Fiestas de la Vendimia 2012 is now behind us, and we're emerging from our collective hangovers and recesses. If you are serious about Vendimia, then you're an 11-month employee–you cease all productivity in favor of great food and drink during the month of August. It's now back to normal in the Valle de Guadalupe, but for the depraved, one last tour of the sense remains: campestres, or country dining spots.
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Every past summer in the Valle de Guadalupe, Baja chefs have set up camp at various wineries and makeshift sites to cook in the month leading up to Fiestas de la Vendimia, and to hang around through September for the die-hard partiers, winemakers, and tourists out for one last summertide fling before it cools down. This year has been the best ever for the campestre scene, with more dining options than in previous years, and the establishment of several permanent restaurants by some of the top chefs in the region. These rustic picnic bench-style set ups are destinations for young, rosemary-herbed lamb cooked in a caja china, grilled Black Angus steaks from Sonora's Rancho 17 cooked on mesquite, or ceviche of geoduck and goose neck barnacles paired with a crisp, Mexican chasselas. Most of these nomadic kitchens will be open all of September and some may drift into October–here's a list of our top places to eat at now.
Deckman's en El Mogor
Chef Drew Deckman has a hit restaurant in San Lucas, B.C.S., but in August he shutters his popular restaurant to cook on a campfire grill located at the Mogor Badan winery. I believe the sign on his restaurant reads–gone fishing! Deckman is a fisherman who earned 3 Michellin stars many years ago cooking in Germany–he was working in kitchens all over Europe before landing in Cabo San Lucas about a decade ago.
Deckman's is the only campestre in the Valle in which the chef is there every night. Deckman even serves the food himself, as he has no waiters. His delivery is as tardy as a Mexican business meeting; it's clear the laid-back Cabo life has transported Deckman to a state of Nirvana. He even went through culture shock crossing the border to do an event in San Diego–“I tell my parents if they want to see me they can come to Mexico. I'm done with the States,” said a sedate Deckman.
The menu at Deckman's is a tasting menu, with an option of a 4-course meal, or a 7- course dinner paired with wines from Mogor Badan, craft beers from Cabo, or Durangan mezcal. This chef has chops, so I urge the full tasting.
Deckman displays uncharacteristic intensity when the subject of Mexican cuisine comes up–he uses 100% Baja ingredients, but “I'm not a Mexican chef”, he insists. Yet, there is a familiar style of cooking that is more Mexican than his American counterparts–Deckman is a Georgia boy with a Baja soul.
His light ceviche of geoduck and goose neck barnacles is fundamental is its preparation with a ring of local olive oil, a scant acidity from tomato skins with trace fruit, and nasturtiums for a little punch and much appreciated color on the plate. This is the most flavor I've encountered from geoducks;perhaps it was the salty goose neck barnacles that produced the bold taste. The chef is in residence here making this an essential stop.
Finca Altozano
Chef Javier Plascencia has erected a northern Mexico-style campestre on his own ranch in
the Valle de Guadalupe, just past the Laja property, farther up the famed dusty road.
Plascencia has been dashing back and forth all summer from Finca Altozano to his
Tijuana base of operations and the Mision 19 kitchen. The menu reflects a northern
Mexico affection with a touch of the Valle de Guadalupe.
highway 3 to km 86.5 and turn right through the property's stone entry gate, Valle de
Guadalupe, B.C., Mon-Sun., 1PM-7PM, drew@deckman's.com for reservations
El Encino en Laja is located on the Laja property, take the Ensenada-Tecate Highway
3 to km 83 and look for the Laja sign, turn left onto the dirt road, and a right into the
driveway, Fri.-Sun., 1:30pm-8:30pm, 011-52-646-155-2556, in**@la********.com
Finca Altozano is just up the road from Laja, take the Ensenada-Tecate highway 3
to km 83 and look for the Laja sign, turn left onto the dirt road, drive about a half-mile
past Laja and turn right into the Finca Altozano archway, and onto the property, Valle
de Guadalupe, B.C., Tues. Sun. 1pm-9pm, July 31-Oct. 31, 011-52-664-166-6839
Silvestre is located just west of the Pedro Domecq winery, take the Ensenada-Tecate
highway 3 to km. 73, turn left up the dirt road about a quarter mile to the parking lot,
Valle de Guadalupe, B.C., Fri.-Sun., 1pm-6pm, 011-52-646-175-7073
