A Quick Day Trip In Tijuana

I'm out of state for the week but before I left I made sure I spent a few hours in Tijuana. Here is a little picture post.

Cabeza Tacos at La Chuleta Cento Tijuana


Cerveza Tijuana Brewery


Cerveza Tijuana Beer Flight Sampler


Mexican Microbrew from Beer Box Zona Rio Tijuana


Tacos De Costilla de Res Taninos Wine Bar Zona Rio Tijuana


Salsa for the Tacos de Costilla


Full write up on Beer Box Mexican Micro Brews to come...

Restaurante UNO Tijuana - Showcasing Baja California's Talented Young Chefs

********Closed********* This talented Chef is now at Corazon De Tierra in Valle de Guadalupe, Ensenada http://www.corazondetierra.com/ After several months away from Tijuana what was one of the first places I couldn't wait to get back to? A restaurant in Gastronomic District? No not exactly, the very first place that came to mind was near the Agua Caliente Racetrack and it was none other than Restaurante UNO.



My wife and I wanted a special, relaxing and intimate dining experience and UNO did not disappoint. Just like our first visit the service was exceptional.UNOs kitchen is run by two young and talented chefs Ricardo Hiroshi Uno and Diego Hernández. On this particular day Diego Hernández was at the helm.

During childhood visits to the markets in Toluca Mexico, Diego Hernández became fascinated by the colors and aromas of the food products. Diegos grandmother was a great cook and she was a key factor in sparking Diegos interest into the culinary world. At the young age of 18 Diego began to work with pioneering chef Benito Molina at Manzanilla Restaurant in Ensenada. Diegos time in Ensenada with Benito opened his eyes to the wonderful regional products of Baja California.

Fresh fish from Ensenada, salads from the garden, pork from ranches in Rosarito, beef from Hermosillo, wine from the Valle De Guadalupe, we could not decide on what to order so we asked Diego to showcase his talents and went for the Menu de Degustation. Degustation turned out to be an 8 course meal that represented all the best the region had to offer fused together with the chefs creative techniques.

UNO

A shot of Mexican amber beer with shrimp, clam, and mussels.



DOS

Smoked oysters



TRES

Pork Tocina with black habenero, crema, masa and avocado balls, on a bed of white beans.



QUATRO

Chocolate Clam roasted habenero soup with smoked bread laced with lemongrass shavings.



CINCO

Arugula green bean salad with queso fresco



SEIS

Jurel (Yellowtail) in a chile sauce of chile cascabel, peanuts, and sesame served with fresh vegetables.



SIETE

Lechon en Adobada with a puré of serrano and avocado, emulsion of corn and fried beans.




OCHO was actually a creme brulee I gobbled up so fast I didn't get to snap a picture.

So their you have it, another unique dining experience at Restaurante Uno. Everything that came out of the kitchen was a great pleasure of the senses but I must say, my favorite dish would have to be the Pork Tocina. Succulent pork with little corn masa balls are you kidding me? Everything about this worked like a symphony. The spice of the black habenero, complemented by sweet corn masa balls, cooled with fresh avocado and crema with the subtle white beans providing the canvas for the art.

Come experience the talent of the young chefs in Baja.

Av. de Las Ferias #5202, Col. del Bosque C.P. 22o34 Tijuana, B.C Mexico.
Reservations (664) 681.3203


View Larger Map

UNO Website (Spanish)
UNO Blog
UNO Facebook Page

UNO Restaurant Tijuana - Cutting Edge Culinary Arts

It's funny how sometimes you have a great restaurant right under your nose and you don't even know it. Yesterday the wife and I were driving around Tijuana down the street from some property her family has owned for over 30 years when we past a new restaurant that brought me to a screeching halt. The sign that caught my eye "UNO cocina artesanal de vanguardia". I had remembered Chef Benito Molina recommended this place to me a few months ago but we never ironed out the details.



It was very unfortunate that at the time we stopped, we were already stuffed with some tacos from down the street, but that didn't stop us from wanting to try some of Unos fine offerings. Entering the restaurant you are embraced by its casual elegance. Wines showcasing the best of Baja are proudly displayed.



Things started perfect with a nice house red wine, housemade bread and butter, and Rib-eye amuse bouche. For the first course I ordered the queso. The sweetness of the honey blended perfectly with this fine artesanal cheese, I would have been satisfied with just the cheese but we pressed on.

Quesitos con miel de abeja en panal


For course two, we decided to go with the duck stuffed ravioli. 3 ravioli stuffed with duck topped with bacon and pinenuts. At this time I was pretty full but the juicy duck was so good no morsels were spared.

Ravioli de pato en tres


Course three hmmmm???? Well I was going to throw in the towel at this time but some of the menu items sounded so interesting I could not resist. I decided to order a very interesting Rib eye Tartare, this was definitely the highlight of my visit. The presentation on this dish was so nice I just stared at it for a few minutes.

Tartare de Rib eye con emulsion de aceite de oliva



I really wanted to try one of the main courses but It was just not possible after the days events. I skipped the main course and ordered some dessert to share with the family and it was on par with the rest of my meal, divine.

Opera Deco


The service here was outstanding, when we were finished with our meal the chefs were kind enough to come out and chat with us. It turns out Chefs Ricardo Hiroshi Uno and Diego Hernandez Velasco worked with Chef Benito Molina for years at the old Manzanilla Resturant in Ensenada. They were kind enough to take me on a tour and I was excited to see they have a custom underground pit in the back for traditional Barbacoa De Borrego, slow-cooked lamb over an open fire. The mesquite grill was also very cool to see.

I'm definitely coming back soon to get beyond the appetizers and desserts, I'm particularly interested in the lamb. UNO is located very close to Agua Caliente Racetrack about a 15 min ride from the border.

Av. de Las Ferias #5202, Col. del Bosque C.P. 22o34 Tijuana, B.C Mexico.
Reservations (664) 681.3203

Villa Saverios Tijuana- A Touch of Tuscany

Craving some pasta on a beautiful spring day the family and I decided on a midday trek to one of our favorite fine dining destinations in Tijuana, Villa Saverios. Just a 10 minute ride from the border and located in what is known as Tijuana’s Gastronomic District, Villa Saverios has an extensive menu combining the culinary influences from Italy, France, Spain, and the Mediterranean with the best local seafood and ingredients Baja has to offer.



As we walked past some spring flowers outside Saverios, my Daughter picked a flower which turned out to be the perfect table centerpiece, creating an intresting color scheme with the crisp white linen table cloth and cherries.



Meal service is formal and vigilant, with each table receiving the care of 3-4 friendly and knowledgeable staff members. Browsing through the extensive list of cold and hot appetizers, we decided on the Antipasto Saverios, a nice blend of prosciutto ham, Spanish chorizo, pecorino, manchego cheese, marinated olives, and Sicilian caponata. Note: Do not the miss the Mesquite grilled oysters when they are available.



After enjoying the appetizers we decided to order the Spaghetti frutti de mare a delicious dish consisting of shrimp, clams, baby octopus, mussels and calamari in a tomato and saffron sauce, drizzled with local extra virgin olive oil . I have never been disappointed with the exceptional pastas at Villa Saverios and this was no exception. The spaghetti was cooked to perfection and fused perfectly with the local Baja catch. We paired the spaghetti with a nice Nebbiolo from the Valle de Guadalupe.



Not being able to decide on one dessert we opted for something new Saverios offers “Degustación de Postres” a sampling of blackberry tart, mocha éclair, mango and cheese, crème brûlée, and chocolate aztec cake. The chocolate aztec cake is a very interesting blend of Mexican chocolate infused with chili pasilla.



Villa Saverios also has a very nice bar area with great ambiance; the walls around the bar are adorned with local art. If you’re looking to throw a private party they have a huge banquet room upstairs and private wine cellar dining available. If you would like to learn more about Villa Saverios and Bajas gastronomic movement Gourmet Magazine wrote a detailed article back in March of 2007, the article also outlines most of the restaurants I have recently covered in Ensenada.



Villa Saverios
Blvd. Sanchez Taboada
Esq. Escuadron 201
22320 Zona Rio Tijuana
http://www.villasaverios.com

Provecho!

Tacos Salceados Tijuana - The art of the taco

With literally thousands of taco options in Tijuana its hard to find one taco establishment that stands above the rest. As far as I'm concerned a long time favorite of mine Tacos Salceados, or "La Ermita" as referred to by locals, is the pinnacle. I'm not talking about your average everyday street tacos. I'm talking about taco art, and it does not get much better than this.

The experience here is unique. The open kitchen allows you to watch all the action up close and personal. You can witness line cooks all responsible for a particular area in the production of your taco. It starts with the thick fresh hand made tortillas and ends with the Master Chef(Marcos)putting the finishing touches on your taco.

The Master



Omakase is the expression used at sushi restaurants to leave the selection to the chef, and its exactly what I do here. Omakase for tacos you say? On a recent visit I was pleasantly surprised by the artistic performance of the chef. The result was an innovative creation of mouthwatering goodness.

Salmon, jalapeno, cheese, mushrooms, topped with various house made salsas



New York Steak and Shrimp



The menu offers many choice fillings for your taco, I advise expanding beyond the carne asada taco and ordering some of the interesting combos. They offer more than just tacos, but the tacos are the reason I come here. In addition to the variety of tacos they have over 30 extraordinary house made salsas to choose from.

Tacos Salceados also happens to be the originator of the Quesataco. The creation of the quesataco starts with flakes of cheese spread across the flat iron stove. Your choice of cuts are then lined down the middle and then ultimately encased in the crisp golden cheese. The stuffed crisp cheese roll is then placed in a fresh thick tortilla, and topped with house dressings and avocado. Leaving here without trying one would be a crime.

Shrimp Quesataco



And the ultimate creation shrimp/pineapple Taco Dulce.



Tacos Salceados is just a 10 min ride from the border and is located at 30-A, Avenida Ermita-Norte, Fraccionamiento Santa Cruz La Mesa, Tijuana. Major cross street Blvd Agua Caliente and Avenida Ermita. Closed on Tuesdays.Open from 6 p.m. to midnight 6 days a week. Prices are very reasonable coming in about 10 dollars a person.

Here is a video I put together of the taco mastery,enjoy!
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Tijuana's Newest Culinary Gem - Erizo Cebicheria

Those familiar with Tijuana establishments Guiseppi's, Casa Plascencia, Villa Saverio's and Chula Vistas Romesco will be pleased to know of the newest addition to Familia Plasencia "Erizo Cebicheria".Erizo has been opened for just one week and is located in the affluent neighborhood of Chapultepec. Open daily from 11-7 Erizo is a perfect spot for a casual lunch, especially for you ceviche lovers. I would describe the Menu as Baja Peruvian fusion. Many of the ceviches are Peruvian influenced which explains the spelling "cebiche" in the their name. Some ceviches can be ordered as tostadas, and the specialty's by the plate. Highlights of my recent visit included...

Mesquite grilled Oysters in butter ponzu/chili serrano



Chili Gurreos stuffed with Crab and Shrimp (Toritos) with soy, citrus , and serrano



Green shrimp ceviche tostada. Chile serrano, chili habanero, cilantro, avocado, and red onions



Shrimp calamari dried mango ceviche tostatda. Toasted coconut chili habenero, cocunut milk, tamarindo, penut, and scallions. This is listed as a plate on the Menu but they were kind enough to let us sample a tostada



Some very exciting dishes indeed. I usually pick a stand out but everything I had here was perfect. The exotic combination of the shrimp calamari ceviche is unlike any other flavor combo Ive had, simply amazing! If that's not enough to excite you, perhaps you need a shot of Leche De Tigre (Tigers Milk), a favorite amongst Peruvians for hangover cure. It certainly packs a punch of vigor.

To complement the exciting menu they offer a selection of premium local beers and wine. The decor is clean and simple and the kitchen is open. Some menu items are written on a chalkboard and they also have an extensive paper menu. The service is what you expect at Villa Saverios (exceptional )and the value is hard to match.

Erizo Cebicheria Located in the same center as Caffe Saverios and walking distance(3 Blocks)from Villa Saverios



Ave Sonora No 3808-11 Major Cross street Blvd Agua Caliente Tel 686-1564