memorable. What WAS memorable was the Sabina Bandera tostada, named for the wonderful and darling chef at the long-standing and pretty-darn-famous La Guerrerrense in Ensenada.

IMG_0618Corvina ceviche, prepared clam, sea urchin topping & avocado – WOW. I’ll order this again. Bracero’s chocolata clam was lovely but a bit chewy.

IMG_0621The one hot small plate we ordered was the wood-grilled octopus: highly recommended, but disappointing. The black bean & squid ink sauce are tasty but = a dark, blah presentation.

IMG_0620While we grooved on the smoky flavor, green garbanzos and anise flowers, the octopus was (in our opinion) mushy. As Baja veterans, we prefer our octopus lightly grilled, served al dente.

IMG_0626On to dessert: one coconut flan, one grapefruit panna cotta, both delicious. Pleased with our meal, we headed out & were lucky to chat with Chef himself on the patio.

IMG_0638Felicitaciones – please join us in wishing great success for Bracero Cocina! We love having Baja cuisine & chefs on this side of the border, and front and center in our region’s culinary tapestry.

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Update! Eat Drink Baja Calendar

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We’re in high season for eating and drinking in and around Baja! Here’s what’s on our radar screen.

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Saturday, 7/25, 2pm: Verbena Campestre at Vinedos San Cosme south of Ensenada, at the beginning of the Baja wine country’s “Ruta Antigua.” Sounds like fun; we’ll be there and will report on it!

Saturday, 7/25, 6pm: Wine Tasting & Baja Ingredients at Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park. If you can’t get south of the border this weekend, this is the next best thing.

Friday, 8/7 through Sunday 8/23: Fiesta de la Vendimia – Various events in Valle de Guadalupe and Ensenada. Prices vary. It’s the 25th anniversary of the Vendimia, so it promises to be extra special. We’ll be at the closing event, the Paella Fest, on 8/23, at the very least.

Sunday, 8/9: Festival del Pescado y el Marisco, Rosarito Beach Hotel. This event is free and open to the public.

Friday, 8/14 through Monday 8/17: Latin Food Fest on and around Broadway Pier in San Diego. Although Friday’s Spirits of America event and Monday’s Havana Super Club are invitation only, you can get tix for the Grande Tasting on Saturday and/or the Family Fiesta on Sunday.

Friday, 8/21 through Sunday 8/23: Baja Blues Fest, Rosarito Beach Hotel. Haven’t been yet but are looking forward to it this year! Our friends the Bayou Brothers are in the lineup.

Wednesday, 8/26: Sabor de Baja, Rosarito Beach Hotel. This event sold out last year, its debut. Looks classy and fun, hope to attend! Be sure to wear white.

SAVE THE DATES: Baja Culinary Fest, 10/8 through 10/11. We’ll see what the organizers have cooked up this year!