Casual Bites
We decided to venture back to Tijuana, in order to check a few more places off of my foodie "wish list". The first place we stopped at was for lunch at Dolce Salato. We have driven past this establishment countless times, but we have never made our way inside. The lovely summer heat let us dine al fresco, and even though you are right next to a busy street, it was really quite peaceful. This European style cafe is very contemporary inside and out. They are known for their desserts, but unfortunately this time around, we only tried their savory side of the menu. They automatically bring out a plate of toasted bread and tapenade. I absolutely love olives, and anything that has to do with them, so this made me very happy. I ordered the antipasto plate of assorted meats and cheeses. The presentation was very simple, which I loved, because it made the food shine. The meats and cheeses tasted fresh, and had all of my favorites on the plate. My husband ordered the Chipotle Chicken sandwich. The spicy chipotle sauce added just the right amount of kick to this delicious sandwich, without being too overpowering. The avocado was perfectly ripe, and the chicken was moist with every bite. My mother in law ordered the Caesar salad. I have had my fair share of Caesar salads where the dressing has been heavy, and takes over the other ingredients. In this case, it was far from that. The dressing was light, yet full of flavor, and was presented beautifully on the leaves of Romaine. This is a great spot for a casual meal with friends. They offer a wonderful variety of food items, desserts, and drinks. I will definitely return to Dolce Salato to taste the sweeter side of their menu.
Our next stop was at Tepoznieves. I am all about this ice cream shop. I wish that I could have tried everything on their menu, but I am sure that that would have driven them nuts. Oh well, that just gives me more of a reason to head back there. They carry an abundant amount of ice cream flavors, which for someone like me, who loves to try new things is just amazing. We got the smallest sized cups, which still let us try 6 flavors. We ordered the Rose Petal, Black Zapote, Figs with Mezcal, Tequila with lime, Tamrind, and one of their signature flavors "Primavera." The "Primavera" consisted of cheese, mango, nuts, and flowers. I would have to say it was a toss up deiciding which flavor was my favorite. It was between the Rose Petal, Primavera, and Figs with Mexcal. All of the flavors offered a creamy texture, and all of the ingredients came through perfectly. I can not wait to head back and try more of the flavors that they have to offer.
A bit later in the evening we ended up at Buendwich for a quick bite. They offer a very simple menu of sandwiches, salads, and soup. We ordered their version of a steak sandwich. The sandwich consisted of sourdough bread, sliced trip tip steak, caramelized onions and mushrooms, avocado, tomato, and lettuce. They put two sauces on the side, a chipotle mayonnaise, as well as some type of "chile" oil. I opted for the mayonnaise and it tied all of the ingredients in the sandwich together quite nicely. All of the seating is outdoors, so it is a great atmosphere for a hot summer day. You are shaded by large umbrellas, so you won't feel the hot sun beating down on you. I would recommend this spot to anyone looking for a casual bite to eat, or even just to satisfy a sandwich craving.
It was then time again to satisfy my sweet tooth. Pasticcini cupcakes did just the trick. This beautifully decorated cupcake cafe has modern touches, and is very inviting. They offer seven different flavors a day, which varies all throughout the week. Of course we had to try almost every one that they had to offer on Saturday. We had their Dark Chocolate, Vanilla, Vanilla with Milk Chocolate, Lemon, Black and White, and Coconut. My top favorites were the coconut and Vanilla with Milk Chocolate. The cake was moist, and the frosting had just the right amount of sweetness and creamy texture. Personally, I am not a huge fan overly sweet treats, and frosting being a big part of that, but this frosting was just to my liking. I couldn't stop saying how delcious it was, as I kept taking more bites, finally realizing that we still had one more stop ahead of us. Can someone say sugar high?? I would love to try the other flavors that they have to offer, such as their carrot and and orange cupcakes. Stop by Pasticinni for a "cupcake date", or of course whenever the cupcake craving strikes you.
Our last and final stop of the night was at Le Conteiner. This restaurant is built out of colorful pre fab truck containers, and decorated with a contemporary feel. I was naturally drawn to it by the overall architecture and design of the building, whitout even knowing what their menu had to offer. The inside is lit up with all different colors of paper lanterns, which really adds to the ambiance. Originally we had planned to just grab a drink and appetizer, but seeing their menu changed that up quite quickly. Did I mention that I have a husband who is a hamburger fanatic? Oh yes, I just might have here. We ordered the figs with gorgonzola and jamon serrano, as well as their Pimento hamburger. The figs were served hot, which melted the gorgonzola inside, and with each bite, the salty jamon serrano, creamy gorgonzola, and sweet fig present a perfect combonation. The hamburger was cooked to medium rare perfection. Covered in melted pimento cheese, and ripe avocado, the juicy patty was the star of the show. Yes, there were steak fries on the side, but all I could see was this beauty of a hamburger. If you are in the mood for an excellent burger and a cocktail head over the Le Conteiner. http://youtu.be/luYQd113EI0