Deckman's En El Mogor
During our two night stay at Hotel Endémico, once the sun began to set, we decided to leave our serene eco-lofts and venture out into the night. Bill pointed us all towards the direction of Deckman's en El Mogor. Deckman's en El Mogor is the pop up that Chef Drew Deckman is running for the summer season, while his restaurant in San Jose del Cabo is closed for that time being. Underneath a canopy of pine trees are wooden tables, chairs, and wine barrels, that make up the seating area. The kitchen is an outdoor grilling station, that billows the sweet smell of mesquite as soon as you approach the area. The table setting tied in with the scenery perfectly. Mason jars, mis matched plates, and a little bouquets of flowers from the surrounding area were on each table. Rustic wooden tables and eclectic table settings are one of my favorite sources of inspiration for design. You could not ask for a more beautiful backdrop for the evening. The sun setting left the sky with an irresistible hue of pink, and the temperature outside was nice and mild. They offer either a 3 or 5 course meal, which in all actuality is made up of 5 or 7 courses. We decided on the 5 course meal, with the wine pairings, and a mezcal shot just to get the evening started off on the right note. Go big or go home..right?
If you are reading this on an empty stomach, I highly suggest that you grab a snack, because this is going to take you on quite the tempting ride. Alright, here we go.
The first course was abalone offal (Yes, you read that right.), beet and duck confit. The drizzle of local olive oil, added this smooth finishing touch to the overall richness of the dish. There were so many textures, and flavors, that my mind didn't even know what to process first. At first bite, I knew that this was going to be a memorable night.
The second course, fresh oysters from nearby Salsipuedes, drizzled with a red wine vinaigrette and pink peppercorns. The acidity was refreshing, and still let the natural juices of the oyster shine through.
Following that was a mason jar filled with tomato gazpacho. This dish was just delightful with the warm summer air surrounding us, as the sun had just gone down.
The fourth course, was one of my favorites of the evening. Geoduck and barnacles graced us with their presence, with a few tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil. This dish may not sound appetizing to some, but please don't knock it before you try it. You may be pleasantly surprised by how much flavor these two boast.
Oh quail, how I love thee. I love you Baja, because all of the quail dishes that I have had with locally sourced quail have been just so delicious. A smear of pinto bean puree and turnip pickle relish were a long side, but the true star was the tender quail. The surrounding parts enhanced the flavors just that much more.
This is a lot of courses folks, I warned you in the beginning though.. remember? I understand if you need to grab a glass of water or even a full meal by now. The sixth course, Rock cod, arugula, and thin slices of tomatoes. The simplicity of this dish was just beautiful, fish that was cooked to perfection, and a nice crisp skin.
The final savory course was a Sonora pork chop with red quinoa, celeriac puree, and butternut squash, My mouth is watering just thinking about how juicy that pork was. There was plenty of room left to finish every last bite of this dish. Absolutely delightful!
A cool and fresh melon salad came next as a nice palate cleanser. Honestly, can I just transport back there right now..
The finale to our evening was a plate of Gouda Cheese, dried Cherry tomatoes, and Kumquats. If you have not experienced dried tomatoes, and kumquats together, try it sometime. Or even better yet, hop in your car, plane, or even train and head down to Deckman's en El Mogor.
Just thinking back on this evening, brings nothing but a smile to my face. Jazzy tunes and the sounds of crickets in the background tied in the whole experience just perfectly.
Deckman's En El Mogor Km. 85.5 Highway 3 Tecate-Ensenada, 22766 San Antonio De Las Minas, Baja California Monday- Sunday 1:00pm-7:00pm Phone: 011 52 646 135 5505
Reservations are recommended