EL TAKE IT EASY

We’re pleased to announce our next Baja Chefs Dinner, with our good friend Ismene Venegas, who most recently served as chef of La Contra Restaurant (aka Parque) in downtown Ensenada.

I went to a dinner in December at La Contra that Ismene held with Pau Pijoan of Pijoan Winery which was really great, and I’m really glad that we’ll be able to feature her here at El Take It Easy.

Ismene grew up in Ensenada, and after starting her cooking career in Mexico City returned home to work at Manzanilla with Benito Molina and Solange Muris, and then at Laja with Jair Téllez. For the last four years she has run the kitchen at La Contra, a restaurant dedicated to the promotion of local ingredients and wines. She’s currently taking a break from the restaurant to get involved in making wine and olive oil with her mom at Tres Mujeres winery and in growing lettuces and other greens at MPGreens.

This will be a four course menu for $35, with optional pairings featuring some Baja wines for an additional $20. You can make reservations here, please note that you are coming for the special dinner.

Menu:

first course
bahia falsa, kumiai and kumamoto oysters, sea urchin aguachile, salmon roe, micro celery

second course
fresh sardines, granny smith apple, mizuna salad with lemon and valle de guadalupe olive oil dressing

third course
confit pork carnitas, lemon pickled radish, salsa verde cruda

dessert
Fried platano macho, Tecate goat chesse, valle de guadalupe honey ice cream