Tag Archives: Rosarito Beach Hotel

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.

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! 

What we ate & drank this summer

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What a fantastic Baja festival season! We’ve got a lot of memorable eating and drinking to share; let’s get on with it!

Cocina La Baja – July 27

This third annual all-seafood fest was new on on our radar screen, but what a winner! Held at the lovely Estero Beach Hotel & Resort just south of Ensenada, it sold out this year. Cocina La Baja spotlights super-fresh local and sustainable seafood from folks who truly care. Well-organized and beautifully presented, more cervecerias were on hand than wineries. We loved being in the presence of Baja royalty: Chef Javier Plascencia led a cooking demo of farmed totoaba, and Chef Drew Deckman made the rounds. Tix: less than $16 U.S. for a full afternoon of gastronomical delights. Incredible! We’ll definitely be back next year.

Beautiful setting at the Estero Beach Hotel & Resort!
One of the many yummy offerings at Cocina La Baja.
Smiling chefs Drew Deckman and Javier Plascencia.

Several Baja craft breweries were represented, including Agua Mala.

Concurso de Paellas – August 18

I was fortunate to first attend the fledging but still popular Valle de Guadalupe Concurso de Paellas de Ramon Garcia Ocejo way back in 1996. It has grown, but remains a wonderful way to spend an August afternoon! With 92 paella-producing teams and 62 wineries to sample, how can you go wrong? We congratulate “paelleros” Los Chatos and Vivencias on their wins this year!

A lovely August afternoon under the oak trees of Vinas de Liceaga.
WOW: Just one of more than 90 presentations of paella at the 2019 Concurso.
Loved seeing Natalia Badan and her Mogor Badan colleague at the event . . .
. . . as well as Victor Torres, patriarch of Vinicola Torres Alegre. So special!

Sabor de Baja – August 28

Bo Bendana and Dennis Sein recognized Baja’s culinary potential back in 2013, when they launched Sabor de Baja. And, the event keeps getting better year after year, with careful pairings of many of Baja’s best restaurants, wineries and craft brewers in the beachfront gardens of the lovely Rosarito Beach Hotel! Congrats to Tecate’s Amores, matched with wine from Monte Xanic, on taking first place in this year’s competition. But we attendees were the real winners! I’ve said it before: Sabor is a true labor of love by Bo and Dennis. It shows, and is much appreciated! Check out this cool video by Rosarito’s Scot Richardson.

A highlight for me: chatting with RB Hotel’s Hugo Torres and his lovely wife at Sabor.
Dennis Sein presided over the formidable task of judging the dozens of pairings.

Como siempre, gracias to Bob Gove for the fine photos.

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!

Best. Sabor. Ever.

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I’d say last week’s Sabor de Baja blew the roof off the place . . . but the only ceiling was the beautiful Baja sky! The beach side gardens of the grand Rosarito Beach Hotel were once again filled with white-clad attendees, anxious to sample the offerings of 27 chefs paired with an equal number of wineries and craft breweries. Congratulations go to First Place winner Chef Marco Marin of Latitud 32 in Valle de Guadalupe for his delicious plum crumble with piloncillo, paired with (and incorporating) Border Psycho’s yummy black saison, La Belga Sicotica (and, great to visit with Psycho’s Roberto again!). Second Place was earned by Rosarito’s Sokuna Cocina de Asia and Chef Stephen Sovann, paired with MD Vinos. I loved the Third Place pairing, Valle de Guadalupe’s Tizne’s sope de platano maduro with requeson and charred tomatillo, paired with delicious Syrah/Nebbiolo from Vina Emiliana. And, it was a treat to meet una Hija de la Tiznada, Chef Miriam! The People’s Choice Award went to Tijuana’s Koi Sushi and Chef Yaron Del Moral, for his pairing with Valley Girl Wine. For what it’s worth, Tijuana’s Oryx Capital’s seductive, smoky uni chowder, topped with an artsy tiny tostada and paired with Vinas las Erre Blanc, got my vote! This was the best Sabor we’ve attended, fantastic chefs, careful pairings, thoughtful planning. Thank you, Bo Bendana & Dennis Sein, for all the love and hard work you put into this event; it really shows. Under your direction, the event has grown and matured – and will continue to do so – along with the now red-hot Baja culinary scene. We especially appreciate the fact that you have introduced us to local restaurants that we can visit on our own! The 5th Annual Sabor de Baja will take place on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at the Rosarito Beach Hotel. Catch this classic end-of-summer Baja tradition!

With La Tizne Chef Miriam

Almejas with aguachile at Sabor!

Oryx Capital’s uni chowder

Glad to see Valley Girl as a winner again this year!

AND look for an update soon on the NEXT BIG BAJA THING: the Valle Food & Wine Fest Oct. 5-7 in Valle de Guadalupe!

Gracias for photos by Bob Gove.

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.

Summertime – and the food fests are plenty

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There’s never a BAD time to visit Baja, as our past adventures have demonstrated. However, summertime is food fest time, and some of our very favorites are on the horizon:

Verbena Campestre – Saturday, July 28 – San Cosme Vinedos
LOVE this first-class festival, as well as the family that runs San Cosme. It’s a refreshing bit off the beaten track, located south of Ensenada and Maneadero, where the “old wine route” begins. We’ve found this fest to be more authentic Mexicano than most others; we’ve spotted very few other gringos, and everyone is always ultra-friendly and welcoming. With free wine tastings for the first 1,000 guests, craft beer, artisan products, live music and tons of grilled food options, it’s a real winner. Book a cabin or tepee at Las Canadas across the highway, dance the night away, and join the conga line without having to drive back. Tickets are (YAY!) now available online. If you’re still on the fence, watch this cool video recap from last year.

Fiestas de la Vendimia Paella Contest – Sunday, August 19 – Vina de Liceaga
Every year, there are more and more events during Fiestas de la Vendimia, the grape harvest festival, in and around Valle de Guadalupe. You can’t go wrong with any of them. However, our fave is the closing event, the venerable Ramon Garcia Ocajo Concurso de Paellas. I first attended this event more than 20 years ago and, although it’s grown considerably, it continues to be well-organized, a ton of fun, and a classic Baja Norte afternoon. With 90+ paella-producing teams present, (cooking only over wood fire, thank you!)  and 50+ wineries pouring, you won’t go hungry or thirsty. Arrive early, stake out a table under the trees, and enjoy live music on two stages and the fantastic ambiance all afternoon. As of this writing, tickets are still available!

Sabor de Baja – Wednesday, August 29 – Rosarito Beach Hotel
Sabor is the classy way to wrap up the summer Baja food fest season. A true labor of love, this event pairs many of Baja’s top chefs with its best wines and craft beers. It’s a friendly competition, but legitimate – the judges really DO blind tastings, plus attendees vote for the People’s Choice award. There’s live music, and it all takes place in the lovely beach front gardens of the classic Rosarito Beach Hotel. It’s worth a jaunt to Rosarito on a Wednesday evening . . . it’s summertime, so no one will notice if you get to work a bit late Thursday . . . right? Don’t forget your mandatory all-white attire and your dancing shoes. For tickets, email sabordebaja@gmail.com, and check out the very reasonable ticket/stay packages at the RB Hotel.

Save the Date: Valle Food & Wine Festival – October 5-7 – Valle de Guadalupe
Really excited about this autumn event! More info to come soon; in the meantime, check out this link.

Don’t miss Baja Norte’s Gastro Party of the Year!

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When does a food fest feel more like a big party? When it’s Sabor de Baja, silly! The 5th annual edition of Sabor is coming up Wednesday, August 30, in the oceanfront gardens of the venerable Rosarito Beach Hotel. We felt fortunate to attend last year; read our take-aways here. We were very impressed with the thoughtful event planning and the careful pairings of delicious dishes with Baja wines and craft beers; we can hardly wait to see what’s in store for this year! Expect fun live music, distinguished judges, and the opportunity for YOU to cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award. From what we’ve heard, participating restaurants will include Valle de Guadalupe’s Latitud 32, Mixtura, Tahal and the new La X, plus Rosarito’s Pasta y Basta and from Ensenada, Planta Baja and Mantou, winner of last year’s top prize. Wineries will include AliXima, Relieve and El Cielo, to name but a few. Gold level tix have already sold out, and we hear silver level tix are in short supply! Find out how to get tickets and check out the ticket/overnight packages. And, hey – don’t forget to wear white!

See? You’ve gotta wear white to Sabor de Baja! Just be very careful if you’re drinking (or near someone drinking) red wine.

Last year’s top prize went to Mantou, for this duck carpaccio, smoked with wood vines & mesquite, with goat cheese, pearl apricots and microgreens, paired with Corona del Valle Sauvignon Blanc. As delicious as it was beautiful!

We also loved this tuna with chile, grapefruit, watermelon, jicama & salsa de chapulines paired with 2014 Tintillo from Legado Sais.

2017 Baja (& Baja inspired) Fests!

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It’s warming up; daylight savings time has begun; and (I hope) the heaviest rains are behind us. We’re heading into Baja festival season! Here are a few of our faves; check back for updates and additions.

Sabor Latino – Saturday, March 18, Fashion Valley, San Diego – We were impressed by this event last year, and it looks like even more Baja chefs and wineries are participating in 2017. Lineup includes Sabina Bandera of La Guerrerense; Bo Bendana of Mi Casa Supper Club; Giannina Gavaldon of Olivia El Asador Del Porvenir; Ruffo Ibarra of Oryx Capital; and Omar Armas of Mantou Gastropub, with Border X Brewing, Lomita, Adobe Guadalupe, Torres Alegre, Villa Montefiori and Casa Magoni pouring. All part of the San Diego Latino Film Fest, and proceeds benefit the very worthy nonprofit Media Arts Center. I’ve been told that the promo code DRINKGREATBEER will get you a $5 discount, and we highly recommend going for the VIP package. Details & tickets>>

Chef Giannina Gavaldon with her comadre from Olivia at Sabor Latino 2016. Not only is her food delicious, it’s great to see her in SD and we covet Chef’s cool ikat apron!

Festival de Las Conchas y El Vino Nuevo – Sunday, April 23, Hotel Coral, Ensenada. This event, which kicks off the Baja Food Fest season every year, is a REAL winner. It got a bit crowded last year, but still plenty of opptys to taste great wine & cuisine while meeting some of Baja’s top winemakers & chefs, all in a fabulous setting along the Coral’s marina. Get ready to sample fantastic clams, mussels, oysters, abalone + latest wine releases, all included! Tix are just a tad over $30. Read my post about Conchas last year and get your 2017 tickets here!>>

Why do we love Conchas? It educates you about the variety of Baja seafood while you enjoy a lovely afternoon sampling delicious shellfish and wines. And you meet cool folks, too!

Rosarito Art Fest – Saturday & Sunday, May 27-28, Rosarito Beach – Dates have not been posted for 2017, altho it’s regularly on Memorial Day wknd. This FREE event features great art, crafts, music and dance, and there’s usually plenty of food and drink to go around, too. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more info>>

Art is the main attraction, but you can definitely enjoy eating & drinking at the Rosarito Art Fest.

Vinedos en Flor – Saturday, June 3, Finca La Carrodilla, Valle de Guadalupe – Last year this event was at Bibayoff on a drizzly, gray afternoon. Since food was not included and there was no live music, it didn’t seem as great a value as some of the other Baja festivals. But we managed to commandeer a table, taste some great wines and make new friends. We have high hopes for the 2017 edition, to be hosted by one of our faves, Finca La Carrodilla! More info>>

Friends enjoying wine from the wonderful Lechuza at last year’s Vinedos en Flor.

Verbena Campestre – Saturday, July 29, Vinedos San Cosme south of Ensenada – This may be the best-kept secret of all Baja food fests; it doesn’t seem to be on the gringo radar screen! Get ready for a fun, relaxing afternoon with folks who will become your new BFFs. With great live music and a big outdoor dance floor, this family-owned winery knows how to party! Tip: book a room in the vicinity; driving back after THAT much fun can be challenging. Or, is it just us? Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more info>>

And . . . even more friends at Verbena Campestre 2016!

SAVE THE DATES:

Fiesta de la Vendimia Paella Fest – Sunday, August 20, Valle de Guadalupe – you can’t miss this tradition, the grand finale to the annual grape harvest festival. Although it’s huge, there’s plenty of paella and wine to go around, along with two stages with live music and tons of tables under the trees. All paella is cooked over wood fire, and there’s a competition among the paella-producing teams. Tix usually go on sale in May and you should get them ASAP; it always sells out! More info>>

The annual Vendimia Paella Fest is not only delicious and fun, it’s also very photogenic!

Sabor De Baja – Wednesday, August 30 – Rosarito Beach Hotel – we were very impressed with Sabor last year. The caliber of restaurants and wineries was excellent at this well-organized event, which pairs dishes by Baja chefs with delicious local wines and cervezas. Look for more details in the coming months!

We look forward to Sabor de Baja 2017!

Gracias for photos by Bob Gove and Rafael Rush.

A Tale of Four Food Fests: Part IV

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Does summer always save the best for last? Sabor de Baja was an incredible finale to last summer’s flurry of fun Baja culinary fests. Sabor is a true labor of love by the husband-and-wife team behind San Antonio del Mar’s Mi Casa Supper Club, Chef Bo Bendana and Dennis Sein. The fourth annual must-wear-white Sabor was held the last Wednesday evening of August in the beachfront gardens of the Rosarito Beach Hotel.
Although a mid-week event can be a bit challenging for those of us who have day jobs stateside, Sabor sells out every year. And, rightly it should! Bo and Dennis recruited thoughtful judges (this year including Jorge Meraz, host of KPBS’ Crossing South and MasterChef winner Claudia Sandoval) who participated in a blind tasting of not only great dishes, but also considered how they pair with Baja vinos and cervezas. It’s a well-organized event with great signage and opportunities to chat with chefs and winery reps. We loved the variety of dishes, wines and cervezas offered to guests. First prize went to Ensenada’s Mantou Gastropub, for their superb duck carpaccio (smoked with wood vines and mesquite) with goat cheese, pearl apricots and microgreens, paired with Corona del Valle Sauvignon Blanc. Second place went to Fuego Cocina del Valle, for their smoky pork paired with a sublime red from Vinicola Montano Benson. The judges gave the third place prize to Valle de Guadalupe’s Sanvil for their Mexico-meets-India mash-up: curried chicken liver sopes paired with cerveza from Compass Ales Brewery; and the People’s Choice prize went to Chabert’s at the Rosarito Beach Hotel, for their filet mignon with mushrooms, wine foam and sweet potato, paired with a 2013 Syrah by Claudius Vina y Bodega. We also loved Navio’s tuna with chile, grapefruit, watermelon, jicama and salsa de chapulines, paired with a 2014 Tintillo from Legado Sais; Mixtura’s oysters with mignonette and apple, paired with wine from Relieve; and Oryx Capital’s tomato and persian cucumber dish with mescal foam, paired with Cerveceria Ramuri beer. We were also ecstatic that longtime friend Jo Ann Knox Martino was pouring her delicious Cava Vintango Nebbiolo. Sabor was one of – if not THE – best Baja culinary event of 2016! It’s a fantastic way to get to know some of Baja’s most innovative eateries, wineries and breweries. Mark your calendars for August 30 (just over seven months away) and get your tickets early for Sabor de Baja 2017!

Watch a very cool video recapping Sabor 2016 by Once Upon A Time in Rosarito’s Scot Richardson:

Gracias por photos by Bob Gove. Sorry this post is so tardy; a fun holiday stay in Puerto Rico got in the way! Look for previews of the best 2017 Baja food fests soon.