Viva Zapata
Ah, Mexico. I’ve never been, which is pretty lame. Still, I feel very close. It helps to live in the Mission. And so many of my heroes groing up were Mexican - Chavez, Zapata, Rivera and Kahlo, Cavarrubias. My real Mexican heroes, though, were the folks at La Cabana who fed my family Chile Rellenos, Camarones al Mojo de Ajo, Tamales and other west-coast Mexican staples. My parents, having lived in LA for a while, and having organized with unions like the UAFW, always knew where to find the good stuff in Seattle. Around here, of course, it’s hard to go wrong.
The problem is that Mexican cuisine gets a bad rap because what most consider Mexican, the ‘burrito a llevar’, is totally different than almost anything that you might find in Mexico. Of course, go into any four-star restaurant kitchen in New York, Chicago, LA or right here, and you’ll probably find a Mexican on the line. So I try to consider the Mexican food I eat hear simply another regional variation in the great panoply of Mexican food. Better to speak of ‘Mission Style’ than Mexican - just like you might stumble accross a Yucatecan, Oaxacan, Michoacana or Mexico City style restaurant. Come on, they don’t call it a ‘Mission Burrito,’ for nothing, and you can’t find a real, delicious Mission Burrito anywhere else in the world.
A trip to Dona Tomas in Oakland is where regional inspirations and high-style Mexican cooking combine in a very cosmopolitan, yet warm and inviting atmosphere. Here you get the applications of classic french technique, an east-asian appreciation for presentation, and the attention to ingredients that defines Californian cuisine in America. There is no shortage of top-quality Mexican produce available seasonally in the Bay Area, and even exotic ingredients haven’t had to come too far - two or three days at most, if they’re not grown locally.
A simple storefront on the gentrifying block at around 51st and Telegraph in Oakland (next to a freeway exit for you drivers), Dona Tomas goes with the stucco, tiles and Mission-furniture look that is very clean and well done. One door opens into the main dining room, another into the bar. Between is a comfortable waiting area, while out back is a spacious patio, complete with a fountain. For cool Oakland nights they’ve installed outdoor heaters, though as a smoker I was a little peaved to learn that I couldn’t smoke in the patio. I so wanted a smoke with my Cuba Libre while I waited outside for my table, but you know these East Bay progressives. Their sensibilities are so fragile.
Dinner for two with an appetizer, cocktails and beers came to $100, so it’s not cheap. But the food! Starting with the house Guacamole and their warm, homemade tortilla chips (served with chipotle salsa and a sprinkle of queso anejo) and Negro Modelos, our Papadzules appetizer arrived and was magnificent. Light corn tortillas filled with a warm sauce of cheese and pumpkin seeds, topped with a spicy salsa. They were warm and creamy, rich yet light on the palette. I could have eaten four plates of them, they were so good.
For dinner I ordered the Atun del Diablo, which conjures up a vision of some delicious Leviathan, tamed and brought to my table with watercress and a sweet-corn pudding. First of all, the pudding was incredibly delicious - nuggets of fresh steamed corn in a creamy corn and cheese porridge - almost a desert. It balanced well with the smoke and spice of the seared fresh tuna and the cool bite of the watercress. My date ordered the Chile Rellenos, which Dona Tomas doesn’t batter and deep fry, but simply served pan-friend in it’s skin with a delicious cheese filling. It was served atop a dark, spicy pumpkin seed sauce and topped with squash flowers, making a unique impression.
The menu changes daily, though the Chile Rellenos and Carnitas are house specialities. The bar specializes in aged, small-batch rums and make the best Mojitos and Cuba Libres I’ve ever had. The atmosphere is warm and pleasant, as it’s very friendly to families with children as well as well-dressed hipsters on dates. And the in the short distance between MacArthur Bart and Dona Tomas you’ll pass bars (that allow smoking!), Ethiopian and Eritrean restuarants, middle-eastern delis, Korean Barbecue, a Genova deli and even a fish fry, S & S Seafood, which was a favorite when I lived in the neighborhood - so besides Mexico City, you can also take culinary flights to Addis Ababa, Amman, Seoul, New York and New Orleans. It’s a cheap way to go somewhere you’ve never been, without all the hassle.
