Viejo San Quintin
This place was recommended by the Jardines Baja folks meanwhile their new restaurant is being built (scheduled for January). After a week of fish
tacos and canned vienna sausages, I had a strong hankering for a gringo-style, big hairy steak. I got a fairly decent one (on the second try).
I'd give it an all-around 8. Less so for the cook, who's apparently still learning, or the location/ambiance- right on Mex 1 in the high traffic part
of town. But more so for the absolutely superb service and (compared to most beef in Baja) quality of the steak.
I'd skipped breakfast leaving BdeLA, was really hungry, and figured I could splurge once. So I ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, a "500
gram" Porterhouse for 130p. They had a few wines but only two beers, Bud Light and XX green. I ordered the latter and was pleasantly surprised with
a frosted mug. The consomme' was a pleasant chicken and rice soup.
After discussing options with the waitress, I'd ordered the steak "medio rojo". After about 20 minutes, it arrived "muy cocido". Setting it down,
the waitress asked how it was. I replied "let's see" and cut into it. She could see the disappointment on my face as I looked at solid gray all the
way through. She offered to replace it with another. I was really hungry and didn't want to wait another 20 minutes and said I'd eat it anyway so as
not to wait. But she insisted she could bring another right away, so I explained a bit about how to tell when steak was at different stages (the
texture of the meat on your hand between thumb and forefinger thing) She seemed impressed (or was just sucking up) and said I must be a chef by
profession, right? "Right", I lied, and ordered another XX. It came with a fresh frosted mug and she offered to remove the remaining two fingers of
the first because it must be warm. Nah, I downed it and waited a bit less than 10 minutes for the second steak.
This time it was, if not perfect, a damn sight better than most "bistec" I've ever had in Baja (outside of the gucci places in TJ etc.). It was
reasonably tender with no telltale trace of tenderizer, probably Sonoran, the outside could have been charred a bit more (I explained about using a
higher flame) but inside was red & pink and delicious. The baked potato with cheese sauce was pretty good, the usual orange rice and salad was
ok. I set the bone and some trimmings aside on a tortilla for Chu and asked for some aluminum foil. The waitress insisted on wrapping it for me.
Chu had been a bit off his feed but ate all his pedigree when mixed with the steak trimmings and really enjoyed the bone. They took credit cards,
totalled it out at $160p without leaving room to add tip, so I gave her a couple bucks usd.
Viejo San Quintin is on the West side of Mex 1, in the North side of town, north of Old Mill etc., right next to the military base.
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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