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Epoch Times
04-07-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
This Budget-Friendly ‘Taco Tuesday' Meal Would Be Great Any Day
PITTSBURGH—It's the rare grownup, teenager, or child who doesn't love a good taco (or three) every now and again, if not on each and every Tuesday as the social media trend dictates. In Pittsburgh, it's easy to scratch the itch for this classic Mexican hand food, as we have our pick of so many great places to fill up on meat- or vegetable-filled tortillas in and around city. They're available everywhere from food trucks and small storefronts to full-service restaurants and even a gas station-turned-Mexican grocery in Coraopolis (La Poblanita). Our mouths water at the thought of tacos because they taste great, of course, and are extremely versatile; they're a good choice for vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike. You can tuck almost anything—meat, veggies, fruit, beans, cheese, and even the occasional leftover—into a corn or flour tortilla. They're also a kitchen darling because tacos are ridiculously easy to make at home, even if you don't normally like to cook. And tacos make good financial sense in these challenging economic times, because they usually feature less-expensive cuts of meat like ground beef, and also can be built with rice, corn and beans. A package of 30 corn tortillas at my local grocery store cost just $2.15—about 21 cents per three-taco serving. That's why I was excited when a copy of 'Sunny Days, Taco Nights' by Enrique Olvera (Phaidon Press, $40) landed in my mailbox. The acclaimed Mexican chef has been experimenting with tacos for well over a decade at his Mexico City restaurant, Pujol, growing more inventive as he developed a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the staple he and his staff worked with every day. The cookbook includes 100 succulent recipes for home cooks—both classics like barbacoa, Baja-style fish, and al Pastor tacos and 'originals' like ones featuring fried Brussels sprouts, rabbit, octopus, and bundled green beans and peanuts. In the book's foreword, co-author Alonso Ruvalcaba writes that a taco 'is the opposite of exclusive: It is genuinely for the masses—not just in words or a damn sign, but for real. For everyone.' To keep costs down for this latest installment in our budget-minded dinner series, I opted for a taco that was a little different but still in the 'classic' category because it includes ingredients you could find in most grocery stores and a super-simple preparation: cochinada tacos. Cochinado means 'filth' in Spanish, which sounds pretty unappetizing. In this case, it refers to the crispy bits and pieces of meat that collect at the bottom of a chorizo grill after many hours of cooking sausage. In Olvera's book, they're made with a combination of finely chopped beef cecina (a cured, air-dried beef similar to prosciutto) and 'green' chorizo made with spinach, pork, peanuts, nuts and raisins, among other things. I went a more traditional route, swapping regular ground beef and chorizo, though I kept the traditional garnishes of onion, lime juice and cilantro. The original recipe is probably tastier, but my version was pretty delish, too—crunchy, slightly spicy, and definitely craveable. The best part: The entire dish took less than 20 minutes, during which I prepared the guacamole served as an appetizer and also the spicy salsa de arbol to be spooned on top for some extra zing. The breakdown on cost: $2.42 for the guacamole, $2.16 for the salsa, $7.37 for six tacos, and $3.01 for a pan of nine brownies gently spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper. That adds up to just $14.96 for two, with leftovers, or about $7.50 per person for a three-course, really tasty meal. The biggest expense after the meat (which wasn't that costly since you use a total of 1 pound) was the avocado. In fact, I almost chucked it from the menu when the first store I stopped at was charging $2 apiece, which would have blown my $15 budget. Then I saw them for almost half the price at another store—whew! The classic Mexican appetizer was back on, with one change: To make the guac guilt-free, I served it with crisp-cut carrot sticks—a budget vegetable I always have in my refrigerator crisper—instead of tortilla or corn chips. For dessert, I gave in to my love of chocolate with a really fudgy brownie that used very little flour and only one stick of butter. As always in this series, I went into it with a plan, made careful choices, and took advantage of ingredients I already had on hand (and you probably do, too). I didn't have to factor into the cost garlic, vanilla, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne. As prices continue to climb—can you believe a single Granny Smith apple or yellow onion now can cost a buck or more?—I imagine it will become harder than ever to create menus that are interesting, taste great and are easy on your wallet. But at least egg prices are finally coming down! Cochinada Tacos PG tested Makes 6 generous tacos. 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces ground beef 8 ounces ground chorizo 6 corn tortillas 1/2 white onion, chopped Chopped cilantro 1/4 teaspoon salt Lime wedges Salsa, for serving (recipe follows) Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add beef and chorizo, and saute for 10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden brown. Transfer 3/4 of the mixture to a plate, and cook the remainder of the mixture until it is dark brown, about 5 minutes. (This is the cochinada.) Heat a skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add tortillas, flipping them continuously for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through. Transfer to a plate. Top each tortilla with browned meat and a spoonful of cochinada. Serve with onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and salsa. Recipe adapted from 'Sunny Days, Taco Nights'
Time Out
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Daisy Margarita Bar
This Mexican restaurant and bar in Sherman Oaks comes from the same team behind Mírate in Los Feliz. Here, Mírate's award-winning beverage director Max Reis brings that same level of craft and focus to margaritas, which come in both sweet and savory renditions. Whether traditional or inventive, each cocktail is impeccably thought out. There's a bright purple margarita inspired by a Baja-style fish taco, a verdant slushie that riffs on guacamole and a mangoneada version topped with fruity popping boba. What surprised me the most, however, were Daisy's standout culinary offerings, which are a solid cut above most of the other Mexican options in the immediate area. Head chef Alan Sanz, formerly of Maisano in Costa Mesa, brings an upscale, modern twist to classic dishes like aguachile and guacamole. I loved the vegan-friendly aguachile de chayote and impeccably grilled branzino. The botanas (bar snacks) were especially clever, including the chicharrón del parque, which uses a puffed wheat cracker as a base for cured yellowfin and macha verde.
Eater
28-05-2025
- Business
- Eater
The Saddest Restaurant Closures to Know in San Diego, May 2025
In today's dining landscape, San Diego restaurants face challenges like the rising cost of goods , labor shortages , and evolving customer expectations. Everything from longtime city institutions to newer spots unable to find their footing can succumb to a combination of obstacles, although San Diego restaurateurs and chefs remain resilient — just check out Eater's hot new restaurants map for proof. This biweekly column keeps track of all the closings you may have missed. North Park — Red Fox Room and Steakhouse suddenly shuttered its doors on May 12 due to financial challenges. The classic steak-and-potatoes pub with a piano bar has Tudor paneling and a fireplace that dates back to 1642, thanks to Hollywood icon Marion Davis. She had an old inn in Surrey, England, disassembled and shipped to the U.S., and some rooms were installed in Red Fox in 1959. Owner Jim Demos hopes to reopen in September, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. Del Mar — After 15 years on the 101 in the beachside town, Zel's Del Mar has closed its doors. The local American bistro drew locals and visitors in with its live music. Coral Del Mar has already opened in its space, showcasing Southeast Asian, Hawaiian, and Baja-style dishes. Pacific Beach — Oscar's Mexican Seafood closed its North Pacific Beach location on Turquoise Street after its landlord allegedly refused to renew its lease. Since 2011, the family-run business has been operating on Turquoise Street, close to La Jolla. Named after one of their first chefs, Oscar Valenzuela, Oscar's Mexican Seafood currently has two locations, including a newly remodeled shop on Emerald Street in Pacific Beach, only five minutes away from the former Turquoise Street location. The building's landlord, who, somewhat ironically, shares the same first name as Valenzuela, allegedly plans to open another taqueria named after himself, according to Valentina Montes De Oca, daughter of owner Juan Montezuca. She tells Eater that the taco restaurant replacing theirs on Turquoise Street has no connection to Oscar's Mexican Seafood, and the family hopes to open a new location in Bird Rock or La Jolla within the next year. Little Italy — After operating for two years on the edge of Little Italy, Fisher's Seafood House has shuttered. The first U.S. location of the upscale seafood restaurant empire, headquartered in Mexico City, specialized in mariscos, ceviche, raw oysters, and other lip-puckering seafood dishes. Gaslamp Quarter — Restaurant and bar Henry's Pub closed after operating for 25 years in the busy nightlife district. On its closing night, a Henry's Pub employee was filmed shouting and overturning a hot dog cart, belonging to a vendor who was selling street snacks to late-night patrons in the public area. Henry's Pub already had plans to close prior to the incident, which was reported by KSDY 50 news on May 18. Sign up for our newsletter.
Entrepreneur
20-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
This Chef Lost His Restaurant the Week Michelin Called. Now He's Made a Comeback By Perfecting One Recipe.
Chef Frank Neri discusses how a trip to Tijuana changed his view on flavor, a WhatsApp group kept him in the game, and doing one thing well became his recipe for success. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Frank Neri was shutting down his first restaurant, Pez, when he got the email. It was a Monday when he announced the closure. Two days later, a message came in from the Michelin Guide asking for photos, chef details and a full description of the restaurant. "We didn't get a star," Neri says. "But we made the list. And we had already closed." The irony wasn't lost on him. After years of pouring his heart into Pez, a Baja-style seafood concept rooted in fine dining, the validation came just a few days too late. "The media jumped on it," he says. "The story became about how we closed right before the list came out." But the experience gave Neri clarity. He had chased perfection and ambition, and he learned just how fragile a great restaurant can be. That lesson stayed with him. So did the need to evolve. "I used to think fine dining meant success," he explains. "Now I know it's about doing one thing really well, keeping the team small and staying focused." Related: What It's Like Putting on a Restaurant Show for 55,000 People Like many others in the hospitality world, Neri had to learn in public. He made tough decisions, weathered shutdowns and leaned on a WhatsApp group of local Miami restaurateurs to share strategies and vent frustrations during the pandemic. The group, which he jokingly refers to as the Cuban Mafia, included some of the city's most influential operators. "One day they'd say, 'Tomorrow we're talking to the mayor, we're pushing for full capacity,'" Neri recalls. "And then it would actually happen." Those hard lessons reshaped his approach to the business. It became the beginning of El Primo Red Tacos. Related: How a Spot on 'The Montel Williams Show' Sparked a Restaurant Power Brand for This Miami Chef The birria taco boom When the pandemic hit, Neri had a choice. Rather than double down on big dining rooms and complicated menus, he simplified. He took a slow-braised beef birria recipe, one he had been serving quietly for brunch, and turned it into the centerpiece of a stripped-down popup. Birria only. Takeout only. Twenty hours a week. Within days, people were lining up around the block. But the move wasn't just reactive. The foundation had been laid years earlier, during a trip to Tijuana in 2012. Neri remembers the exact date, July 28, because it changed the way he thought about flavor. "I had this tostada with yellowfin tuna and machaca," he says. "I'd trained in France and Spain, but this was something else. A flavor explosion." It wasn't about copying that dish; it was about chasing that feeling. The impact of bold, unexpected flavor combinations inspired Neri's approach to tacos. He wanted to create something equally memorable, but rooted in his own voice and vision. Years later, when nobody in Miami was doing tacos the way he remembered, Neri gave the city six months to get it right. When no one did, he launched his own concept: El Primo Red Tacos. Related: A Loyal Customer Asked Him to Cater One Event. Now, He Runs More Than 1,000 a Year. Now located in downtown Miami, El Primo Red Tacos keeps the menu tight and the focus singular. The specialty is birria, and everything revolves around doing it right. "We specialize. That's what we believe in," he says. "Specialize, perfect it and that's it." Even the recipes are personal. Neri's mother-in-law helped shape the original birria blend, which he fine-tuned with care. Neri offers his advice with the same clarity that came from hard-won experience. Take small steps. Avoid bloated menus. Focus on what you care about most. That mindset didn't just help him rebound; it gave him a new blueprint for growth. Failure didn't end his career. It set the stage for something more focused, more intentional, and more successful. "We're proud of our food," Neri says. "Everybody does birria now, but not everybody does it well. Nobody does it like we do." Related: This 'Chopped' Champ Beat Cancer 6 Times, Lost Nearly 200 Pounds and Found Power in Presence About Restaurant Influencers Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point-of-sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience. Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.
FACT
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- FACT
El Primo: K'IIN Supperclub's Jonathan Colin opens a Mexican restaurant
The taqueria will be located in the heart of Al Wasl. Hold on to your sombrero. The Mexican-born chef Jonathan Colin has announced the opening of his new restaurant, El Primo. Located in Dubai's Al Wasl, the taqueria will bring to life the food, fun and festivities of Mexico City. In Spanish, El Primo translates to 'the cousin.' The phrase highlights how the new restaurant wants to make you feel like you are part of the family. The venue aims to offer no-frills, but a whole lot of heart, with comfort food and comforting vibes. The design and décor will offer a laid-back 1980s experience, and the interiors will include red and white tiling. Jonathan draws inspiration from traditional tacos in Mexico and is behind the successful K'IIN Supperclub in Dubai. He has also worked for FACT award-winning restaurants, including La Petite Maison and Zuma. El Primo's menu will feature both classic and creative tacos. The Trompo al Pastor can commonly be found on the streets of Mexico and is sliced straight from the spit, marinated in achiote as well as pineapple. The Suadero Tacos is made with tender, slow-cooked brisket, and marinated as well as cooked in its own fat. Plus, there will be a selection of Baja-style fish tacos, shrimp tacos, and vegetarian tacos. If you have a sweet tooth, you're in luck. El Primo will also offer classic Aguas Frescas, such as Horchata, which traditionally features canela and cinnamon, and Jamaica, which traditionally features hibiscus flavours. For dessert, the Vanilla Cheesecake with be light and creamy, and already has a firm following from K'IIN Supperclub. Check in with FACT for the best things to do in Dubai. GO: Follow on Instagram more information.
