Showing posts with label Javier Plascencia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Javier Plascencia. Show all posts
Baja Summer Trip - Al Fresco Lunch at Finca Altozano
So far I haven't touched upon the vineyards in Valle de Guadalupe. One of our top meals consisted of lunch at Javier Plascencia’s Finca Altozano.We pretty much ate on a hill overlooking the vineyards. Once again the magical atmosphere heightened the effect, but the expertly prepared and seasoned food stood on it's own. I could be eating it in a warehouse and it would still shine.
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| outdoor grill |
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| rounded bench atop the 1-storey "barrels" in previous photo |
Once again we enjoyed the grounds and got situated for some time before sitting to the meal. Watching the chefs grill our meal and hand make tortillas, along with the fresh air, definitely whet the appetite.
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| chef picking produce and herbs |
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| adorable puppies sleeping, to add to the charm |
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| surprisingly the white salsa was the hottest - habanero |
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| cucumber water, local wines and artisanal beers were offered |
And then the meal began.
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| stuffed zucchini |
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| langostinos |
The consensus was that this grilled octopus was the favorite. Impossibly tender, the sauce's unexpected ingredients like ginger and soy sauce really made it irresistable. I soaked up sauce with the bread after eating the octopus.
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| grilled quail |
Another fresh and fantastic bite was the salad. I loved the use of different tomatoes, herbs and red onions, as well as the local cheese.
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| Rib eye and bean fillings |
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| pumpkin and a mango tamal for dessert |
This meal left us wanting more Valle de Guadalupe for sure. More on the way.
Baja California 2010 Trip Redux - Street Food
This month has been ripe with challenges that have kept me distracted from blogging. I tend to cut down drastically on foodie experiences when things are stressful, so there hasn't been a lot of new things going on.After losing my Aunt earlier this month, I've been looking through old photos, intending to compile them. In the process I found lots of great photos, mostly from 2010.
It seems right to do some retro blogging since it's the end of the year and we all are reflecting back.
So here begins a 4-part series on my July 2010 Baja California group trip with Bill Esparza, Street Gourmet LA.
Before the "tour" officially started, Bill already got us started off with these Gorditas de Nata snacks.
Street Food Tacos
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| Taqueria Franc - mulita |
There were so many other fantastic taco places we went to, I left off the ones covered in prior Baja food posts, and a few we tried only on this trip. Out of many, the ones below stood out as unique.
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| Tacos Aaron - milanesa taco |
Things got crunchier at Tacos el Poblano, where we even had taco cones, wrapped in paper (think of sushi cones).
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| Tacos el Poblano - tostada |
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| Tacos el Poblano - beef birria |
The meat, after being grilled, sits on the pan in their own juices. Leading to the mouthwatering torta above, one of the best sandwiches I've ever had.
Their horchata (traditional Mexican rice beverage flavored with cinammon, sugar and lime) also was the best many of us had ever had. No chalkiness whatsoever.
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| Tortas Wash Mobile - horchata |
We're still on tacos, but Tacos Salceados deserves its own category, offering exciting tacos and an open kitchen. The crowds below should attest to that.
I'll let the photos do the talking.
Seafood Street Food
For seafood lovers, Tijuana provides a vast selection of seafood, all fresh and plentiful, with no lack of seasoning available.
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| El Mazateno - condiments |
El Conchal, a tiny cart with picnic benches around it, provided a fresh and light reprieve from meaty tacos.
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| El Conchal - ceviche mixte |
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| El Conchal - aguachile |
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| El Conchal - clams |
Mariscos Ruben, another seafood gem, showed us even more local delicacies, lovingly prepared by these amazing women.
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| Mariscos Ruben - crab tostada |
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| Mariscos Ruben - seafood gratin |
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| Mariscos Ruben - crab taco (with flour tortilla) |
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| Erizo Cebicheria - Chef/Owner Javier Plasencia |
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| Erizo Cebicheria - Pisco Sour Coco |
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| Erizo Cebicheria - margarita |
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Erizo Cebicheria - sea urchin capuccino
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| Erizo Cebicheria - octopus carpaccio |
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| Erizo Cebicheria - swordfish tacos (cochinita pibil style) |
Sweet Treats
Adjacent to the El Conchal cart, we cleansed our palates from the paleteria (ice cream shop). I tried the rich and creamy rompope, an eggnog type Mexican beverage, ice cream in the plastic tubes (center of photo).
We also visited Teposnieves, sampling fantastic flavors like tequila con limon, nata (cream), queso (cheese) and fruit and chile topping sauces.
My flavors were queso, tres leches and cajeta (goat's milk caramel).
If you'd like to read about the trip from this year, you can find the posts at the following links:
Baja Culinary Festival
Baja Street Food
Baja - Erizo Cebicheria
Baja - Unplanned Adventures
Baja - Mision 19
In the meantime, I'd like to wish you a joyous holiday season.
