Take a look at the conversation we had with Chef Humberto Aviles, Omar Monroy and Gabriel Herrera of La Cazaclub, a newer addition to the ever expanding restaurant world in Tijuana.
Pulpo Asado – Drizzled in lime and cilantro, crumbles of pork chicharron, and a creamy avocado salsa
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The year is nearly coming to an end, and with that usually brings cooler temperatures. We had a bit of a heat wave here in San Diego over Thanksgiving, but I believe that it has started to cool down again. The holiday season is in full effect, which brings along with it copious amounts of both home cooked and meals out with close friends and family. I know a lot of people state it, but it is honestly my favorite time of year. The smell of fresh cut Christmas trees, and food together, really should become a candle scent.
Speaking of intoxicating aromas, let’s talk about Fernandéz Restaurant in San Diego. The restaurant has been in its current location for a bit over 5 years, and is owned and operated by a family that hails from Tijuana. Their mission was to create a small place with a close knit atmosphere, and most importantly mouth watering birria. That is exactly what they did. Literally you walk up to this little spot, where the exterior is labeled with an arrow pointing down towards the door that says “Tijuana style Birria tacos here.” They open up at 8am Wed- Sun, and close by 2pm, so that explains the fact that there was a line out the door, and everyone was inhaling the amazing smells floating outside through the screen door from the kitchen. My stomach was already creating it’s own symphony, and was more than ready to dive into some birria. Suddenly the door swung open, and our name could have not sounded more beautiful being called to come in and sit down at a table.
People are constantly coming and going, and often so ordering take out, just as much as they decide to come in and have the meal. The waitresses ask you for your order as soon as you sit down, which keeps the flow at a nice pace. You can order your birria in both tacos, or its original stew form. If you order the tacos, as we did, make sure to order the consome de birria (broth) along side. The piping hot broth with bites of the meat in between is just heavenly.
We ordered their regular birria tacos which come with crispy corn fortillas, as well as their Quesataco. The quesataco consists of a thick house made corn tortilla filled with melted cheese, the stewed meat, salsa, cilantro, and onion. This is hearty food folks, so do make sure to come hungry.
Antonio also ordered a bowl of one of his all time favorites, menudo. He was more than content with the menudo, and I noticed that it disappeared awfully quick.
For both birria lovers, and newbies alike. Fernandez Restaurant is one to add to your list. They offer take out, and catering as well. I was already trying to plan a holiday party, just so we could spread the birria love to our family and friends. Okay, now that my mouth is watering and stomach is growling, I think it’s time to end this. Go and enjoy some outstanding birria on this side of the border.
Fernández Restaurant
2265 Flower Ave. Suite D
San Diego, CA 92154
(619) 628-8235
Wed – Sun
8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Chef Brian Malarkey’s neighborhood restaurant in Point Loma was a delightful setting for dinner and drinks with friends. The interiors are bright and lighthearted, which set a very refreshing tone for the evening. The menu items from the restaurant’s cold and hot bar are just begging to be shared, and that way there is still room left to venture out to sea, or stay on land with your entree choice. Oh, and of course there is always room for some dessert.
There is nothing quite like starting the evening off with a variety of fresh oysters. It was definitely hard to decide between local Baja oysters, and those hailing from British Colombia. Believe me, whatever your decision may be, they were all delicious. The taste of the salty ocean sloshing through your mouth is always a treat in my book.
Next up were the hot bar plates. There menu offers a nice variety, and honestly I could have ordered each and every item, but just knowing that an entree, and perhaps even dessert was ahead of me, it was time to take control. We ordered the Duck Confit and Malarkey style fries. The duck confit was outstanding, and the fig jam was the perfect compliment. The Malarkey style fries consisted of caramelized onions, white cheddar, and their signature Gabby sauce.
Located in the heart of the Gaslamp District in downtown San Diego, you will find Candelas. Upon entering the restaurant, this incredible feeling of warmth and comfort surrounds you. Dimmed lighting and candlelight, provide a beautiful romantic glow to the space. Chef Martin San Roman has been running the kitchen of Candelas for a little bit less than a year now, but many of you have probably known of him for years. Whether you watched him on “Del Chef a Usted”, or visited his restaurants in Tijuana, his Franco-Mexicano food is truly unforgettable. Otherwise known as the “House of Baja Wines”, it only makes sense that the wine list at Candelas is full of wines from south of the border. In fact, this is the only restaurant in San Diego, that boasts such a list.
There couldn’t have been a better backdrop to set the tone for our evening dining at Candelas. Our table was surrounded by wine bottles, and a candle lit gate. Before I knew it we were being presented with our first course, a machaca taco. Now this isn’t your ordinary taco, instead of a corn or flour tortilla, the tortilla was made of thinly shaved jicama. The last time that I had a jicama “tortilla” was at the LA Street Food Fest last year, and since then I keep telling myself to try and recreate it. It is amazing how much texture just that bite of crunch brings to the taco. The tiny taco was covered in a Champagne and dried tomato sauce, that I couldn’t help but eat up every last bit.
Following that was one of the most beautiful presentations of Ahi Tuna Tartare that I have ever seen. The raw Ahi tuna is marinated in lime, sesame seed, roasted apples, garlic, and soy sauce, then placed on top of a piece of avocado. This placement of the avocado, ensured you that you would get just the right amount of creaminess with the tuna. Drizzled over the dish was a balsamic reduction, that tied in quite well with the side of sweet chopped mango. A crunchy tortilla chip topped with the beautiful colors and flavors of the tartare, was just magnificent. I can guarantee that when I do return to Candelas, this will be on our table.
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Very few of you may know about my passion for French cuisine and culture. That passion is actually what first sparked my interest into the world of gastronomy, and my French cookbooks were my first friends in the kitchen. Well..that’s enough about me. Let’s talk a little bit about Chef Ryan Steyn and his wife who opened L’Escargot Bistrot just about a year ago. They will actually celebrate their doors being open for a year on July 18th. South Africa is where Chef Ryan Steyn was born and raised, as well as where he met his wife. She is a Sommelier with an incredible passion for French food. He moved to Tijuana just three years ago, and they embarked on their journey together of what is now known has this quaint restaurant.
As soon as I stepped foot into the garden of L’Escargot Bistrot I felt as if I was transported into my own world and French dining experience. The warm summer evening could not have been a better excuse to enjoy dining al fresco. As the sun began to set, there were lit lanterns that filled the garden with a romantic light.
A basket full of fresh bread that was baked in their wood fired oven, was accompanied by an absolutely gorgeous cheese plate. Food really is art, and there are so many ways to embrace its natural beauty. The three cheeses that made up this cheese board were Brie, Goat Cheese covered in ashes, and a wedge of Roquefort. The bread has a wonderful crunch on the outside, with a pillow like soft interior. Brie is usually one way to my heart, but in this case the Goat Cheese came out as my favorite of the three.
Following that were Escargots in a red wine sauce that surrounded bone marrow. Escargots and bone marrow on the same plate? Hello lovely! If you have never tried snails, please put L’Escargot Bistrot on your restaurant list and come and taste these. It’s all part of the fun grabbing the shell with the tongs, and getting every bit of sauce possible with the meat of the snail.
For those of you in California that need a Foie fix, head on down to Tijuana. I have always enjoyed Foie Gras, and growing up I always remembered my dad ordering it any time that it was offered on the menu. Take a piece of the crunchy toast, then slather on the apple marmalade, and top that with a bit of the buttery Foie Gras. That my friends is what it is all about. The flavors, and textures will knock your socks off.
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A newer addition to the ever changing gastronomic scene in Tijuana is Cataviña restaurant. Zaira and her staff opened up their doors just nine months ago in the Zona Rio area. Cataviña restaurant has a beautiful facade, with both brick and modern accents. You have the option to dine inside, or on their outdoor patio area. The patio area has fresh herbs growing on the outer perimeter, which is not only great to look at, but there are wonderful aromas as well. It is ideal for the upcoming warm days and nights, but it is also equipped with heat lamps, for when it begins to cool down. The interiors of this quaint restaurant are warm and inviting, and the ambiance is just lovely. There are jazzy tunes playing in the background, that are still at a low enough volume to enjoy conversation with friends or family.
Zaira presented us with a little taste of what their menu has to offer. This was a wonderful way to get a little preview of the various options. The meal started off with the ideal refreshing course. A mixed ceviche of octopus, sea snail, both cooked and raw shrimp, and scallops that is presented in a green crunchy tortilla cup. This was one of my favorites of the day. Each bite is full of acidity, fresh seafood, and a bit of heat from the Chiltepin chile. I love the idea of the tortilla cup, the bottom is full of the remaining juices, so you won’t miss a drop.
The next course was a delicate carpaccio of scallops on thin slices of persian cucumber. The simplicity of this dish is what really caught my eye. There was so much flavor in each bite, I could have easily had a plate of this to myself.
The third course were Tacos de Pargo (Red Snapper). The nuggets of Pargo were coated in delicious asian flavors. It was served with their own house made fresh corn tortillas, and creamy avocado. This was the first time that I have experienced a taco with this flair of flavors, and I will be going back for more. The fish is absolutely divine on its own, but then creating your own taco with it, is just an added bonus.
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Last Friday night Chef Javier Plascencia and Bodegas Fariña put together a five course dinner and wine pairing at Romesco, in celebration of their 70th anniversary. The dining room was full of eager appetites ready to embark on a Baja Med culinary adventure washed down with some beautiful Spanish wines.
Chocolata clam ceviche, wild salicornia, fresh squeezed tomato juice, lemongrass gel, lemon sea foam.
The night kicked off with this refreshing gorgeous beauty. Chocolata clams are a sweet Baja jewel, with an outstanding color and tender meat inside. The acidity of the tomato and lime juices went perfectly with the Dama de Toro Malvasia 2010 wine pairing. The wine was incredibly crisp and bright, and most definitely a lovely way to start off the evening.
Roasted Sonora pork, East Coast razor clam, Garlic-saffron-pork broth, fresh garbanzo, Guajillo chile powder.
The second course was a combination that I have never seen together on a plate, but the razor clam and Sonora pork created a superb harmony. The waiter came by and drizzled over a little of the garlic- saffron pork broth, which he called “magic juice”. This tied in the two components, of the meaty razor clam and the succulent piece of pork. The skin on the pork was crispy and bursting with flavor. I also loved the garbanzo beans on the plate, it added great color, and just one more element of texture.
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