mexican food

Taco Monday at Corazon y Miel

December 22, 2014Leave a comment

At the beginning of this month, I attended the most unique taco dinner with my family. It was unique because it was 7 courses and took place on a Monday, not the typical ‘Taco Tuesday. But, wait! I haven’t even mentioned the best part! The dinner took place at Corazon y Miel in Bell with Chef Eduardo Ruiz featuring Chef Wes Avila of Guerrilla Tacos. I knew I was in store for an amazing collaborative experience.

The meal started off adventurous with a Sunchoke Chip, Avocado Mousse, and a Crispy Cricket to top it off. It was a bite-sized portion and simply a salty and crispy treat.

Next, we enjoyed a Caesar Salad Taco with Smoked Trout, Caper-Anchovy Sauce, Radish, and Lettuce on a crispy Flour Tortilla. The Trout was a nice surprise and alternative to the typical anchovy. I thought the lettuce would overwhelm the taco, but the crispy tortilla and trout skin balanced out the greens.

This Hamachi Taco was pure bliss! The freshest of fish was topped off with Sliced Mandarin, Chives, and Yuzu Oil. The Mandarin gave the taco a nice tart edge and was one of favorites of the night.

The largest taco of them all was the Guisado. It was one of the most unique of the night. The Celery Root played the role of meat and was prepared as such. Topped off with Cojita Cheese and Oxtail Broth, the large tortilla could barely hold it in.

Did you ever think you would hear me say that my second favorite taco of this dinner was the veggie taco! This Pomegranate and Pumpkin Taco was short and sweet! On the small side, this taco cleansed the palate and provided a nice break from all of the strong savory flavors.

Although my mother was too scared to try it, this was definitely my favorite taco! This Fried Pork Head Cheese and Pickled Romanesco was perfectly crispy and flavorful!

The last taco was a Braised Goat creation. I don’t think I have ever had goat before, and I was reluctant to try it as it is my favorite animal at local petting zoos, but I have to say, I am a changed woman. The meat was juicy and just a little game-y with a dollop of red salsa on top. It was definitely a great end to the meal.

If you have a chance to dine at Corazon y Miel or Guerrilla Tacos, I highly recommend both! They completely transform every single ingredient and combine flavors that you never thought possible. I hope that they decide to collaborate on a future dinner, so I can be first in line to attend.

Tacos and More at Mexicali Taco & Co.

October 28, 2014October 27, 2014Leave a comment

Once again, it is Taco Tuesday! It is impossible for me to choose my favorite taco joint. ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE! However, I can help you narrow down your choices. This week, I wanted to talk about Mexicali Taco & Co. in Los Angeles. What started as a taco cart on 1st and Beaudry, has turned into a small restaurant near Dodgers Stadium. Edras Ochoa and Javier Fregoso have brought flavors from their childhood in Calexico to LA, and in doing so, have landed on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. Impressive? Yes. Well deserved? Hell yes!

Our tacos of choice were the Shrimp Taco, the Chorizo Taco, and the Al Pastor Taco. The Shrimp Taco was served on a cheesy corn tortilla garnished with fresh cilantro. Unfortunately, I am allergic to shrimp, so I have to take my boyfriend’s opinion to be true. He said it was to die for. Obviously, I cried because I can never have it. The Chorizo taco was tender and delicious. Finally, the Al Pastor Taco was my favorite! Due to the multiple signs on the menu and Yelp reviews stating that there are “limited quantities available,” I’m assuming that this is the most popular meat choice. I see why; it was so juicy! You could tell that it was marinated and slowly cooked for a very long time. If you choose one taco, choose this taco.

If you read the title of this post correctly, you were waiting for me to talk about the “more.” The tacos here are amazing, but the fact that they serve several other delicious dishes, is just the icing on the cake. The Vampiro is a crispy quesadilla that we chose to fill with Asada and their special garlic sauce. This was beyond an ordinary quesadilla. It surpassed any quesadilla I have ever had. The Asada paired with the garlic sauce was divine. We also enjoyed the Cachetada. The Cachetada is Mexicali Taco & Co.’s version of a tostada on crack. It is served with meat, melted cheese, and a chipotle aioli sauce and we chose to have it Ranchero style, in other words, topped with a fried egg. Everything is better with an egg on top. This stands right up there with the tacos. Do yourself a favor and drive yourself to Mexicali Taco & Co., order the Shrimp and Al Pastor tacos, and the Cachetada Ranchera style. Go. Now.

For more information, on Mexicali Taco & Co. visit their website at http://mexicalitaco.com/.

Nopalito: So Much More Than a “Little Cactus”

August 28, 2014Leave a comment

Since it’s Thursday, I wanted to do a “throwback” post highlighting a restaurant I visited a couple weeks ago when I was in San Francisco. This post has nothing to do with the fact that I miss San Francisco desperately and want to go back every second of every day.

My boyfriend lived in San Francisco for two years, so we were no strangers to the amazing food scene, but it takes a lifetime to try all of the amazing dining options. It’s hard not to stick to the favorites, but we try and explore our options when we go back up to visit. I’m so glad we finally tried Nopalito. With two locations, it just so happens we were staying within walking distance to the Inner Sunset location. We ventured out on one of our last nights in the city and were able to be seated right away. It is a medium size space with a fresh green color scheme and light wood tables. The wall between the kitchen and dining room is low and has a glass display, so you can look in on the chefs preparing the colorful meals from scratch, including the tortillas. Their website boasts that they are a “vibrant neighborhood Mexican kitchen celebrating the traditional cookery of Mexico with the philosophy of purchasing local, organic and sustainable ingredients.” This description could not be any more true. From the decor, to the service, to the food, everything was very clean and fresh with a locals only feel.

To start, they bring complimentary roasted garbanzo beans to the table. I love garbanzo beans, but have never had them so roasted or so spicy. The combination was addicting and definitely more fun than starting off with bread or chips.

We both indulged in their housemade horchata. Steven got the traditional Almond Horchata while I opted for the Strawberry-Almond Horchata. I won. Steven’s was delicious, but mine was colorful, beautiful, and a bit sweeter because of the fresh strawberry puree-like juice on top.

We chose the Quesadilla Roja con Chicharron as one of our appetizers to share. We had seen photos of this amazing dish on Instagram and, although drool-worty, did not do the dish justice. The chile-corn tortilla was filled with crispy pork belly, salsa, jack cheese, queso fresco, onions and cilantro. The chicharrones were light and added the perfect crunch to every bite. This is easily the best quesadilla I have ever had.

Our next shared plate was the Empanada con Deshebrada de Res. We had seen at least 20 of them come out to the other tables, so we knew it was a must-try. We were not disappointed. The fried masa pastry was filled with grass-fed beef, tomato, jalapeno, and cabbage. It was topped with avocado, queso fresco and salsa frita de guajillo. We ate it too quickly for a picture, so I snagged this one from Nopalito’s Instagram. Between this and the quesadilla, we could’ve been done with our meal and left completely satisfied. Both were filling and perfect to share.

I ordered the Pescado a la Veracruzana, a seared white fish with tomato, jalapeno, green olives, capers, pickled chile guero, cilantro and saffron rice. I love fish Veracruz style, and this didn’t disappoint. The tomato sauce wasn’t spicy enough for Steven’s liking, but if you took a bite of jalapeno with it, it was the perfect spice level for me. The fish was fresh and juicy, not at all dry, and the saffron rice paired well with the sauce.

I loved my dish, but I will be completely honest: Steven won for best entree. I have had a lot of carnitas in my day, Nopalito had to be the best. He got the Carnitas entree which consisted of the braised pork, orange bay leaf, milk, cinnamon, beer Cabbage salad, pickled jalapeno and salsa de tomatillo. The carnitas were perfectly cooked and not oily, but so tender and juicy. We took some carnitas, cabbage, and the heavenly green sauce and put it all in a small tortilla. The combination was a party in my mouth.

The best part is that this restaurant is an offshoot of Nopa, an urban rustic restaurant that specializes in organic wood-fired cuisine, located north of the Panhandle. This place is always bustling and I was lucky enough to celebrate my 21st birthday there two years ago. Once we found out that owners Allyson and Laurence Jossel opened another restaurant, and that restaurant would be serving traditional Mexican fare, we were intrigued. I’m so glad we were finally able to go.
The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. The only complaint I have is that I was too full for dessert! If you are ever in the Inner Sunset or Lower Haight areas, I highly recommend popping in to either of their locations. You won’t regret it.