Tag Archives: cuisine

Baja Bits & Bites

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We made the rounds of Rosarito on Labor Day weekend. Three great breakfasts: Los Pelicanos, La Estancia & Cafe Conrado (in San Antonio del Mar).

Los Pelicanos' chile poblano, mushroom, corn & cheese omeletLos Pelicanos' "toreados" - great on anything! You've got to ask for them.

A La Estancia waterwheelConrado SignVeggie Scramble w/Oaxaca cheese & avocado at Cafe Conrado

Saturday afternoon found us at The Lighthouse in La Misión for a tasting of wines from Valle de Guadalupe’s Nativo, paired with tasty (and beautifully presented) tidbits from Rosarito’s Aki Va! (a restaurant we are not familiar with!)

Tuna-stuffed jalapenos at The LighthouseIMG_0927

George at The LighthouseOfferings from Vinicola Nativo

With Benjamin of Vinicola NativoThe Aki Va chef serves yummy & beautiful polenta

The polenta from Rosarito's Aki Va!Ravioli from Aki Va!

While we waited for the tasting to set up, we ordered some Lighthouse bar botanas – jalapeño poppers (stuffed with yummy tuna) and spicy chicken wings. Always good to chat with Lighthouse proprietor, George! And good to know they are expanding beyond their sports-bar image. Of the four Nativo wines offered, we loved the Cucapah 2013 (Nebbiolo); first runner-up was the Pai-Pai 2012 (Cabernet Sauvignon & Monastrell, which we learned from Nativo’s Benjamin Pena Guerrero is same as Mourvedre). The others: not as good.

Bob @ Calafia (shot from my comfy, shady perch)Ollie's salmon pizza

Yummy!Our neighbors' table @ Ollie's

While Bob surfed Calafia Sunday afternoon, I sauntered up to the restaurant/bar’s balcony to relax with margaritas in the shade, a great live band (covers of Enanitos Verdes & Soda Stereo!) and a wonderful view of the line-up. Later we headed to Ollie’s Pizza, where we petted Ollie (a large, fluffy black dog), chatted with owner Richard, and scarfed down a fantastic pizza with smoked salmon, cream cheese, fresh tomatoes and capers. Perfect summer dinner! GREAT FIND: on our way to drop in on friends Rafael, Shelly & Marie in Rancho Reynoso, we stopped at the Don Pisto in Puerto Nuevo (Lobster Town was going off!) to discover they carry an all-star selection of Baja wines. My new BFF Vera at the store told me they recently amped up their selection.

El Cielo wines @ Don Pisto Puerto NuevoSanto Tomas wines @ Don Pisto Puerto Nuevo

Another successful weekend eating and drinking in Baja. ¡Salud!

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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DSC_4016CR & JP crop

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.

Big Baja weekend: Blues Fest & Vendimia Paella Contest

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What a weekend we have in store! Saturday is the Baja Blues Fest at Rosarito Beach Hotel, with music from noon to 8pm. Hope we’ll get there for Bayou Brothers w/Michelle Lundeen, and gotta stay for headliner Tommy Castro. Then Sunday we’re down to Viñas de Liceaga in Valle de Guadalupe for the venerable, ever-popular and sold out Fiestas de la Vendimia Paella Contest. It’s been more than 15 years since I last attended; will it be as cool? Maybe even better? 50 wineries, 80 paella-making teams! Check back for the scoop.

BBFPoster2015150finalBaja Paella ChefsBaja Paella PanBaja Paella seating

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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