Mexican Fiesta

Hola! Over the weekend, we attended a Mexican Fiesta Dinner Party. All things were festive, full of flavor and fabulous company. It was a great change of scenery; enjoying the company of our friends in a more intimate environment versus that of an overcrowded bar. As we entered their home, the gracious hosts greeted us with the signature drink of the night: spicy grapefruit margaritas (Recipe). I’m not a big tequila drinker but I love spicy anything so I thought, when in Rome…needless to say the margs were a hit. The citrus, sour flavors of the grapefruit were a perfect compliment to the spicy, habanero chilies. Who would have thought?   

No fiesta would be complete without the chips, salsa fresca and guacamole. Of course, I had to pry myself away from them to save room for dinner. We feasted on pulled pork tacos adorned with pickled onions, radishes and cotija cheese, a bean and corn salad and, of course, more margs. The festive table was over pouring with color, even the Le Creusets, holding pounds of pulled pork, added to the festivities. 

All and all, it was a great night and it inspired me to host a dinner party. But first things first, (1) I need to learn to cook and/or (2) I need to find a phenomenal caterer. When one of the two happens, I have compiled a list of essentials for my perfect fiesta:

1. A signature cocktail: Spicy Grapefruit Margaritas
2. Plenty of chips, salsa, guacamole and possibly some 7-layer bean dip
3. Pulled pork tacos, cheese enchiladas, black bean quesadillas…the possibilities are endless!
4. Mexican Wedding Cake
5. A mariachi band! Or Mariachi – The Heart of Mexico will suffice.
6. Festive plates, Mexican tiles, bright color everywhere!

Here’s to the next fiesta! Ole!

Deli Board

Who doesn’t love a good deli sandwich? Sure you can always hit up the deli at your local grocer but a restaurant specializing in deli sandwiches is pure bliss. Deli Board is a little gem in our neighborhood that some friends recently introduced us too. The little spot on the busy street of Folsom is always packed with locals. Be careful not to drive right past it, as the unassuming location does not have any outside signage. Walk into their open, loft-like space and notice the minimalist, no frills spin on the lunchtime eatery. The menu is posted on two walls, for you to ogle and contemplate which savory bite you should try this time. Today I went with the maeday, grilled squash & zucchini, goat cheese spread, sprouts, pepperoncini blend, organic greens, pickled red onion and their signature Board sauce on a whole-wheat role. Reid chose Reuben’s Cousin, a recommendation from staff; corned beef, coleslaw (substituted for the sauerkraut), Swiss cheese, Board sauce on a sweet French roll. Both of us were not in the least disappointed. We posted up at a table and devoured the sandwiches while listening to the classic beats of the 60’s.

Deli Board, 1058 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

Extreme Pizza

Happy Friday! It only seems befitting to begin this food blog with a review of a staple pizzeria in my life. For all of you that don’t know me, you will quickly find out that I love pizza. I could eat pizza every day if my jeans permitted. I’m serious. Who doesn’t love the cheesy goodness? So on that note, as much as I love dining out, sometimes it is nice to stay in, order take-out and open a bottle of vino. This is precisely how this Friday night is about to go down. Reid and I will order from our tried and true, Extreme Pizza. Extreme is no comparison to chains like Dominoes and Pizza Hut and ever since they introduced their whole-wheat crust, I love them even more. My go-to pizza is their Drag It Through The Garden, with fresh mushrooms, green peppers, red onions, artichoke hearts, broccoli, vine ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, tomato sauce, mozzarella and cheddar. With all these veggies, I will even argue that this is a healthy dinner option. Tonight we are doing the Half and Half option so we can order the Drag It Through The Garden and Pandora’s Box, which consists of spinach, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, garlic, fresh basil, oregano and mozzarella. How good does that sound? It tastes even better. 

Drag It Through The Garden

A slice of Pandora's Box