Latest news with #Velázquez
Eater
3 days ago
- Business
- Eater
One of Santa Barbara's Most Celebrated Restaurants Opens a Dazzling Ventura Location
Over the last month, Santa Barbara staple (and Michelin Bib Gourmand) Corazón Cocina expanded into neighboring Carpinteria and Ventura. In late June, chef and owner Ramón Velázquez opened Corazón Cocina Sur at Carpinteria's new food hall, Linden Square. In the same week, he debuted Corazón Cocina's third location along a popular strip in Downtown Ventura, where he serves some fresh additions to Cocina's classic Mexican menu, plus something new for his mini-chain: a full bar. Velázquez's food is well-known to the Santa Barbara community. The Guadalajara-born chef immigrated to the U.S. in 1990 and worked at restaurants including Arigato and now-closed Cielito throughout the years. In 2014, Velázquez launched a popular weekly pop-up at Three Pickles Subs & Sandwiches before opening the first Corazón Cocina in 2016 in the Santa Barbara Public Market. At the Public Market location, the restaurant offered a compact menu showcasing five tacos, one quesadilla, a salad, and two ceviches. Six years later, in 2022, Velázquez opened a full-service Corazón Comedor on Victoria Street.. Velázquez also made an appearance on the Cooking Channel's Taco Trip and debuted Alma Fonda Fina in the Montecito Country Mart in mid-2024. At Corazón Cocina, diners can find traditional Mexican fare inspired by lessons from Velázquez's mother and grandmother, including burritos; salads; and a fiery Sayulita ceviche with wild Mexican shrimp, mango, tomatoes, ahi amarillo, avocado, and habanero aioli. Multiple tostadas and tacos are available, featuring proteins like birria with a peanut salsa macha, and chicken mole, along with quesadillas prepared with tortillas made on-site. The Carpinteria location operates as a fast-casual spot with a similar menu to the original location, while Ventura's is a full-service experience. At Ventura's full bar, Velázquez used small-batch mezcal for traditional margaritas or a flight to sip. All beers are Mexican, with wines hailing from Baja Mexico's Valle de Guadalupe. Corazón Cocina Ventura will also introduce a ribeye chicharron with mozzarella, chorizo, pasilla, and flour tortillas, as well as a tuna tartare with avocado, burnt habanero, and a crema serrano ponzu. Velázquez says that timing was key for the Ventura and Carpinteria locations. According to Velázquez, the building's landlord came to him with the opportunity, bringing his total number of restaurants up to five. 'My goal has never been to open a chain of restaurants and make money,' says Velázquez. 'Our main objective and goal is to produce great food at a good price. We are driven by farmers' markets, local fish, and great corn from Mexico.' Corazón Cocina Ventura is open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at 278 E. Main Street, Ventura, CA, 93001. Corazón Cocina Carpinteria is open at 772 Linden Avenue, Carpinteria, CA, 93013 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tuna tostada with house-prepared tortillas. Corazón Cocina Tuna tartare. Corazón Cocina Asada taco. Corazón Cocina's cilantro passionfruit Margarita. Dining area. Corazón Cocina Entry to Corazón Cocina Ventura. Corazón Cocina Sky view from dining room. Entry to Corazón Cocina Ventura. Corazón Cocina Related The Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara Eater LA All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Eater
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
These Fruity, Icy Raspados Have Kept Hollywood Cool for 17 Years
In Los Angeles's Mexican community, raspados vendors are not a monolith of shaved ice slingers who use generic syrups. Loyalty is earned by serving concentrated flavor combinations made with real fruit. All good raspados start with the jarabes (syrups) and a big block of ice. The raspado's construction — the speed with which the vendor pours chunky fruit syrup over cylinders of hand-shaved snow dressed with lechera, Tajín, or squirts of lime — all contributes to the final result. The longest line in town for these chilly cups forms at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Western Avenue, where Daniel Velázquez of Raspados El Chilango has built a cult following for more than 17 years. Velázquez grew up in Tlalpan, a borough in Mexico City known for its lush, tranquil national parks that border the State of Mexico. Soft-spoken and focused, the compact, wiry raspados vendor spends hours vigorously shaving snowy ice from a step ladder that looms over the three-foot frozen block set alongside his white cart. On his head, a wide bandana captures beads of sweat. The fruits used in Raspados El Chilango's syrups are sourced from Downtown's Seventh Street Produce Market. Customers who eye the cart are often compelled by plastic grip jars filled with colorful syrups packed to capacity with nance, guanábana, pineapple, strawberry, and coconut, among others. Raspados are $5 for a small, $6 for a medium, and $7 for a large. Velázquez's Raspados El Chilango went viral on social media in late June due to an incident that occurred outside the strip mall located at 1075 North Western Avenue. In the video, which has racked up nearly 6 million views on the Raspados El Chilango TikTok account, a security guard working in the strip mall's parking lot allegedly make threats to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Velázquez. As the contentious exchange made the social media rounds, Velázquez received support from social media followers and from regulars who queue at his cart, which is set up on the sidewalk just outside of the lot near the T-Mobile store. Raspados El Chilango in Hollywood. Bill Esparza 'I like coconut and strawberry, or coconut and walnut,' says Juan Vega, a local customer of 15 years. Raspados begin with swirls of lechera (condensed milk) inside a clear plastic cup before ice is packed in and generously covered in a syrup. A second flavor follows a hand-shaped bullet of ice heaped with overflowing fruit-laden syrup that's then crowned with chopped fruits. Finally, it's dressed through the hole at the center of the plastic dome lid with some Tajín, a squirt of lime, or a spot of El Cherito chamoy sauce if requested. A wide straw goes in to slurp up the slow-melting sludge of fruit, syrup, and ice. Spicy diablitos with a tamarind syrup and mangonadas made with mango, Tajín, and chamoy, promise contrasts of sour, spice, and salt; they're among the more beloved raspados here. Spring and summer afternoons bring out the longest lines for Velázquez, who had, until recently, been able to operate amid the sweeping ICE raids that began in late May 2025 due to a lesser presence of the enforcement agency in Hollywood. But on Tuesday, July 1, Velásquez announced on TikTok he had to temporarily shut down due to a sudden spate of ICE activity in the area — both undocumented and US citizens have been taken by the agency. 'Some women reached out to us here where we sell, and thanks to them, we were warned and we were able to escape. Stay Alert!' Velásquez wrote on his TikTok account. Raspados El Chilango has since returned to its corner, but Velásquez is taking the decision to open day by day, as are many other vendors in Los Angeles at the moment. 'I know my rights and don't cause anyone problems, so I'm not going anywhere,' Velásquez says. Raspados El Chilango is open 7 days a week from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Santa Monica Boulevard and Western Avenue. Bill Esparza A raspado getting eaten fresh. Raspados El Chilango with a line in Hollywood. Bill Esparza Eater LA All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bessent declines to say which nations are close to tariff deals with US
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wouldn't say Wednesday which nations the U.S. could strike trade deals with as soon as this week when pressed during testimony. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) pressed Bessent as he testified before the House Financial Services Committee about his recent remarks indicating the U.S. could announce trade deals with some partners as soon as this week. 'So tell us, tell the American people, tell small businesses and consumers, tell retirees specifically, which countries are you close to striking deals with?' Velázquez asked Bessent during the hearing. Bessent insisted that doing so 'would not benefit the United States' and 'that it would be detrimental to the interest of the United States for me to answer that question.' Bessent said answering the question could compromise ongoing negotiations, noting that talks 'may still be in process.' 'I'm happy to say there are negotiations going on. I'm not going to reveal the details,' he said. Velázquez then asked Bessent how long he thinks the negotiations will take before they are concluded. Bessent reiterated comments he made previously about there being '18 important trading partners' and that the administration is 'moving forward at all deliberate speed with those.' He also said he considered some of the negotiations to be 'quite advanced.' 'I believe that they will be the agreements in principle, and then we will paper them over in the coming months, but once we reach an agreement that I am sure that the other countries will live up to,' he said. Bessent also said he and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are set to meet with Chinese officials in Switzerland later this week to begin negotiations amid an ongoing trade war between both nations. 'I will be going to Switzerland, and the negotiations will begin on Saturday,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Hill
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Bessent declines to say which nations are close to tariff deals with US
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wouldn't say Wednesday which nations the U.S. could strike trade deals with as soon as this week when pressed during testimony. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) pressed Bessent as he testified before the House Financial Services Committee about his recent remarks indicating the U.S. could announce trade deals with some partners as soon as this week. 'So tell us, tell the American people, tell small businesses and consumers, tell retirees specifically, which countries are you close to striking deals with?' Velázquez asked Bessent during the hearing. Bessent insisted that doing so 'would not benefit the United States,' and 'that it would be detrimental to the interest of the United States for me to answer that question.' Bessent said answering the question could compromise ongoing negotiations, noting that talks 'may still be in process.' 'I'm happy to say there are negotiations going on. I'm not going to reveal the details,' he said. Velázquez then asked Bessent how long he thinks the negotiations will take before they are concluded. Bessent reiterated comments he made previously about there being '18 important trading partners' and that the administration is 'moving forward at all deliberate speed with those.' He also said he considered some of the negotiations to be 'quite advanced.' 'I believe that they will be the agreements in principle, and then we will paper them over in the coming months, but once we reach an agreement that I am sure that the other countries will live up to,' he said. Bessent also said he and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is set to meet with Chinese officials in Switzerland later this week to begin negotiations amid an ongoing trade war between both nations. 'I will be going to Switzerland, and the negotiations will begin on Saturday,' he said.
The Irish Sun
02-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
The sunshine spot just three hours from Dublin with 34C summer temps, €2.50 pints & €27.99 Ryanair flights
IRISH holidaymakers heading to Spain usually head to beach resorts, but its capital city also has a lot to offer tourists. Advertisement 5 During the summer, average daily temperatures reach around 34C Credit: Getty Images - Getty 5 The town is full of stunning architecture Credit: Getty Images - Getty 5 The famous Cibeles Fountain Credit: Getty Images - Getty It is renowned for its European art, including the Prado Museum's works by Goya, Velázquez and other Spanish masters. In the heart of the city you'll see the old Habsburg - the Plaza Mayor which is lined with porticos. Nearby, you can see the baroque Royal Palace and Armory, displaying historic weaponry which is perfect for history buffs. Or to relax in the park, visit the Buen Retiro Park to enjoy the scenery and liven up your Instagram. Advertisement READ MORE IN TRAVEL The city is full of famous museums, bustling nightlife and There are a range of historic sites that are definitely worth a visit. The Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen museums are world-renowned, but there are several smaller ones that offer loads to tourists too. These include the Sorolla Museum and cultural centres like the Matadero or Conde Duque, which hold innovative exhibitions, concerts and guided tours. Advertisement Most read in City Exclusive You can head to see the Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor with 400 years of history, the Puerta del Sol or the four tallest towers in GOLDEN MILE And the city is classed as the capital of nightlife, food and fashion. If you're looking to do some shopping, the Gran Via is full of different shops to suit every taste. You can head to luxury shops on the Golden Mile, vintage stores in Fuencarral, new designer markets at the Mercado de Motores, or craft workshops and bookshops over 100 years old. Advertisement You can enjoy a range of different Some markets have been turned into eating spaces like San Miguel, which is classed as a gastronomic shrine. If you're looking for a A pint will set you back just €2.50 - ideal for enjoying a drink in the sun. Advertisement And if you're looking for a And during the 5 The city is classed as the capital of food, fashion and nightlife Credit: Getty Images - Getty Advertisement 5 The city has loads to offer tourists Credit: Getty Images - Getty
