Cabo, Mexico!

Well I got back from Cabo last week, and wanted share some of the highlights of the trip.

My mom and I stayed at the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar, and it is now on my list of favorite resorts- actually tied in first with the Ibero Gran of Playa del Carmen. The service was incredible! The people in Cabo prove the psychological impact such environmental beauty and tranquility has on attitude and outlook- I don't know where else I've seen so many kind and happy people:)

The food at the Sheraton was really good, though we didn't eat at the various restaurants they have on site because we didn't get the all inclusive purposefully in order to venture into town after spending most of the day in the resort. However, we did have breakfast included and it was a wonderful buffet of made-to-order omelettes, a station of hot items (scrambled eggs, chilquiles, beans, potatoes, roasted veggies), a granola/cereal station, fresh Abuelita hot chocolate, fruit station, and bagel/toast section....not to mention the fresh squeezed juices and mimosas (I don't know how people can drink at 8am!). A couple of times for lunch my mom had the ceviche and once I ordered the seared ahi with salad and vegetables- total hits. My observations and brief conversations with the waitstaff led me to believe that the hotel understands and really tries to implement healthy cooking.

 The first night we went out to the Marina which is in Cabo San Lucas. **A brief layout: "Cabo" in its entirety is a stretch along the ocean called "the corridor" from the town of San Jose del Cabo, from which a bit south/east leads to Puerto Los Cabos, to Cabo San Lucas (where notably the Marina, and nightlife are located). Most of the resorts are along the corridor- the Sheraton is kind of in the middle, but closer to the Marina**

Despite my Trip Adviser search, we weren't sure where to eat, we just knew we wanted seafood. So as we were walking through the Puerto Paraiso mall trying to figure out the exit that leads to the Marina, we asked a lady for help and she happened to be the director of the Marina, Francia Olmos, and originally from Panama City- which we were just in. Needless to say, we hit it off and she joined us for dinner. It was awesome to get her insight on moving to Cabo, and hear her stories of all she's seen/experienced during her time working there. Francia, took us to a gem of a seafood restaurant called Pochos. The staff surpassed excellence. At one point I was shivering a little and the waiter noticed and brought me a blanket. The food was equally amazing, so much that we went back the second night.

After we tired of seafood, I had a big craving for authentic Mexican food. I may be Mexican but rarely eat classic Mexican dishes, especially when at 9/10 places in the US they're Americanized. So, I did thorough research for this one, and we ended up at Mi Casa. It has grown from just a few tables and word of mouth traffic, to a huge three levels of dining areas. They even have a gift shop on site, where I bought this cool bracelet! A local lady makes them by hand from real leather and she happens to have a store in San Diego but sadly the register girl didn't know the name of it.

Mi Casa is also in Cabo, just past the Marina, near Pedregal (a very wealthy, private residential community that's adjacent to the exclusive Capella Pedregal Hotel- which not surprisingly is supposed to have an incredible restaurant that you can bet I'll be trying and blogging about asap).We also dined here two nights in a row haha, and both times my mom had the chicken mole, and I had the carnitas with fresh handmade tortillas, guac, salsas galore, and plantains. We capped that off with the delicious flan. By the way, if you want a replacement for chocolate and wine- try flan and wine...you're welcome;)






After our second time at Mi Casa, we walked around and found a Tequila Store that was way cool!  Cabo Unico educated me on the hisotry and process of tequila, and gave me a new found appreciation for this craft.

  The second to last night, we went to Nicko San for sushi. They have two locations- one in Palmilla (another exclusive area on the corridor), and one in Cabo. We went to the one in Palmilla, as my mom had seen it earlier that day and mentioned the killer ocean view. The design of the restaurant is super chic/modern. They have an outdoor lounge that on weekends and some week nights gets quite "club-y".  The sushi was good, but extremely overpriced. I'll pay almost $30 for a roll or chirashi but they better be substantial and outstanding. When you've had a chirashi at Chelsea Market in NYC that's equally as fresh with a ton more variety of sashimi, and double the size for almost half the price, it's disappointing. I'd be back to Nicko San for some organized occasion, but it's not to get my sushi fix.

The very last afternoon, I dropped my mom off at the airport as she had a mid morning flight, and I ventured out to Flora Farms- toward Puerto Los Cabos fron San Jose and follow the clearly marked signs. I had envisioned a country/rural type of place with a little restaurant, and that's not at all what it was like....it reminded me of The Secret Garden. Little cottages, beautiful flowers everywhere, perfectly trimmed grass, a cricket area, a pool next to the gardens, and then a restaurant and bar with a modern-barn look- stunning! I walked the grounds for a bit and discovered you can rent the cottages, they have a cute space for private events, tours, and culinary classes.For lunch I devoured their roasted chicken salad.

Then it was off to the airport and back to LA, to pack and hurry back to begin life in this magical part of Mexico.

LA Madness

There's really no great excuse for abandoning my food blog that I had such aspirations for. But the last few months were a total whirlwind and the most stressful period of my life thus far. I finally let go of triathlon and moved to Los Angeles in hopes of finding a job that would sponsor my visa long term.

However, long story short, it's been so exhausting to deal with visas my whole life with no clear way toward residency any time soon, that I'm going to move to Mexico- Cabo San Lucas- by end of 2014.

Personal life aside, I have had the pleasure of enjoying the awesome food in LA since I came to West Hollywood in December, and luckily still have a few more months to continue to share it with you! To get this blog rolling again, and not bombard it with many individual posts, I've created a short list of my favorite LA spots to date. What I value in a restaurant is that the food is fresh, consistent, and made from real ingredients that prepared skillfully "wow" you with their taste. I have plenty of pics of some of these on my Instagram: tativertiz.

Casual/Healthy:
Gratitude Cafe (Santa Monica and West Hollywood locations)- I've written about Gratitude before. This is vegan/vegeterian heaven! Amazing buckwheat pancakes and other cretive breakfast plates, awesome "bowls" full of superfoods, great gluten free pastries, awesome fresh juices and unique coffee blends/teas. Flavor explosion!

True Food Kitchen (not unique to LA, in Santa Monica)- I eat here at least once a week. You can see the whole kitchen, and fruit and produce are beautifully placed behind the bar giving it a market feel. Great juices/drinks, gluten free options for pizzas and burgers (buffalo, turkey, ahi, vegetarian quinoa), amazing salads, fresh and beautifully plated seafood and meat entrees. It won't break your wallet and you'll get better food than at most upscale restaurants.

Urth Caffe (many LA locations)- I love a coffee shop that has milk alternatives with robust coffee, delicious Chai,and is open from early morning to late at night offering a solid menu of very healthy breakfasts, and salads and sandwiches.

The Farm (Beverly Hills)- A cool Beverly Hills cafe experience. Pricier than your average breakfast or lunch spot, but you're right in the middle of all the glam shops, and the food is as farm to table as the name suggests.

Kreation Kafe (Venice & Santa Monica on Montana St)- Very cool, very LA/hipster/healthy, can be pricey, but they serve large portions of awesome food. Smoothie and juice options are endless.

Huckleberry (Santa Monica)- Brunch! Expect a super long line on weekends. They rotate their menu seasonally, so you can always find something you haven't tried. Their salads and sandwiches are great as are their (often vegan) soups-of-the-day. My favorite dish: quinoa with sunny side up eggs, butternut squash, and brussel sprouts...I know, I know :)

Hugo's Restaurant (West Hollywood)- you could spend an entire year eating your way through Hugo's Bible-length menu. They cater to the gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, and meat lover. It's a healthy hoom cooked, diner type of place. I'm obsessed with their gluten free, vegan tamales, corn cakes, and pumpkin pie.

Bludso's BBQ (West Hollywood)- Remember Franklin's in Austin? Well, I'm not sure I dare say Bludso's is better, but...my goodness those pork ribs!!! I no longer have anything food related to miss from Texas. I can walk to it from my apartment, and you can't believe the self control that takes. Their sauce is made from scratch and either mild or spicy. They have great beers on tap and wine, and their perfectly cooked side dishes make it clear this is high quality bbq (mac n cheese, collard greens, beans, etc).

Venice Ale House- This place is BOMB! The ideal spot for brunch or happy hour, in front of the beach, with a menu that is just sheer genius!! Kale at an ale house? Yup! Organic fish or chicken or grass fed beef tacos on handmade tortillas?! Omelettes with perfectly seasoned breakfast potatoes, and pancakes that taste like the weekend...yes please!

800 Degrees Pizza (Santa Monica & LA)- Neapolitan pizza is arguably the best pizza. What makes 800 degrees fantastic, besides their pledge to authenticity, is the cafeteria set up with a more upscale ambiance than your typical pizza stop. You order your custom or pre designed pizza, or salad, and by the time you get to the register your pizza has cooked in their imported 800 degree oven. They also have wine on tap which is pretty neat!

Clementine (near Century City)- Super cute tiny coffee shop with a fantastic breakfast and lunch, and prepared foods case. They change their menu often to keep it innovative and fresh, and have a delectable selection of cookies and pastries. I don't recommend the hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows unless you can physically and financially afford the addiction.

 Nicer:
The Misfit (Santa Monica)- Freakin' cool seemingly little spot right on Santa Monica Blvd. Once you walk in it's way bigger than it looks, and resembles an old English library. Awesome date spot, great happy hour drinks, incredibly flavored, healthy and elegant plates.

Oscar's Cerveteca (Venice)- Fish tacos!! This place is a must for Mexican food. Corn on the cob is delish! Young vibe and fun atmoshphere. Always packed.

Haru Sushi Cafe (Beverly Hills)- My absolute favorite sushi place in LA. Why? It's very simple: not overpriced, they have brown rice, they fry in healthy oil, their fish is ridiculously fresh, plenty of rolls, and the servers and sushi chefs are so nice it pains me.

Koi (Beverly Hills)- Pricey, but it has hype and backs it up. The retaurant itself is beautiful, with a nice patio in the back and elegant sushi bar inside. It's definitely worth at least one visit.

Sugarfish (many LA locations)- A sushi/Japanese dining experience few have had. This is authentic sushi. You won't find creative rolls with influences from other cuisines. It's a very simple and straightforward menu with set combinations or a la carte nigiris and hand rolls. The sushi literally melts in your mouth. You will be wow-ed.

Toscanova (Century City Mall)- Yes it's "in" the mall, and next to other good spots like Seasons 52 and The Counter Burger, but Toscanova is notches above. This italian/mediterranean restaurant is cozy and beautiful, with delicious wines and awesome happy hour eats. Everything I've tried there has been outstanding- their wild salmon with sauteed vegetables, roasted chicken with potatoes, tuna tartare, a huge salad of vegetables with buffalo mozzarella that is a meal by itself...and the dish that won me over: grilled octopus in a cabbage leaf with garlic and parsley seasoned potatoes. It is one of the best things I have ever eaten!

Taberna Arros (Santa Monica)- New Spanish/Tapas spot on 2nd. They have a few different sangrias- one with jalapeno and other peppers that is ridic! Their paella is amazing, particularly because it doesn't leave you with that fishy after taste that makes you not want to eat seafood in days. They have a ton of hot and cold tapas, fabulous service, and it's super cute and romantic.

Seasons 52 (Santa Monica & Century City...not unique to LA)- Even though it doesn't stand out in LA, I wanted to include Seasons 52 because it's a guaranteed healthy and fresh meal. Their menu is calorie conscious, without sacrificing taste or portion size. If you've been shopping all day or looking for somewhere to eat before or after a movie, it's perfect.

 The Ivy (Santa Monica and Beverly Hills)- Why skirt the obvious, it's overpriced. But they deliver food and an atmoshphere that the little hesitation you get when paying the bill quickly fades and you're back again the following week. Excellent crab cakes, salads, seafood, and steaks. You'll probably spot a celebrity or two;)

Connie & Ted's (West Hollywood)- Another pricey, but worth it, one. By the time their dinner service opens, valet really is the only parking option so there's that. Surprisingly there's not that many restaurants you can go to in LA to get a large selection of raw oysters and Connie & Ted's took advantage of that. The layout is very cool, with a large raw bar that is usually packed. Incredibly fresh seafood in the heart of West Hollywood, with a young professional crowd that is pretty unique for WeHo.