Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
|
|
Ensenada - Old Mission Brewery
From The San Diego Reader
"We meandered back and forth through the streets of Ensenada in El Jefe's van, looking for the tell-tale signs of a bicycle race about to happen, I
spotted the word "microcerveceria" on a signboard. I assumed it was an advertisement for some brewery stationed elsewhere in town, but it turned out
that the restaurant and brewery is right there at the corner of Sexta and Castillo.
We returned later to eat and to see what kind of beers were coming out of what is (if the sign is truthful) Ensenada's first microbrewery.
The restaurant had seven different beers courtesy of the on-site brewing operations, as well bottled beer, liquour, and a meagre selection of wines.
The Old Mission beers were all under $5 for pints and I tried a few. The "copper canyon" was a satisfying amber hued glass of ale that had the
easy-drinking character of English session bitters. Two different IPAs were on the menu, the first being "dos pablos," which had the straight-forward
hops and alcohol flavor of something like Long Hammer IPA; neither fancy nor inferior. The "red agave" IPA, on the other hand, was a different kind of
beer. Dark amber in color, it had a funky, musky taste that was not at all in keeping with the conventionally popular American IPA. In a lot of ways,
it's what I would have thought a Mexican IPA would taste like, even if I couldn't have described it until I'd tasted it.
All of the beers were on par with what mid-level American brewers are producing. Nothing was of exceptional quality, except perhaps the agave beer,
which was noteworthy for its difference. Considering the relatively narrow scope of the present craft brewing scene in Mexico, Old Mission's efforts
show that the brewers in Baja understand the kinds of beers they want to make and they're taking steps towards perfecting them
Of course, the restaurant sold food. Like a sort of south-of-the-border BLAH, pizza was a big menu item. There was much in the way of "conventional"
pie with sausage, red sauce, various cheeses, etc., but the "green valley" pizza stood out as a novelty. It sounds a little disgusting: topped with
chicken, refried beans, salsa verde, pico de gallo, cilantro, and chipotle cream. It even looked pretty gnarly coming out of the kitchen after an
extended wait because the first pizza met some ill fate during cooking.
t could have been a Taco Bell/7-11 nightmare on wheels was actually an artful combination of flavors and textures for just under $20. Refried beans
cook down into a wonderful pizza topping and the chipotle cream was fresh tasting in the company of chopped cilantro. It was the crust, however, that
stole the show. Deeply flavored and striking a marvelous balance between crisp edges and chewy center, the bread on which the pizza had been built
could stand up against any good crust I've sunk my teeth into. Investigating the pie's construction, I deduced that the pizza had somehow been pieced
together from multiple shards of dough. While that didn't impact the experience any, it's a curious mystery why the kitchen would do that.
Beyond pizza, the menu listed a grip of appetizers and entrees skewed towards, of all things, Italian-style American food like shrimp scampi and
spaghetti with meatballs. Interestingly, some more characteristically Mexican touches made their way onto the menu like "spiedini," which is an
Italian kebab, of shrimp in an espresso-chipotle marinade or a dish of chicken in red wine and jamaica sauce.
For what it's worth, the kitchen also produced a delicious, if otherwise unremarkable and haphazardly plated, hamburger.
It seems weird to eat this total gringo food in Mexico, what with so many tasty tacos around, but in a lot of ways it's a pretty great look at the
future. Pizza and beer is going to keep getting bigger and bigger in Mexico and this sort of first-round brewpub is a look at what the scene is going
to be like. El Jefe said he had heard that Mexico is one of the fastest growing markets in the world for pizza and, truth or fallacy, that makes a lot
of sense. If Mexican food found root to grow into new territory and turn into all kinds of exciting things on our side of the border (no better
example than the California burrito), how cool is it to see restaurants on the other side of la frontera rehashing the things we've been doing."
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
|
|
|
EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
|
|
Not so great Pizza
Jan,
Probably the pizza wasn't so great because Joan, the ex pizza maker from OMB, is selling her pizzas in Punta Banda. This lady can cook excellent
gourmet dishes and pizza, and offers delivery. I have tried her soups and dishes from the Open Air Fair on Fridays, and she is quite a chef. Very
original and tasty combinations of spices.
What the San Diego Reader doesn't realize, is that whether or not Mexico will admit it, the Mexicans have a fascination with all things American,
including Pizzas and Beer. When I was there a few months ago, the clientele was almost exclusively Mexican. Sort of Americans loving Mexican food
in the US. | Quote: | Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
From The San Diego Reader
"We meandered back and forth through the streets of Ensenada in El Jefe's van, looking for the tell-tale signs of a bicycle race about to happen, I
spotted the word "microcerveceria" on a signboard. I assumed it was an advertisement for some brewery stationed elsewhere in town, but it turned out
that the restaurant and brewery is right there at the corner of Sexta and Castillo.
We returned later to eat and to see what kind of beers were coming out of what is (if the sign is truthful) Ensenada's first microbrewery.
The restaurant had seven different beers courtesy of the on-site brewing operations, as well bottled beer, liquour, and a meagre selection of wines.
The Old Mission beers were all under $5 for pints and I tried a few. The "copper canyon" was a satisfying amber hued glass of ale that had the
easy-drinking character of English session bitters. Two different IPAs were on the menu, the first being "dos pablos," which had the straight-forward
hops and alcohol flavor of something like Long Hammer IPA; neither fancy nor inferior. The "red agave" IPA, on the other hand, was a different kind of
beer. Dark amber in color, it had a funky, musky taste that was not at all in keeping with the conventionally popular American IPA. In a lot of ways,
it's what I would have thought a Mexican IPA would taste like, even if I couldn't have described it until I'd tasted it.
All of the beers were on par with what mid-level American brewers are producing. Nothing was of exceptional quality, except perhaps the agave beer,
which was noteworthy for its difference. Considering the relatively narrow scope of the present craft brewing scene in Mexico, Old Mission's efforts
show that the brewers in Baja understand the kinds of beers they want to make and they're taking steps towards perfecting them
Of course, the restaurant sold food. Like a sort of south-of-the-border BLAH, pizza was a big menu item. There was much in the way of "conventional"
pie with sausage, red sauce, various cheeses, etc., but the "green valley" pizza stood out as a novelty. It sounds a little disgusting: topped with
chicken, refried beans, salsa verde, pico de gallo, cilantro, and chipotle cream. It even looked pretty gnarly coming out of the kitchen after an
extended wait because the first pizza met some ill fate during cooking.
t could have been a Taco Bell/7-11 nightmare on wheels was actually an artful combination of flavors and textures for just under $20. Refried beans
cook down into a wonderful pizza topping and the chipotle cream was fresh tasting in the company of chopped cilantro. It was the crust, however, that
stole the show. Deeply flavored and striking a marvelous balance between crisp edges and chewy center, the bread on which the pizza had been built
could stand up against any good crust I've sunk my teeth into. Investigating the pie's construction, I deduced that the pizza had somehow been pieced
together from multiple shards of dough. While that didn't impact the experience any, it's a curious mystery why the kitchen would do that.
Beyond pizza, the menu listed a grip of appetizers and entrees skewed towards, of all things, Italian-style American food like shrimp scampi and
spaghetti with meatballs. Interestingly, some more characteristically Mexican touches made their way onto the menu like "spiedini," which is an
Italian kebab, of shrimp in an espresso-chipotle marinade or a dish of chicken in red wine and jamaica sauce.
For what it's worth, the kitchen also produced a delicious, if otherwise unremarkable and haphazardly plated, hamburger.
It seems weird to eat this total gringo food in Mexico, what with so many tasty tacos around, but in a lot of ways it's a pretty great look at the
future. Pizza and beer is going to keep getting bigger and bigger in Mexico and this sort of first-round brewpub is a look at what the scene is going
to be like. El Jefe said he had heard that Mexico is one of the fastest growing markets in the world for pizza and, truth or fallacy, that makes a lot
of sense. If Mexican food found root to grow into new territory and turn into all kinds of exciting things on our side of the border (no better
example than the California burrito), how cool is it to see restaurants on the other side of la frontera rehashing the things we've been doing."
|
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
Who wrote this article?
|
|
|
EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
|
|
Dennis looks like Jan quoted The San Diego Reader as the originator of the article.
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
Dennis looks like Jan quoted The San Diego Reader as the originator of the article. |
Somebody had to write it. Maybe it was Fulano. He's on the staff.
|
|
|
lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1468
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
Member Is Offline
|
|
I have ordered pizza there many times and it was always very good. I brought my family there from Canada and we had lunch and to be honest, the food
was terrible. The chicken that my wife ordered was raw and the shrimp was over cooked. My meal was served cold and the noodles were undercooked. The
waiters were not very good either. I told one waiter about my wife's raw chicken and he just took the plate, cooked the same chicken again and served
it 20 minutes later without a word. Nothing--I'm sorry about that or anything.
I sent an email explaining my experience to the restaurant and never got a response.
I suggest order the pizza and it will be all good but the menu food items will be cooked any way the chef wants..... I don't drink beer but heard it
was good.
Why is it that if you are going to open a restaurant and spend all that money and time then you treat your customers like that?????? I will never eat
there menu food again and for sure not take a group.
I'm surprised it's still open!
GOOD LUCK!
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by lizard lips
I'm surprised it's still open!
|
They won't be for long with that caliber of service. I always thought Paul and Karla were moving too fast with their development of the business and
it may be getting the best of them.
In spite of that, they have a good manager, so I'm surprised to hear of the bad service, and food.
Hope things improve.
|
|
|
EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
|
|
No I had a snotty waiter too, Dan. He thought he was some Mexican movie star and when I complained he just shrugged his shoulders. Now that Joanie
is gone and doesn't make the pizzas, I would be wary however I do remember the salads were ok. I do like the ambience, reminds me of a place in San
Diego where they throw peanuts on the floor!!
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
Ollie's Pizza
If you are passing through south Popotla on the free road, stop in at Ollie's. Great pizza, great service!
|
|
|
lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1468
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
Member Is Offline
|
|
I just had to post this..... Just got back from Old Mission after I received a call from friends that invited us. We sat down at 8:10 and the waiter
came over 20 minutes later. I think I was the only gringo i the entire place that was packed. We ordered tow large pizzas. My wife and I had cokes,
with little ice, and the rest had beer. When the waiter brought the drinks my friends said that the beer was not that cold. I took a sip and they were
right! Slightly cold..... We waited and waited for our pizza that was delivered to our table at 9:20! We asked for very thin crust and got a lot of
crust! We didn't tell the waiter about the crust because I didn't want to wait another hour for the pie! The pizza wasn't bad though. The check came
and we were charged for 10 beers when only 8 were served! I left the waiter a 15 peso tip...... he deserved it. I AM NEVER GOING BACK TO THIS PLACE
EVER AGAIN! I AM SURPRISED IT'S STILL OPEN!
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by lizard lips
I AM NEVER GOING BACK TO THIS PLACE EVER AGAIN! I AM SURPRISED IT'S STILL OPEN! |
I got the full scoop on the place yesterday, Dan. It ain't a pretty picture.
I can't put it up here, so I'll have to fill you in when I see you.
|
|
|
lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1468
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
Member Is Offline
|
|
There is more to the story? I think I know where this is going.....
|
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
