In July 2013, I wrote, “the best restaurant in our region may not be in San Diego… it may not even be in this country.” At that time, I was referring to Javier Plascencia’s Misión 19 in Tijuana. Now, though, it may not even be the best restaurant in Plascencia’s empire. And this … [Read more...]
EATER SAN DIEGO 2018 YEAR END WRAP-UP, Parts 3 through 6: Biggest Surprises and Grievances, Best Dining Neighborhood and the Year in a Word
Here are my contributions to parts 3 through 6 of Eater San Diego's 2018 year end wrap-up. The originals are … [Read more...]
WORLD FARE: The return of a king of seafood
They look like dinosaur toes but taste like the sweetest clams you’ve ever had with just a hint of lobster tossed into the mix. At worldwide prices around $80 per pound they can be the most expensive form of seafood in the world. They’re percebes, aka gooseneck barnacles. And, … [Read more...]
THRILLIST: Why You Absolutely Need to Take a Trip Down to Tijuana, Mexico
Back in the day, when I went to Tijuana I didn't have a guidebook. I just had a friend I'll call Paco, one of my best high school buddies. His last name happened to match that of Tijuana's mayor at the time, and we all used to take his advice on Tijuana. After all, he was, we'd … [Read more...]
Celebration and Homage at Misión 19 5th Anniversary Dinner
There was something different about Javier Plascencia this night. This was not the picture of the face of "BajaMed" to which we'd become accustomed from television, in the press and at restaurants and food events across both Baja and Alta California. The easy smile was not … [Read more...]