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Romesco’s Cucumber Martini

It’s about to get all sorts of tasty up in here.

Cucumber Martini

Several weeks ago, I had an outstanding meal at Romesco in San Diego with my boyfriend Jorge.  David Nelson, a friend and food writer extraordinaire, also joined us for the afternoon.  Romesco, known for its upscale Mexican-Mediterranean cuisine, is a must-visit restaurant by Chef Javier Plascencia.  Jorge and I had a fantastic experience at Misión 19, another Chef Plascencia hotspot, just months earlier in Tijuana, so I had a feeling that Romesco would be a treat.  And let me tell you.  It was.  Continue reading for highlights from our meal at Romesco, plus a recipe for their super tasty Cucumber Martini.

We started our meal with drinks and plenty of appetizers.  In addition to the Cucumber Martini (pictured above), we also had a Tamarindo Martini (below).  Both drinks were rimmed with Tajin, a seasoning made with chile and salt.  The Tamarindo Martini was sweet, tart and spicy while the Cucumber Martini was crisp and refreshing.  I’ve had plenty of Cucumber Martinis in the past (like this one), but this is the first that pairs salt and spice against the coolness of the cucumber.  I loved it so much that I asked for the recipe, and Romesco graciously shared.

Tamarind Martini

With our drinks, we enjoyed a trio of tostadas, including octopus, ahi tuna and abalone.  The abalone (my favorite) was prepared escabeche-style, dressed in a chimichurri and habanero sauce.  These bites were fresh and bright with a satisfying crunch from the fried tortilla.  Everything you want in an appetizer.

Octopus

Next up, my favorite bite of the meal: Puplo Asado a las Brasas.  Wonderfully charred octopus sitting in a bath of warm butter, chile and aromatic dried oregano.  Chopped herbs and fresh lemon brightened everything up.  This appetizer was ridiculously delicious.  AND on top of it all, Romesco perfectly paired this appetizer with a crisp sauvignon blanc from Mexico’s wine country, the Valle de Guadalupe (close to Tijuana).  When you go to Romesco, be sure to order these two items.  Trust me.

Caesar Salad

Following the incredible octopus was an entertaining table-side Caesar salad preparation.  Did you know that Caesar salad originated in Tijuana, Mexico?  There are several stories floating around on how the salad got its start, but all stories begin at Caesar Cardini’s restaurant on Revolution Street in Tijuana.  Several years ago, the original Caesar’s closed down, but now the restaurant is back in action under Chef Javier Plascencia.

Caesar Salad

The presentation started with anchovy and lemon mashed up in the bottom of the bowl.  Next, chopped garlic, mustard and Worcestershire sauce were mixed in until combined.  A raw egg joined the bowl followed by a steady stream of olive oil.  Our server, Gustavo, whisked steadily to emulsify the dressing.  A final dusting of Parmesan and black pepper were added just before the crisp spears of fresh romaine.  The greens were tossed, then divided between the three of us.  Each plate adorned with more Parmesan, black pepper and single crostino.  I wiped my plate clean.

Shrimp and Bone Marrow

Halfway through the meal, servers brought out a piping hot skillet filled with succulent prawns swimming in a garlic tomatillo salsa (Cazuelita de Gambas) and plates of Bone Marrow Sopes, served DIY-style.  Perhaps it was the martinis and wine talking, but I kept on saying Consuela de Gambas rather than Cazuelita.  Either way, both dishes were happily gobbled up in a matter minutes.

Valle de Guadalupe Red Wine

For our  main entree, we enjoyed Romesco’s signature slow cooked beef short rib with braised vegetables and yukon potato puree.  The short rib was fall-apart tender with an incredible savory, meaty flavor.  And the vegetables (which, at first sight, I considered to be a throw-away) provided a nice fresh counter to the richness of the meat and potatoes.  Romesco paired this short rib with a glass of Madera 5 Tempranillo Cabernet also from the Valle de Guadalupe.  Usually I’m a cocktails and beer guy, but I can honestly say that the two wines we tried from the Valle de Guadalupe were D. Lish.  They seriously have me interested in exploring Mexican wine country.

Short Rib Churros and Port

Already stuffed and satisfied, we finished our meal with a plate of churros, dulce de leche, Mexican hot chocolate and vanilla ice cream.  And some port too 😉  Zero complaints here.  Zero complaints anywhere really.

A big thanks to the Romesco team for hosting me, Jorge and David.  The food was outstanding, and the service was top notch.  We’ll definitely be back.  Continue reading for Romesco’s Cucumber Martini.

Churro Dunk

Cucumber Martini
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Romesco's Cucumber Martini

This recipe was provided by Romesco.
Servings 1 cocktail
Author Brandon Matzek

Ingredients

Cucumber Mix:

  • 1 chopped cucumber
  • 10 oz. simple syrup
  • 10 oz. lime juice
  • 8 mint leaves

Cucumber Martini:

  • 1 1/2 oz. vodka
  • 2 oz. cucumber mix
  • Agave nectar
  • Kosher salt
  • Tajin
  • Tamarind syrup*
  • Cucumber slices, to garnish

Instructions

  1. To make the cucumber mix, add cucumber, simple syrup, lime juice and mint leaves to a blender, and blend until smooth. This is enough mix for 12 - 14 martinis.
  2. To make the Cucumber Martini, add vodka and cucumber mix to a shaker with ice. Add a dash of agave nectar, salt and Tajin, cap the shaker, then shake until well-chilled.
  3. Add 1 teaspoon of Tajin to a small plate with a small pinch of kosher salt. Wet the rim of a chilled martini glass with tamarind syrup. Turn the wet rim through the Tajin-salt mixture until evenly coated.
  4. Strain the drink into the prepared martini glass, and garnish with cucumber slices.

Recipe Notes

* You can purchase tamarind syrup online or in a Mexican market. You can also make the syrup at home. I'm sure you could also use just lime juice here if you can't find tamarind.

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Comments

  1. Looks like an incredible meal! I’m drooling over all these photos! And this cocktail sounds delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever had tamarind in a cocktail before. Looking forward to trying it out!

    • Yes!! Such a feast. And you neeeed to try Mexican wine. The one’s I’ve had so far are really tasty. Thanks Angel!

  3. This is one of my fave local spots…I do love their tostada de pulpo and their gambas al Romesco. Their costillas de res is also excellent. Glad that you guys were able to go and had a great meal.

  4. Ive never been there! And I hadn’t heard much about it…gosh, so many SD restaurants, so little time! Looks like this one is worth the trip to Bonita! And your cocktail is just stunning – pinned! And all your images are just popping, Brandon. That new camera is paying off 🙂

    • Thanks Averie! The new camera was definitely worth it 🙂 And yeah, Romesco is definitely a must-visit. A special occasion spot.

  6. For those who like Romesco’s I strongly suggest a trip to Mexico’s wine country, Valle de Guadalupe. It is just a couple of hours drive from San Diego and is a very special place. Javier Plascencia’s restaurant, Finca Altozano, is just one of a dozen or so great dining destinations. Once you make the trip for the first time, you’ll immediately start planning the next one.

  7. I had to go to TJ for three days to renew my visa and when looking at restaurants seriously considered going to Mision 19 by myself haha. Ended up going to Mariscos Ruben, Bodega8 at Paseo Chapultepec and Villa Marina but was so amazed with how unreal the food (especially the seafood!) was I decided I must go back just for eating and drag the bf along. Glad that the same chef has a restaurant on this side of the border too, that pulpo looks especially tempting 🙂

    • Ah ha! We haven’t been to any of those spots. I just added them to our TJ list 🙂 Thanks! Yeah, TJ is a culinary hot bed right now. So glad we are only 20 minutes away!

    • Yeah, I seriously need to get down there. Perhaps January once the holiday madness dies down.

  11. Ok, you know I’m a sucker for people in food photos. The photos of you (or Jorge) holding the wine bottles and glass is so dreamy! Love!

    And this martini? Fill me up! xo

    • Haha thanks Christina!! That’s Jorge, and yeah, his shirt worked really well with the wine bottles 😉

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