Category Archives: Tijuana

Burritos D’Sonora

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Let’s talk a little bit about one of my guilty pleasures, that I can never seem to turn down. Meet the fresh flour tortilla. I mean, how can you resist a warm flour tortilla right off of the heat? I’m not talking about just any store bought flour tortillas. I’m talking about the real deal here folks.

We pulled up to D’Sonora stomachs rumbling, and lured in by the smell of the big bowls of flour tortilla dough proofing, just about to be made into tortillas for the busy lunch rush. The Trujillo family, which owns this little spot hails from Granados, Sonora. We showed up just before noon, and Enrique told us that all of the dough sitting on the counter would soon become tortillas for both guisado filled burritos, as well as being sold by the dozen during their busiest time of the day.

We pulled up a stool at the window, and ordered away. They offer a variety of guisados each day, which a couple of them had already been sold out by mid day. We couldn’t help but order a few different ones to try. We went with the, Carne con Chile Colorado, Frijoles Puercos, Deshebrada con Papa and Rajas con Queso. You may be thinking, wow 4 burritos, but that is the beauty of these traditional burritos. A flour tortilla is filled with one guisado, and you are good to go. My favorites were the burritos filled with Deshebrada con Papa, and the Frijoles Puercos.

I am pretty sure that I turned my head for just one second, and poof!… a Cajeta filled Coyota was sitting in front of me. The flaky cookie and the sweet cajeta together as one, my oh my! I had to tell Antonio to get in on some bites before Giovanni and I polished it off for ourselves.

D’Sonora also sells their own bags of dried machaca, of course fresh flour tortillas, as well as homemade salsas. We came home with a bottle of their Chile de Arbol salsa, which barely lasted through the week. Needless to say we will be back for more of that, and I am dying to try their Cafe de la Olla.
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Tijuana Makes Me Hungry – Saturday, April 20th

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Antonio and I will be at the San Diego Public Market representing Club Tengo Hambre on Saturday April 20th from 6-10pm. Have a taste of Tijuana restaurants, while dining for a cause in support of “Just Call Us Volunteers”. Stop by, say hello, and find out about our upcomimg Baja experiences.

Ticket info: http://bit.ly/151Xduw
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Foodgarden

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Foodgarden Tijuana
Foodgarden Tijuana
Foodgarden Tijuana

The Foodgarden in Tijuana, came to life after finding inspiration for the space from worldly travels. Ricardo Nevarez told us that he wanted a place where culinary artisans can all come together under one roof, to showcase their passions and talent through their food. At foodgarden you will find the formerly known as Takesos and Papas, now named La Taqueseria, the ever expanding Tacos Kokopelli, Etxeverri Tapas y Pintxos, Los Chilaquiles, and Creperie La Luna. La Barra will also be stocked with local craft beers, to enjoy along side your plates of choice.

This outdoor gastro venue is bright and inviting, with some really neat attention to detail. I love that the glass windows facing the street have sayings such as “Keep Tijuana Tasty” on them. The carved wood and concrete designs, with added pops of color throughout the space, are just lovely. Oh, and I can’t forget the gorgeous tiles that you can’t miss, as you step up to place your order.

The upcoming Spring and Summer seasons will bring the ideal setting to Foodgarden. Nothing beats being able to enjoy some outstanding food with an icy cold beer, and the added bonus of beautiful weather.

Foodgarden Tijuana
Foodgarden Tijuana

We decided to try all four of the Pintxos that are on the menu at Exteverri. Thin slices of crusty bread are topped with Jamon Serrano, Pancetta, Portobello Mushrooms, and Salmon. These would be great to order with a group, there is an array of different flavors, that is sure to please everyone’s palate.
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Vía Mercado

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Via Mercado, Tijuana

Chef Javier Plascencia brings yet another gem to the gorgeous Via Corporativo building in Tijuana. Meet Via Mercado Estilo Tijuana. You can not only eat to your hearts content, but there you can also find local cheeses, brews and wines from the Baja California region under one roof.

The interiors of the space are bright and inviting, and the smells are so intoxicating. It’s the lovely details such as the chandelier pictured below, and flatware lining the front of the counters in “La Fruiteria”, that truly express the time and effort that goes into the design and planning of the space.

The stool seating is intimate, and some of the most comfortable stools that I have ever sat in. It is exactly the type of eatery that I could see us spending some quality time over hearty dishes with close friends and family.

Via Mercado, Tijuana
Via Mercado, Tijuana
Via Mercado, Tijuana
Via Mercado, Tijuana
Via Mercado, Tijuana

Tacos de guisado are an ultimate form of comfort food. Whether it’s because of the cooler winter temperatures, or the fact that you just get a craving, it’s that “hug” that you get when eating this food that keeps you coming back for more. We ordered one of each of the guisados offered that evening at Via Mercado, and chose to have them in taco form. We enjoyed a taco de fideo seco, machaca de res, pancita en salsa roja, and carne con papas. You may also choose to use any of the guisados as a filling for a torta or burrito. It’s not easy to pick favorites, in these types of “taco situations’. but I did find myself going back for more bites of the Machaca. With that being said, each and every one was perfectly satisfying.

Via Mercado also offers comida corrida, with options varying from a Chile Relleno and Cremita de Zanahoria to meatloaf and a side salad. 
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Celebración del Camarón at Misión 19

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In celebration of the shrimp from San Felipe and the conservation of la Vaquita Marina, Mision 19 hosted a 6 course dinner with a menu created especially for the evening. Chef Javier Plascencia developed the special menu honoring the San Felipe shrimp. We had the honor of sharing the Chef’s table with a group that promote San Felipe Pescados y Mariscos. They are proud supporters of sustainable fishing methods. The assured us that all of the shrimp that we consumed were vaquita friendly, and were caught using alternative fishing methods, that do not further endanger these beautiful mammals. All of the products that they offer are captured by the fishermen of San Felipe, Baja California in the wild waters of the reserve of the Biosfera del Alto Golfo de California.

The vaquita porpoise is the smallest and most endangered cetacean in the world. They only live in the warm waters of the northern Gulf of California, Mexico. Unfortunately these porpoises are accidentally being caught in gillnets, while the fishermen are out catching shrimp. With less than 250 of these mammals around, it is incredibly sad to see these mammals on the brink of extinction. There is a great fear that this species may disappear, if the necessary urgent measures are not taken.

The five savory courses of the meal, let that San Felipe shrimp shine with various preparations and flavors.

The first course, Shrimp Aguachile parfait with layers of avocado meringue, chicharron, and jocoque. When all mixed together, all of the different textures combine, and created this outstanding beginning to the evening

The second course, was one that stuck out to me the most the entire night. A dish created from a inspiring trip to Thailand, Poached shrimp in coconut milk, with beans and cilantro. There was a subtle heat, that was present with every spoonful. I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite, and the shrimp was so tender.

Lengua cocinada al Alto Vacio topped with shrimp tartare, morcilla, and an Elephant garlic chip. This was Antonio’s favorite of the evening, and my first time enjoying shrimp tartare. The dish was absolutely outstanding!
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Recuerdos del Tour De France

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Last Thursday night L’Escargot Bistrot in Tijuana filled their seats with diners in anticipation of taking a bit of a step back in time. Guest Chef Martin San Roman developed a dinner menu in honor of his former restaurant Tour De France. The restaurant itself was actually located a ways down from where L’Escargot Bistrot is now. Chef Martin Roman originally brought his Franco-Mexicano cuisine to Tijuana in the late eighties, and has won the hearts of many over since then. As I stated before, Tour de France is no longer in Tijuana, but you can find Chef Martin at his current restaurant Candelas in downtown San Diego.

Chef Ryan Steyn and Sommelier Jorge Gomez joined forces with Chef Martin on this very evening, to create an authentic French cuisine experience. Beginning with the first bite of the Pate Maison, I already felt my mind leave my body to sit at a cafe setting in Paris. I am sure that if you have read any of my posts regarding French cuisine, you might say that I have a bit of an obsession. This night most definitely left a long lasting impression on both my husband and I. We were so honored to be a part of it.

The entire evening almost felt like a scene straight out of a movie. The lights and their glow set a beautiful ambiance, not to mention even the addition of the lovely wine bottle Christmas tree. Every little detail counts, and I remember them more and more as I look back on the event.

I mentioned before that the first bite was into a crostini spread with liverwurst pate. The flavors of the pate combined with a bite of the briny gherkins in between, was just delightful. I may have mentioned to my husband that we need to have a pate party, of course with some bubbly involved. The sparkling Cecilia Rose wine went seemingly with this little dish. The following dishes were all paired with the 2012 Georges Duboeuf Beaugolais Nouveau. Sommelier Jorge Gomez presented the wine to us, and told us about its young history. When he told us that you could smell red fruits, I totally agreed, and then he said banana. I had my nose in the that glass faster than I can blink. It absolutely had aromas of banana, this may have been the first time that I have smelled notes of banana in a wine. The wine was light, and a wonderful compliment to the whole evening.

The Carpaccio de La Tour, was up next. Thinly shaved beef carpaccio is and will always be one of my all time favorites. I have had it more times that I can count, of course with a different variety of toppings. This version was nothing short of amazing, and I had to make sure that each bite had every ingredient incorporated with it. I used every last drop of fresh lemon juice from the thin slices lining the plate. Let’s just say my plate was left spotless after this dish.

I could smell the butter in the hot pans as the Salmon Buerre Blanc was being prepared. Images of Julia Child automatically flashed into my head. The salmon was cooked so perfectly, that the added butter sauce was like a getting a reward. Hello, butter I do adore you.

As soon as I saw the name Ensalada Coco Chanel on the menu, I had to know what that was all about. We asked Chef Martin, and he said that his inspiration came from the bottle of perfume. The spinach salad was presented beautifully in a puff pastry bowl, drizzled with a pink vinaigrette, then garnished with a slice of brie, and a fresh raspberry. It was truly beautiful, I almost felt bad each time my fork destroyed part of the bowl.

The last of the savory side of things, was Le Pave de Bouef a L’Escargot, The filet of beef was seared on the outside, which created a nice crust to the tender meat on the inside. I loved the cube of potato, and the rich mushroom sauce that shared the plate.

Raise your hand if you have had pastel de crepas before. Those with your hands up, have you had the original from Tour de France? Though there are quite a few versions roaming around, Chef Martin San Roman was the first to develop this cake in Tijuana. Oh my, what a divine dessert! Nearly paper thin crepes stacked on top of each other, covered in White chocolate mousse, and then drizzled with dark chocolate. It may or may not be very early in the morning, but I would more than accept that as my breakfast with a shot of espresso along side.

A special thanks to Chef Ryan Steyn, his wife Susan Monsalve, and Chef Martin San Roman. This was a night to remember, and we were so excited to be able to join you at this event.