She got out of the kitchen early because she wasn’t great at that job. She’s the gastronomic equivalent of a dramaturge, setting a direction and high standards. I don’t know that she’s ever used the phrase “farm to table,” she just worked hard to establish relationships with farms to get the French-style quality she wanted in Berkeley in the 1970s.
When I hear Nueva Baja / Cal-Baja / Baja Med / whatever, I think of Manzanilla and its progeny Muelle 3, Boules, etc., and Laja, which to me are French technique applied to local ingredients. I don’t really give a fuck about labels.
I agree. I read her book.
Doc, I don’t think you want to go down that road of “authenticity”. Sure fire way to get yourself tied up in knots.
What you’re trying to make a “new” cuisine is just a different facet of the alta cocina/modern Mexican movement
I’ve never had anything like most of the dishes I had at Muelle 3, Boules, etc. From talking with the owners and reading some interviews, it definitely seems to me a new thing.
Obviously it’s rooted in the local tradition. You could relate it to alta cocina Mexicana, though from what Molina and Tellez have said, it’s more directly influenced by their working for French chefs in France and New York.
Labels and taxonomy aside, the menus at Salsipuedes and Leña Brava are inspired by the specific, contemporary restaurant scene in and around Ensenada.
Yeah.
Laja.
In my limited Baja excursions, I found Laja to be one of my two least favorites. Not that it wasn’t a good meal- it was. Obviously good quality and prepared with care. But I found the flavor profiles to be less like my favorites- Deckman’s, Finca and Corazon. And that little roadside quail stand who’s name I can’t recall.
My impression of Laja was it was more formal in feeling and tone (and abysmally lit- like a cafeteria, but that’s my own peeving) and the dishes myre structured and awkwardly so.
I won’t return to Laja. Other, perhaps wiser diners might prefer it.
I went to Laja for lunch in 2007 and it was great but so much like a meal at Chez Panisse that it seemed kind of ridiculous. The highlight was Tellez pouring us a bunch of good wines, that was worth the price of the meal since at the time they were very hard to get. I imagine things have changed what with the Pellegrino list etc. Lighting was probably nicer during the day.
Just to be fair- I’m quite fond of Verde y Crema in TJ.
Speaking of Mexico City, I just read about three restaurants there considered to be among the world’s Fifty Finest: Pujol, Biko, and Quintonil.
I’ve added these to my dining bucket list…
And speaking of Red O (many months later), the sign’s up now at least.
As a follow-up, I read today in the UT that Red-O is planning an opening in February or March (which probably means April). I’m looking forward to this place not just for the food but for the memories. Before the building in that location (re-done now from the ground up, I believe), it was Donovan’s Steak House; but, more importantly to me personally, before it was Donovan’s it was The Rusty Pelican, a seafood restaurant with a nightlife, including a dance floor. It’s where my DH companion and I met in the late 80s.
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Bayless was in Baja last week talking to people in the wineries, so it seemed he might be in the final stages of prepping for the opening of Red-O in University City. Then this article appeared in Eater yesterday. Maybe finally opening in early April?
Believe it when you see it. Did you check out the menu? Those prices are pretty steep for SD…
Anyone know if Tamarindo Latin Kitchen has opened or not. It was supposed to go into the old Clair de Lune spot in North Park
We shall see! Yes, I checked out the menu. Pricey, but I have no problem with that if the level of food excitement is commensurate. I have great expectations.
I would temper your excitement. At least for now.
If the UTC La Jolla Red-O is anything like the LA/OC locations, then it will suck.
Not yet. At least not as of early this week (Monday I think)
Isn’t that what FN used to call “yucking my yum”?
Well, I have great expectations, but have had some of those in the past that were dashed by the reality. So I don’t disagree about tempering my enthusiasm, although I do hope it doesn’t suck.
Either wait a couple months after they open to see how it shakes out, or go in with NO expectations. This is NOT, repeat NOT a Rick Bayless restaurant, it is a small regional chain owned by someone else and he is nothing more than the paid menu consultant. The menu is his vision, he will train the cooks, but with him not in the kitchen, execution will suffer.
I’m cautiously optimistic, I like RBs food, but I’m not expecting it to be much like his restaurants in Chicago
I am curious as well too see how the food is going to be. Another thing, Javier’s, an upscalish Mexican place from Newport Beach, is going to open up in the UTC mall across the street. I can’t tell yet with all the construction still going on, where it is going to go. Now don’t get me wrong, Javier’s is not great, but it does have some buzz with its connection to the RH of OC (don’t even know, is it still on?). It looks like they are going after the same crowd, and it will be interesting to see if they both can survive.