Tag Archives: festivals

Two Festivals (& A Fun New Restaurant)

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This Saturday, October 21 is the second annual Vino Sin Fronteras Festival in Tijuana. The afternoon-into-evening event will be held in the parking lot of Caliente Hipódromo from 3 to 10 pm. Boasting the participation of 50 wineries and 30 restaurants, the fest is put on by the wonderful Comite Provino, so it’s very likely to be well-organized (and well-attended). Tickets are $1500 pesos, or about $82-$85, depending on the ever-fluctuating exchange rate.

Chef Diego Hernández, a Baja native who helmed the acclaimed Corazón del Valle restaurant in 2011 until it was shuttered during the pandemic, has launched a new eatery, Parador Mercedes, named in honor of his late grandma. Taking over the former Mesón de Mustafá space in San Antonio de las Minas, Hernández and chef-partner Ana Juncal are focusing on home-style cooking geared toward Valle de Guadalupe-area residents. It’s a welcome departure from the delicious-but-expensive tasting menus at so many Valle eateries; can’t wait to check it out. Parador Mercedes is open from 8am to 4pm daily (closed Thursday) on Highway 3 at Km 93. Read more about Parador Mercedes on Eater San Diego.

If you are heading a bit further south – to Baja California Sur – later this year, try to time your visit with the GastroVino Baja Food & Wine Festival in the lovely town of Todos Santos. This three-day celebration of Baja’s finest eating and drinking looks like fun! And, love the graphics. Although Todos is just an hour north of Cabo San Lucas (on the Pacific side), this “Pueblo Mágico” is a world apart. Save the dates: December 8-10.

Look for a report on our recent foray to three Valle de Guadalupe wineries we had not yet visited, coming soon!

Hot Happenings North of the Border!

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Attention Baja lovers! If you can’t head south, here are a few events coming up on this side of the border.

Chef Diego Hernandez of Valle de Guadalupe will be a special guest for the one-year anniversary of Crudo in Little Italy from 2pm until closing tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 28. Click here for details. 

The 2nd annual Baja Bound Baja Travel and Lifestyle Expo takes place this Saturday, Sept. 30 from 12-5pm at Crown Point Park. Check out more than 100 exhibitors, food & drinks, speakers and live music. Get more information here. 

Mexico Gourmet: A Day of the Dead Food and Spirits Festival is coming Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21 and 22, from 4-8pm at Fashion Valley. The event will feature chefs from Mexico, tequila, mezcal, beer, parades, and more. Click here for details and a 20% discount on admission. 

Michelin-starred Valle de Guadalupe chef Drew Deckman will finally open a San Diego restaurant! We just can’t get enough of his sustainable, community-based, rustic cuisine. Look for a February 2024 debut in North Park. Find more information by clicking here.  

And us? We’ll be heading to the Valle this weekend on a mission to visit some of the wineries we’ve never made it to in the past (yes, believe it or not, there are a few!) Stay tuned for a report..

Sweltering Summer Afternoon at Concurso de Paellas

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(If you experience difficulty viewing the images on your device, please click on https://www.eatdrinkbaja.com/?p=2349)

The annual Paella Contest at Viña de Liceaga in Valle de Guadalupe was scheduled for Sunday, August 20 – until the threat of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Hilary pushed it back a week. Which was a good thing, as it would have been a veritable mud and wind fest, and not very enjoyable for attendees, paelleros, or winery representatives! Although it was very hot last Sunday, the event took place without a hitch.

The contest brings together about 80 teams, who take their paella very seriously. The event also showcases Baja wineries, with around 150 varietals available for tasting! Paella (as we lovingly refer to it) is the closing event of the multi-week Fiestas de la Vendimia, the grape harvest fest, and has been held for more than 25 years.

As you can see, there are many different versions of paella cooked up over wood fire at the event (no propane allowed!) but most are comprised of various seafood, bits of sausage, mystery meat (chicken? pork?) peas, spices, and of course, the ubiquitous  rice.

This team spotlighted octopus, or pulpo, as the star of their paella!

Jumping on the Barbie bandwagon, Team Barbie’s booth was festooned in pink, and the servers sported pink aprons and chef’s hats.

Opening times for booths are staggered. Before each one opens for attendees, event staff on quads pick up samples of each team’s paella for the judging. And then the feeding frenzy begins!

A close-up of a serving of one of the several paellas we enjoyed.

Always good to see Armando staffing the booth for Lechuza, one of our favorite Valle wineries . . . 

. . . a representative from MD Vinos of Valle de la Grulla, the original wine route of Baja, south of Ensenada . . .

. . . as well as the Madera 5 team.

Live music, too! In both English and Español.

Team EDB at the event. Over the years, we’ve learned to bring a tablecloth to mark our spot, and wine glasses, since sometimes (including this year) glasses are not provided to attendees. Hats also recommended!

The Concurso de Paellas may be the last big Baja food & wine festival of this year; we’ve not heard yet if or when the Valle Food and Wine Fest, usually staged in October, will take place. Stay tuned for updates!

Of course, if no events are on the horizon, we encourage “independent study” of the various Baja wineries.

Como siempre, gracias por los fotos de Bob Gove.

Conchas: An Oyster Lover’s Paradise

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OK, the real name is Festival de Las Conchas y el Vino Nuevo. But those of us who have been attending for years just refer to it as Conchas. Held every spring by the marina at the lovely Hotel Coral north of Ensenada, Conchas is the unofficial start of the annual Baja wine and food fest season. And here we go!

Comite Provino does a great job staging their events.

In theory, the event showcases Baja’s oysters, clams, mussels and abalone. In reality, there are a LOT of oysters. Not that we’re complaining!

Gotta love an oyster-filled wine barrel!

Great to see Drew Deckman of the Valle’s Deckman’s en el Mogor at Conchas.

Conchas attracts a crowd, but we’ve never found it unmanageable. Just grab a table early!

The Three Amigos – great participants in Team EatDrinkBaja at Conchas 2023.

Look for a post soon about our visit to the Festival de los Vinedos en Flor earlier this month. And we look forward to Cocina La Baja on July 15 and the big Concurso de Paellas on August 20! Tickets for both are now available.

Otra vez, gracias por fotos by Bob Gove.

Two more Baja Festivals Announced!

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The venerable Rosarito Beach Hotel is turning 99 this year! We are all invited to attend the 99th Year Gala Celebration on Saturday June17 at 5 pm in the hotel gardens. There will be a concert by Beatles tribute band The Revolution. Food and beverages will be available, but apparently are not included in the admission which is 400 pesos in advance (about $20). Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-343-8582.

This photo is from Sabor de Baja 2016, also held in the gardens of the Rosarito Beach Hotel.

We were excited to learn that Festival Cocina La Baja will return on Saturday, July 15. Formerly held at the Estero Beach Hotel south of Ensenada, this year is moving to the Hotel Coral & Marina just north of Ensenada. A great event with a bigger variety of offerings than some of the other festivals. Apparently tix are not yet on sale, but you can follow CLB at https://www.facebook.com/cocinalabaja.

Attendees enoying Cocina La Baja 2022.

There are indications that the Baja Blues Fest might return to the gardens of the Rosarito Beach Hotel in mid-August, and we’ve heard the Valle Food & Wine Fest will be back this fall. No definitive dates for either, and no word yet on the potential return of  the classy all-white party, Sabor de Baja.

Stay tuned!

Gracias por fotos by Bob Gove.

Coronavirus Casualties

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Sad but true: all our beloved Baja food and wine festivals have been canceled this year. The list stretches from the Festival de las Conchas y el Vino Nuevo (originally scheduled for early May) all the way to the big Valle Food and Wine Festival (planned for early October). In addition, the many 30th annual Vendimia events, including our favorite Concurso de Paella, did not take place, nor will the lovely Sabor de Baja, which was slated for next Wednesday. 

A bright spot is this Sunday’s wine and artisanal cheese pairing at Valle Girl Vino’s El Corcho Rosa. According to CEO/winemaker Sitara Monica Perez, there will be seven different pairings, all with handcrafted cheeses from Perma Farm near Tecate. The event is a reasonable $30 per person, and I have been warned there will be so much cheese served, I should bring a doggy bag! Click here for more information. To make a reservation for this event, which kicks off at 2pm this Sunday, email sitara.perez@gmail.com.


Baja in a Time of Coronavirus

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It’s been a tough three months, hasn’t it? Trying to stay safe and healthy, and dealing with racial injustice and resulting fallout. Let’s pray that the second half of 2020 will be much better!

Some random insights on what’s going on south of the border:

Border Closure. In theory, the US/Mexico border is closed to all but essential travel. But I have several friends (who shall remain nameless) who have been down multiple times in the past three months since the purported “closure,” with no questions or problems. However, they all drive across, and all have SENTRI passes. U.S. and Mexico officials have just extended the closure until July 21.

Approaching Tijuana via San Ysidro.

Ensenada Closure. According to Baja Bound’s recent Border Crossing Update, visits to Ensenada are banned for non-essential reasons, with checkpoints at El Sauzal and other entry points. But if you are going to Valle de Guadalupe, friends’ experiences have proven that there is access via the free road via La Mision; however, apparently, the highway from Ensenada to the Valle is blocked. One friend got a screamin’ deal at one of my fave Valle B&Bs in May, and reported that most tasting rooms and restaurants were closed, but products were available for takeout.

Valle Update. Kristin Magnussen Shute of Vinos Lechuza reports that they have just been given the green light to reopen, although with “limited capacity.” An encouraging sign! Be sure and make reservations if you plan to visit Lechuza.

Coastal Area Restaurants. I’m sure this is woefully incomplete, but here’s a smattering of news: twenty-eight of Puerto Nuevo’s 30 restaurants have now reopened, so you can get your lobster fix! Splash (Km52), Poco Cielo (Km59) and La Fonda (Km59.5) have reopened and are doing brisk business. Colectivo Surf Tasting Room (Km41) is currently training staff in anticipation of reopening soon. Happy Hour Restaurante (Km43) and Kraken (Km52) are also serving. In downtown Rosarito, Susanna’s, El Nido and Bistro Le Cousteau are open. YAAY!

A recent beautiful day (with music!) at Poco Cielo

Farmers Market. Bart Berry reports that the Puerta al Valle Farmers Market is back in operation every Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. in La Mision (Km62). If you go, check out Bart’s smoked yellowtail; it looks delicious!

Get Bart Berry’s smoked yellowtail at the Puerta al Valle Farmers Market.

Food and Wine Festivals. Sadly, Comite Provino’s wonderful Festival de Las Conchas y El Vino Nuevo (first planned for May 3, then delayed until June 7) has been postponed until further notice, as has their many Fiestas de La Vendima events (planned for late July through mid-August). This includes the 30th Annual Paella Fest, scheduled for August 16! Bo Bendana is taking a “wait and see” posture on Sabor de Baja, originally scheduled for August 26. Carolina Carreno of the big Valle Food and Wine Fest planned for October 3 reports they are working with the government to see if events of their size and scope will be permitted at that time. In the meantime, ticket sales have been paused. Fingers crossed that the 2020 Baja food and wine festival shows WILL go on! 

Memories of the 2019 Paella Fest.

At least Baja eating and drinking opportunities are opening up. Please contact me with any other insights. And please, stay tuned! 

Counting down to Sabor de Baja!

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It’s just four weeks ’til Baja Norte’s gastro party of the year, Sabor de Baja. And, this is the fifth annual Sabor; all the more reason to attend! Sabor is a true labor of love by Chef Bo Bendana and her hubby, Dennis Sein. This dynamic duo pulls together Baja chefs, wineries, craft brewers and more for one fabulous evening in the gardens of the Rosarito Beach Hotel. And, Sabor is a friendly but serious competition; a panel of judges has the daunting task of sampling each dish along with its beverage pairing, and then selecting the best of the best. Attendees get to vote, too, as a People’s Choice Award is presented each year! We are excited that several new-ish restaurants will be participating this year:

Sabor takes place Wednesday, August 28 at the aforementioned RB Hotel. Spring for VIP tix at $90 and get early access at 5:30 pm, tastings and beverage pairings, plus seating at tables near the stage, waiter service, a goodie bag, and the commemorative wine glass. General admission guests ($70) will have access at 6 pm, tastings and beverage pairings, and the commemorative wine glass. Everyone can enjoy live music and dancing, including Rosarito favorite Maryam Malak, whom we were fortunate to hear during a delicious and very filling brunch at Ruben’s last Sunday! Read my recap of Sabor 2018, then click here for more information, including how to get tickets. See you at Sabor!   

Valley Girl Wines wins the 2018 People’s Choice Award!

Discount Alert: Valle Food & Wine Festival!

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Our fine friends at the Valle Wine & Food Festival, coming up Oct. 5 through 7 in Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe, have graciously provided a discount code for our friends & followers. If you’re planning on going, purchase NOW, because prices go up at midnight Friday, Sept. 14! Click here and use promo code EATDRINKBAJA. There’s a star-studded lineup of chefs from both sides of the border, and a variety of experiences over three days; the main festival takes place Saturday, Oct. 6 from 4pm to midnight at Javier Plascencia’s Finca Altozano. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Corazon de Vida Foundation. So, GET ON IT; we hope to see you there!

 

New chefs at Sabor de Baja!

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We love Sabor de Baja, and are really looking forward to the August 29 event in Rosarito! Sabor is well-organized, with careful pairings of chefs with Baja wineries and craft breweries. Judges have the difficult task of blind-sampling the offerings with beverage pairings; attendees also vote for a People’s Choice award. This year promises to be extra-delicious, with a number of chefs participating. We are anxious to sample the offerings of:

Tix include all food & wine, live entertainment, a commemorative wine glass, and more! It’s a great way to sample Baja’s newest spots, all in one lovely location. A limited number of gold tickets (early entry, reserved seating near the stage) MAY still be available for $85; silver tickets are $70. Don’t wait – get your tix NOW via sabordebaja@gmail.com or 664.533.2479. The event is a fantastic evening in the beachfront gardens of the Rosarito Beach Hotel; it’s an all-white party, so dress accordingly! Sabor promises to be extra tasty this year; we hope to see you there.


Gracias for photos by Bob Gove.