Month: June 2015

El Espontaneo Restaurant

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It was lovely summer morning as I walked through the quaint cobblestone streets of San Jose’ del Cabo Art District.  The birds were chirping and the shop keepers were just opening their doors.  I had reservations for dinner that evening at El Espontaneo (Spontaneous Cuisine) which is located in the courtyard of the El Encanto Suites and Spa. I was hoping to have a chat with Chef Juan Eumir before dinner and I found him prepping in the open air kitchen. He was happy to talk with me and very generous with his time. He is quite an accomplished person having graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale where he won Chef of the Year recognition.  He worked for 14 years as a private dining chef and his clients are businessmen and celebrities such as George Clooney, Cindy Crawford and Leonardo Dicaprio.  He worked at El Dorado Golf and Beach Club’s private restaurant from 2008 to present. He also has a BA in International Business and a Masters in Marketing. His concept is to prepare the food without a set recipe, using what is fresh in the market or plucked from his garden that day.

Chef Juan Eumir

Chef Juan Eumir

Entrance

Entrance to Restaurant

After spending time with Chef Eumir in the morning, I was excited to introduce my friends to him and to try his food.  We  arrived at 7:00 starting at the palapa bar for drinks.  Chef Eumir and his lovely wife, Denise, were there to welcome us.  The courtyard is beautiful with flowers and fountains and a small chapel.  It would be the perfect setting for a wedding.

The tapas menu is served from 12 noon until 5:00 pm.  The dinner menu consists of many small dishes and appetizers to choose from as well as full course meals.  We had a very nice red wine blend from Guadalupe Valley.  Chef Juan told me that  in October they will have their own label from the Guadalupe Valley – the white will be a Viognier and the red a blend.  I ordered a delicious red snapper ceviche that was served with avocado and red pepper on a tostada.  I also had spanakopita and it was just gorgeous.  My friend had a “standing” Cesaer salad which was wrapped in Prociutto and he was very impressed.  Other dishes included grilled Parrot Fish, cheese soup, creamed corn (an Aztec version), shrimp tacos gobernador, and for dessert, Tres Leches.  The dishes had a perfect balance of flavors and contrasts in textures.  We all agreed that Chef Eumir is really talented and that El Espontaneo is a great addition to the San Jose’ Art District’s restaurant scene.

Condiments

Grilled Fish

Chef Eumir plans to do cooking classes beginning in October and to open a deli on site with his homemade products.  Breakfast is also in the works beginning in October.  We have a lot to look forward to with his spontaneous style and his vast knowledge of the art of cooking.

Hours:  12 noon to 10:00 pm Tuesday thru Saturday

Prices:  $5 to $45 USD

Randy Leach , was playing jazz guitar that evening along with bassist, Marco Tulio.  Randy and Marco are a jazz and rock and roll duo and have been playing together for 14 years.  Randy is probably best known in Los Cabos for the quartet, Skeleton Key, comprised of Randy on guitar and vocals, Mark Walters on guitar and vocals, Tito Rodrigues on bass and Pepe Sosa on drums.  They play jam band classics from the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Santana and others from that era.  Randy also plays with Cambio de Corazon, a Latin jazz quartet playing fusion and Latin jazz with a rock and roll edge.  They play from Todos Santos to Los Barriles to Los Cabos at Hotel California, Rock and Brew, Cerritos Beach, Shooters, etc.

Contact Randy Leach for the perfect music for any occasion:  Email:  r55leach@gmail.com      Phone:  +521 (624) 164 8997

Randy and Marco

Randy and Marco

El Encanto Suites and Spa is a small hacienda style hotel with a small chapel in the heart of the San Jose’ Art District.  It is the perfect getaway to explore the quaint Art District when you are in Los Cabos.  It is especially fun on Thursday nights when the art galleries stay open late and there is are many festivities going on in town.

El Encanto

El Encanto

Chapel

Chapel

 

The Common Table – Urban Kitchen and Mixology

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Friends invited me to a restaurant last week they were really excited about – The Common Table.  It has a fresh menu, good service, a well thought out wine list carrying only Mexican wines and a full bar with Paco, the Mixologist at its helm.  Indoor seating with air conditioning is not only inviting, it’s almost a necessity for the hot summer months. The outdoor seating overlooks the Cabo Marina and is a great place to people watch.  The concept is urban kitchen – everything is made in-house with no preservatives and is organic, sustainable, prepared with pride in craftsmanship, respect for farmers and local, organic sourcing.

We wanted to sample the small plates and it has plenty to choose from:  ceviches, tacos, sliders, sashimi, spring rolls, rabbit, octopus and more.  We started with a daily special of tuna tataki that was spicy, served with scallions and avocado and topped with aioli and very finely slivered fried onions. Our table shared this and we all agreed that it was fabulous. The orange grilled octopus  wrapped in lettuce stuffed with red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, slaw and orange evoo was the best “pulpo” we have eaten.  Then we moved on to sliders and the braised short rib mini tostadas. The salad was substantial with fresh yellowfin tuna, shrimp, eggs, bacon, sprouts olives and lettuce. For dessert, the chef brought out a gorgeous carrot cake that was made with agave nectar instead of sugar.

Tuna Tataki

Tuna Tataki

Shrimp Slider

Shrimp Slider

Our group loves this new restaurant in the Cabo Marina and we can’t wait to go back.

Chef Miguel, originally from Tijuana with training in a French restaurant in New York, is a treasure.  He puts his heart and soul into the preparation and presentation – a real artist at work.  The Manager, Rene, is from Cuba and he was super helpful and informative.  Rene is excited about the music as well as the food.

The current live music lineup from 8:00 to 11:00 pm:

Wednesday:    Violetta Maria Poletek, Violin Maestra

Friday:             Kimbara, Fusion Spanish Guitar

Saturday:  Chaplin – Bohemian Acoustic Guitar Players

 

Drinks are 2 for 1 Monday thru Friday 2 pm to 7pm

Telephone:  (624) 143-5114          www.commontable.mx

Next door to Ruth Chris on the Marina in Cabo

Cooking Class at Los Tamarindos

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What better way to return to my writing than with a cooking class at at the organic farm to table restaurant, Huerte Los Tamarindos in San Jose del Cabo with my dear friend, owner and chef, Enrique Silva.

Enrique working his magic

Enrique working his magic

As many of you are aware, Los Cabos suffered from a devastating hurricane in September 2014 and Los Tamarindos did not escape.  I was so pleased to see the progress at the farm and thrilled with how beautiful the gardens looked. The banana trees are so gorgeous, it is worth a trip just to see them.  I had this crazy idea that maybe I could grow one inside my house so I gently coerced Enrique into digging up a small one for me.  I planted it last night in a big pot next to a very sunny window.  I will keep you posted on how it is thriving.

One cool thing about Enrique’s classes is that you can design them yourself so if there is something you have always wanted to learn how to cook, he will try to accommodate you. In this case, our group wanted to learn how to make tamales.  We had an interesting mix of people in our class with a wide range of ages and occupations. We even had a young lady who worked at Google on the new head mounted wearable computer, Google Glass.

These classes are hands on and with wine and tequila flowing and everyone was ready to cook and party.

 

Sous chefs at work

Sous chefs at work

Zucchini flowers and baby carrots

Zucchini flowers and baby carrots

Whenever I take a cooking class, I always want to walk away with something that I will use over and over:

1.  Herb oil

2.  Roasted peppercorns

3.  Salsa Verde

These seem simple but I am confident that they will become part of my repertoire.

Also, I now understand how to make the “dough” for the tamales with Maseca corn flour, water, salt and either oil, Crisco or the more traditional lard.  Voila!  Then you can get creative with the stuffings.

In this class we did a vegetarian ratatouille wrapped in hoja santa leaves (an aromatic herb with heart shaped velvety leaf)

Hoja Santa Leaf

Hoja Santa Leaf

and chicken with salsa verde (tomatillos, cilantro, garlic and onion)

Chicken with Salsa Verde

Chicken with Salsa Verde

which we wrapped in corn husks, but your choices our endless.  Think tamales stuffed with Nutella and peanut butter for dessert.

Before you leave, you must have a look at Lulu’s Tienda with clothes, bags, shawls, jewelry, textiles and children’s clothing – all made in Oaxaca.  This is one of my favorite places to shop and you can find authentic gifts to take to your friends and families or if you are like me, to proudly wear time and time again.

Lulu's Shawls

Lulu’s Shawls

 

Recipes:

HERB OIL

1 oz each of minced rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram, basil, oregano –

1 head of garlic minced

2 Cups Olive Oil

2 Cups Grape Seed Oil

Sea salt and roasted black pepper (whole peppercorns)

Remove all the leaves from the herb stems and mince.  In large container mix all herbs, minced garlic, salt, whole black pepper and oils.

The original recipe calls for sunflower oil but grapeseed is even better.  If you cannot find all the fresh herbs, just use what you can – it will be fine. For example, I use dried sage leaves and fresh oregano but no marjoram.

ROASTED WHOLE BLACK PEPPERCORNS

Pour the peppercorns into a dry heavy pan over medium heat, stir the peppercorns around the pan to get an even toasting. You can also put them on a sheet pan and bake in the oven.   I didn’t actually know how long to toast them, so, I used my baking sense to determine the time; when I could smell the peppery aroma, they were done.  I was surprised at what a difference roasting them makes – but it makes sense because when I roast other whole spices, the flavor is much more intense.

TOMATILLO SALSA VERDE

1/2 pound small fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed

tomatillos.jpg (1024×768)

1 large garlic clove

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Serrano or Jalapeno chile with seeds, or to taste

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons water

Coarsely chop tomatillos,  purée with remaining salsa ingredients and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth.