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"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988853\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988853\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration: Two men devouring a large amount of tacos while seated at a picnic table. In back, string lights and heat lamps are visible.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Tucán’s new location in San Rafael has an outdoor patio that looks out over the waterfront and a new menu addition: Baja-style fried fish and fried shrimp tacos. \u003ccite>(Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003ci>The Midnight Diners\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Thien Pham\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The best tacos I’ve ever eaten in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/marin-county\">Marin County\u003c/a> are tucked away in the warren of warehouses and car dealerships that populate the eastern end of San Rafael. We pulled into the neighborhood at a little past 9 o’clock on a recent Friday night because we’d heard that one of our favorite taquerias, El Tucán, had finally opened its long-awaited location here — an outpost the owners had initially planned to debut \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13903359/el-tucan-tijuana-tacos-quesabirria-san-rafael\">all the way back in 2021\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tucantacosandbeer/\">El Tucán Tacos & Beer\u003c/a> is meant to be a swankier, sit-down version of the original taqueria in Richmond. Importantly for our purposes, it stays open until 11 p.m. on weekends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Technically speaking, both the Richmond taqueria and the even newer El Tucán location \u003ca href=\"https://www.tacoseltucan.com/sf-info.html\">in San Francisco\u003c/a> are more prototypical late-night spots, slinging tacos until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Here in the North Bay, however, the new El Tucán is \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/arts/13953224/best-late-night-prime-rib-marin-petes-881-club-poker-room\">one of the very few places in town\u003c/a> that stays open late at all. In this particular semi-industrial corner of San Rafael, it was the only restaurant of any kind, open or closed, we saw for blocks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As regulars at the original El Tucán, we came with the expectation that we’d be eating some of the tastiest carne asada in the Bay. What we didn’t expect was that the new restaurant would \u003ci>also \u003c/i>fry up the best Baja fish tacos we’ve eaten in a long, long time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The restaurant is bigger and fancier than it looks from the outside, with a long, gleamingly back-lit bar; trendy wicker light fixtures; and multiple flat-screen TVs for sports-watching. Along one wall there’s one of those cursive neon signs: “You are the salsa to my tacos.” On another, a colorful, very geometric mural of the restaurant’s namesake toucan. Not for nothing in Marin County, every other customer on this busy Friday night appeared to be Latino — a mix of twentysomethings sipping on gaudy, fluorescent-hued margaritas and older gentlemen in work boots. (El Tucán is located in San Rafael’s Canal District, where a dense cluster of apartment complexes houses the bulk of Marin County’s working class Latino population.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988852\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988852\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2.jpg\" alt='Illustration: a boxy, fairly nondescript-looking restaurant lit up at night. The neon sign reads, \"El Tucán Tacos & Beer,\" with a drawing of a toucan as its logo.' width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marin County doesn’t have a lot of notable late-night dining options, but El Tucán is open until 11 p.m. on weekends. \u003ccite>(Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The nicest part of the restaurant is the big, expansive deck in the back, adorned with string lights and a flotilla of heat lamps, that faces out toward the San Rafael Creek waterfront. We parked ourselves at one of the sturdy wooden picnic tables and proceeded to order about twice as many tacos as we had any business eating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Tucán’s claim to fame is that it was one of the first taquerias to bring \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/12/5/20994943/tacos-el-tucan-tijuana-carne-asada-quesatacos-richmond\">Tijuana-style tacos\u003c/a> to the Bay Area, with its emphasis on meats grilled over fire (instead of on a flat-top), supple handmade tortillas, and the dollop of guacamole that comes on every taco by default. Arguably, the restaurant’s calling card is its quesatacos, which come laced with a thin layer of extremely crispy cheese. What experience has taught me, though, is that those cheesy tacos are too heavy for me to eat more than two or three in one sitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So for our first meal in San Rafael, we instead started with a round of the standard (cheeseless) asada tacos, which were as phenomenal as we remembered; the steak was chopped finer, and came out so much juicier and more tender, than at your typical taco shop. Topped with a tangle of grilled onions and that big scoop of guacamole, the taco felt luxurious to eat, like a full meal in and of itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13988444,arts_13953224,arts_13963832']\u003c/span>\u003c/span>Diners who want to splurge a bit can try one of the premium ($9) specialty tacos, like the arrachera (skirt steak) taco, which puts an entire mini steak on top of a tortilla. We loved how pleasantly chewy and crisp-edged the steak was — though we probably would have been even happier trading it for two more asada tacos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The real highlight of the restaurant, however, was another exemplar of Baja California cuisine: Baja-style fried fish tacos and shrimp tacos, which are only available at the San Rafael location.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of my controversial food opinions is that Baja fish tacos are the \u003ci>only\u003c/i> good fish tacos — you can keep your fussy little grilled fish tacos. But I also rarely order them in the Bay Area. There are so few places here that do them well (hello, \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/cholita-linda-to-bring-fish-tacos-and-eclectic-latin-to-temescal-1/\">Cholita Linda\u003c/a>!), and you wind up paying twice as much for a taco that’s only half as good as what you can get at, say, any random spot in San Diego.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m happy to report, then, that the fish tacos at El Tucán are spectacular. They’re pricey, yes, at $8 a pop. But they’re also \u003ci>huge\u003c/i>, with one plump, impeccably fried fillet that’s moist and tender, with an airy-light batter. There’s also limey chipotle crema and a tangle of delicately sliced cabbage and pickled onions. Taken all together, it makes for a flawlessly balanced bite. The Baja shrimp taco, which combines all of the same components with a pile of batter-fried shrimp, is just as good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like every other trend-hopping taqueria in the Bay, El Tucán has jumped on the \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">quesabirria hype train\u003c/a>, with an assortment of birria-centric menu items that run the gamut from standard quesabirria tacos and consomé-dipped “red tacos” to super-sized birria “pizza.” We tried one of the red tacos with adobada (Tijuana-style al pastor) and found it tasty enough, if a little too heavy and cheesy for how stuffed we already felt at that stage in the meal. What we did enjoy, however, is El Tucán’s take on birria ramen — a rather elegant, stewy version, served with sliced avocado on top. It had a homey warmth to it that was especially nice on a chilly night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, there was a part of us that still preferred the old El Tucán in Richmond, where you stand in line, shoulder to shoulder with strangers, grab a plastic stool on the patio and wolf your food down in the semi-darkness. Certainly, it’s more chaotic, with a certain kind of romance. But if you’ve come with a group of friends and want to kick it for a while, that big deck overlooking the boats on the water is tough to beat. Especially with ice-cold Pacifica on draft and a couple of fish tacos in your belly.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tucantacosandbeer/\">\u003ci>El Tucán Tacos & Beer\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is open Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m. at 15 Harbor St. in San Rafael.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988853\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988853\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration: Two men devouring a large amount of tacos while seated at a picnic table. In back, string lights and heat lamps are visible.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/el-tucan-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Tucán’s new location in San Rafael has an outdoor patio that looks out over the waterfront and a new menu addition: Baja-style fried fish and fried shrimp tacos. \u003ccite>(Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003ci>The Midnight Diners\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Thien Pham\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene. \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The best tacos I’ve ever eaten in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/marin-county\">Marin County\u003c/a> are tucked away in the warren of warehouses and car dealerships that populate the eastern end of San Rafael. We pulled into the neighborhood at a little past 9 o’clock on a recent Friday night because we’d heard that one of our favorite taquerias, El Tucán, had finally opened its long-awaited location here — an outpost the owners had initially planned to debut \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13903359/el-tucan-tijuana-tacos-quesabirria-san-rafael\">all the way back in 2021\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tucantacosandbeer/\">El Tucán Tacos & Beer\u003c/a> is meant to be a swankier, sit-down version of the original taqueria in Richmond. Importantly for our purposes, it stays open until 11 p.m. on weekends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Technically speaking, both the Richmond taqueria and the even newer El Tucán location \u003ca href=\"https://www.tacoseltucan.com/sf-info.html\">in San Francisco\u003c/a> are more prototypical late-night spots, slinging tacos until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Here in the North Bay, however, the new El Tucán is \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/arts/13953224/best-late-night-prime-rib-marin-petes-881-club-poker-room\">one of the very few places in town\u003c/a> that stays open late at all. In this particular semi-industrial corner of San Rafael, it was the only restaurant of any kind, open or closed, we saw for blocks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As regulars at the original El Tucán, we came with the expectation that we’d be eating some of the tastiest carne asada in the Bay. What we didn’t expect was that the new restaurant would \u003ci>also \u003c/i>fry up the best Baja fish tacos we’ve eaten in a long, long time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The restaurant is bigger and fancier than it looks from the outside, with a long, gleamingly back-lit bar; trendy wicker light fixtures; and multiple flat-screen TVs for sports-watching. Along one wall there’s one of those cursive neon signs: “You are the salsa to my tacos.” On another, a colorful, very geometric mural of the restaurant’s namesake toucan. Not for nothing in Marin County, every other customer on this busy Friday night appeared to be Latino — a mix of twentysomethings sipping on gaudy, fluorescent-hued margaritas and older gentlemen in work boots. (El Tucán is located in San Rafael’s Canal District, where a dense cluster of apartment complexes houses the bulk of Marin County’s working class Latino population.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988852\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988852\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2.jpg\" alt='Illustration: a boxy, fairly nondescript-looking restaurant lit up at night. The neon sign reads, \"El Tucán Tacos & Beer,\" with a drawing of a toucan as its logo.' width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/eltucan2-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marin County doesn’t have a lot of notable late-night dining options, but El Tucán is open until 11 p.m. on weekends. \u003ccite>(Thien Pham)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The nicest part of the restaurant is the big, expansive deck in the back, adorned with string lights and a flotilla of heat lamps, that faces out toward the San Rafael Creek waterfront. We parked ourselves at one of the sturdy wooden picnic tables and proceeded to order about twice as many tacos as we had any business eating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Tucán’s claim to fame is that it was one of the first taquerias to bring \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/12/5/20994943/tacos-el-tucan-tijuana-carne-asada-quesatacos-richmond\">Tijuana-style tacos\u003c/a> to the Bay Area, with its emphasis on meats grilled over fire (instead of on a flat-top), supple handmade tortillas, and the dollop of guacamole that comes on every taco by default. Arguably, the restaurant’s calling card is its quesatacos, which come laced with a thin layer of extremely crispy cheese. What experience has taught me, though, is that those cheesy tacos are too heavy for me to eat more than two or three in one sitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So for our first meal in San Rafael, we instead started with a round of the standard (cheeseless) asada tacos, which were as phenomenal as we remembered; the steak was chopped finer, and came out so much juicier and more tender, than at your typical taco shop. Topped with a tangle of grilled onions and that big scoop of guacamole, the taco felt luxurious to eat, like a full meal in and of itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/span>Diners who want to splurge a bit can try one of the premium ($9) specialty tacos, like the arrachera (skirt steak) taco, which puts an entire mini steak on top of a tortilla. We loved how pleasantly chewy and crisp-edged the steak was — though we probably would have been even happier trading it for two more asada tacos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The real highlight of the restaurant, however, was another exemplar of Baja California cuisine: Baja-style fried fish tacos and shrimp tacos, which are only available at the San Rafael location.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of my controversial food opinions is that Baja fish tacos are the \u003ci>only\u003c/i> good fish tacos — you can keep your fussy little grilled fish tacos. But I also rarely order them in the Bay Area. There are so few places here that do them well (hello, \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/cholita-linda-to-bring-fish-tacos-and-eclectic-latin-to-temescal-1/\">Cholita Linda\u003c/a>!), and you wind up paying twice as much for a taco that’s only half as good as what you can get at, say, any random spot in San Diego.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m happy to report, then, that the fish tacos at El Tucán are spectacular. They’re pricey, yes, at $8 a pop. But they’re also \u003ci>huge\u003c/i>, with one plump, impeccably fried fillet that’s moist and tender, with an airy-light batter. There’s also limey chipotle crema and a tangle of delicately sliced cabbage and pickled onions. Taken all together, it makes for a flawlessly balanced bite. The Baja shrimp taco, which combines all of the same components with a pile of batter-fried shrimp, is just as good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like every other trend-hopping taqueria in the Bay, El Tucán has jumped on the \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">quesabirria hype train\u003c/a>, with an assortment of birria-centric menu items that run the gamut from standard quesabirria tacos and consomé-dipped “red tacos” to super-sized birria “pizza.” We tried one of the red tacos with adobada (Tijuana-style al pastor) and found it tasty enough, if a little too heavy and cheesy for how stuffed we already felt at that stage in the meal. What we did enjoy, however, is El Tucán’s take on birria ramen — a rather elegant, stewy version, served with sliced avocado on top. It had a homey warmth to it that was especially nice on a chilly night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, there was a part of us that still preferred the old El Tucán in Richmond, where you stand in line, shoulder to shoulder with strangers, grab a plastic stool on the patio and wolf your food down in the semi-darkness. Certainly, it’s more chaotic, with a certain kind of romance. But if you’ve come with a group of friends and want to kick it for a while, that big deck overlooking the boats on the water is tough to beat. Especially with ice-cold Pacifica on draft and a couple of fish tacos in your belly.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tucantacosandbeer/\">\u003ci>El Tucán Tacos & Beer\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is open Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m. at 15 Harbor St. in San Rafael.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "El Garage Returns to Its Pop-Up Roots",
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"content": "\u003cp>These days, it feels like nearly every taco truck and taqueria in the Bay Area is slinging quesabirria — those glistening-red, consomé-soaked tacos with their crispy edges and long pulls of stretchy cheese. But before all that, there was El Garage. In the halcyon pre-pandemic days of 2019, the Richmond pop-up was the \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">first quesabirria purveyor to truly blow up\u003c/a> in the Bay, and its success helped bring these Tijuana-by-way-of-L.A. beef birria tacos into the mainstream, paving the way for them to become a fixture of our region’s Mexican American food scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in August, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DA7LNKbyL_6/?hl=en\">El Garage quietly closed\u003c/a> — or at least its brick-and-mortar restaurant in Richmond did, ending a four-year run.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Viviana Montano, who runs the business along with her parents and sisters, says El Garage isn’t going anywhere. Instead, the family will focus once again on pop-ups and catering. They’ve already set up one twice-a-month gig at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dokkaebier_oakland/?hl=en\">Dokkaebier\u003c/a> taproom in Oakland, and they have several other pop-ups in the works — including a possible regular collaboration with Berkeley Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13967250\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13967250\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of El Garage taqueria on a sunny day.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1374\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-800x550.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-1020x701.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-768x528.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-1536x1055.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-1920x1319.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The brick-and-mortar restaurant in Richmond never got much foot traffic. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to Montano, closing the restaurant was one the hardest decisions her family has had to make, but it also seemed inevitable for the better part of a year. “We just weren’t bringing enough people in,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fans of the taqueria might be familiar with the basic outlines of \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">El Garage’s story\u003c/a>: It started as a modest driveway operation in a residential neighborhood, went viral on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/el_gaaarage/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> to the point of routinely attracting hour-long lines and eventually, with much fanfare, \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/7/9/21319032/quesabirria-tacos-el-garage-richmond\">opened a 5,000-square-foot restaurant\u003c/a> a few blocks away from the Richmond BART station. For many Bay Area food lovers, El Garage’s quesabirria wasn’t \u003ci>just\u003c/i> their introduction to a new taco style. It was one the best tacos they’d ever eaten, period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the brick-and-mortar restaurant just never caught on, even as the Montanos expanded their menu to include other crowdpleasers, like pozole and shrimp taquitos. Part of the problem was that there aren’t really any other notable restaurants or attractions in that particular stretch of Richmond, so foot traffic was minimal. Even at the height of El Garage’s popularity, almost all of the business at the restaurant came from takeout and catering. And even when a handful of dine-in customers did sit down for a meal, the dining room still looked empty and sad because it was so big. It became a sort of self-fulfilling feedback loop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13967251\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13967251\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos.jpg\" alt=\"Shrimp taquitos in a takeout container.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The restaurant introduced new dishes, like this take on shrimp taquitos. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Most of our orders every day would just be DoorDash or UberEats. The restaurant was functioning as a ghost kitchen, essentially,” Montano says. In the end, paying rent for such a giant space just wasn’t sustainable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13963832,arts_13895488']Now that the restaurant is closed, the Montanos are fully focused on doing pop-ups and events — in a sense, going back to their roots as a renegade driveway taco stand. The one regular pop-up they’ve already set up — at Dokkaebier’s Jack London Square taproom — will take place every other Saturday. (The next one is on Oct. 26.) And Montano says she’s also in talks with a restaurant in San Francisco’s Mission District about the possibility of setting up another recurring pop-up there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Perhaps most exciting, Montano says El Garage is currently in the process of scheduling its first pop-up at the cafe at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berkeleybowl/\">Berkeley Bowl West\u003c/a>, probably for sometime in November. If all goes well, that, too, might turn into a regular, long-term gig for as many as two or three days a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13967253\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13967253\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up.jpg\" alt=\"A cook makes tacos on a flat-top grill set up inside a tent.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Garage’s original pop-up (circa 2019) took place inside a tent that was set up in the Montanos’ driveway. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the future, Montano says, El Garage would be open to exploring the possibility of opening a smaller restaurant in a better, more central location. But for now, the family feels much more comfortable with the pop-up model — and they’re confident that their food is good enough, and has big enough of a following, that customers will seek them out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a less stressful situation than having that 5,000-square-foot restaurant,” Montano says.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/el_gaaarage/?hl=en\">\u003ci>El Garage\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> currently pops up on every second and fourth Saturday of the month at \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dokkaebier_oakland/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Dokkaebier\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> (420 3rd St.) in Oakland, 2–7:30 p.m. — the next one will be on Saturday, Oct. 26.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13967254\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13967254\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup.jpg\" alt=\"Closeup of a quesabirria taco, with charred edges on the outside of the tortilla.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Close-up of the cheesy, well-charred goodness. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The quesabirria sensation’s Richmond brick-and-mortar just never really took off.",
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"title": "El Garage Returns to Its Pop-Up Roots | KQED",
"description": "The quesabirria sensation’s Richmond brick-and-mortar just never really took off.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>These days, it feels like nearly every taco truck and taqueria in the Bay Area is slinging quesabirria — those glistening-red, consomé-soaked tacos with their crispy edges and long pulls of stretchy cheese. But before all that, there was El Garage. In the halcyon pre-pandemic days of 2019, the Richmond pop-up was the \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">first quesabirria purveyor to truly blow up\u003c/a> in the Bay, and its success helped bring these Tijuana-by-way-of-L.A. beef birria tacos into the mainstream, paving the way for them to become a fixture of our region’s Mexican American food scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in August, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DA7LNKbyL_6/?hl=en\">El Garage quietly closed\u003c/a> — or at least its brick-and-mortar restaurant in Richmond did, ending a four-year run.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Viviana Montano, who runs the business along with her parents and sisters, says El Garage isn’t going anywhere. Instead, the family will focus once again on pop-ups and catering. They’ve already set up one twice-a-month gig at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dokkaebier_oakland/?hl=en\">Dokkaebier\u003c/a> taproom in Oakland, and they have several other pop-ups in the works — including a possible regular collaboration with Berkeley Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13967250\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13967250\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of El Garage taqueria on a sunny day.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1374\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-800x550.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-1020x701.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-768x528.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-1536x1055.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-exterior-1920x1319.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The brick-and-mortar restaurant in Richmond never got much foot traffic. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to Montano, closing the restaurant was one the hardest decisions her family has had to make, but it also seemed inevitable for the better part of a year. “We just weren’t bringing enough people in,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fans of the taqueria might be familiar with the basic outlines of \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">El Garage’s story\u003c/a>: It started as a modest driveway operation in a residential neighborhood, went viral on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/el_gaaarage/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> to the point of routinely attracting hour-long lines and eventually, with much fanfare, \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/7/9/21319032/quesabirria-tacos-el-garage-richmond\">opened a 5,000-square-foot restaurant\u003c/a> a few blocks away from the Richmond BART station. For many Bay Area food lovers, El Garage’s quesabirria wasn’t \u003ci>just\u003c/i> their introduction to a new taco style. It was one the best tacos they’d ever eaten, period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the brick-and-mortar restaurant just never caught on, even as the Montanos expanded their menu to include other crowdpleasers, like pozole and shrimp taquitos. Part of the problem was that there aren’t really any other notable restaurants or attractions in that particular stretch of Richmond, so foot traffic was minimal. Even at the height of El Garage’s popularity, almost all of the business at the restaurant came from takeout and catering. And even when a handful of dine-in customers did sit down for a meal, the dining room still looked empty and sad because it was so big. It became a sort of self-fulfilling feedback loop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13967251\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13967251\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos.jpg\" alt=\"Shrimp taquitos in a takeout container.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-shrimp-taquitos-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The restaurant introduced new dishes, like this take on shrimp taquitos. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Most of our orders every day would just be DoorDash or UberEats. The restaurant was functioning as a ghost kitchen, essentially,” Montano says. In the end, paying rent for such a giant space just wasn’t sustainable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Now that the restaurant is closed, the Montanos are fully focused on doing pop-ups and events — in a sense, going back to their roots as a renegade driveway taco stand. The one regular pop-up they’ve already set up — at Dokkaebier’s Jack London Square taproom — will take place every other Saturday. (The next one is on Oct. 26.) And Montano says she’s also in talks with a restaurant in San Francisco’s Mission District about the possibility of setting up another recurring pop-up there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Perhaps most exciting, Montano says El Garage is currently in the process of scheduling its first pop-up at the cafe at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/berkeleybowl/\">Berkeley Bowl West\u003c/a>, probably for sometime in November. If all goes well, that, too, might turn into a regular, long-term gig for as many as two or three days a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13967253\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13967253\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up.jpg\" alt=\"A cook makes tacos on a flat-top grill set up inside a tent.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-original-pop-up-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Garage’s original pop-up (circa 2019) took place inside a tent that was set up in the Montanos’ driveway. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the future, Montano says, El Garage would be open to exploring the possibility of opening a smaller restaurant in a better, more central location. But for now, the family feels much more comfortable with the pop-up model — and they’re confident that their food is good enough, and has big enough of a following, that customers will seek them out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a less stressful situation than having that 5,000-square-foot restaurant,” Montano says.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/el_gaaarage/?hl=en\">\u003ci>El Garage\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> currently pops up on every second and fourth Saturday of the month at \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dokkaebier_oakland/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Dokkaebier\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> (420 3rd St.) in Oakland, 2–7:30 p.m. — the next one will be on Saturday, Oct. 26.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13967254\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13967254\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup.jpg\" alt=\"Closeup of a quesabirria taco, with charred edges on the outside of the tortilla.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/el-garage-quesabirria-closeup-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Close-up of the cheesy, well-charred goodness. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "san-jose-foos-chris-villa-tacos-music-festival",
"title": "This Wildly Popular IG Account Is Throwing a Huge Latin Music Festival in San Jose",
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"headTitle": "This Wildly Popular IG Account Is Throwing a Huge Latin Music Festival in San Jose | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/hellahungry\">¡Hella Hungry!\u003c/a> is a series of interviews with Bay Area foodmakers exploring the region’s culinary innovations through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>South Almaden Avenue is a long stretch of pavement that runs through a scrappy, historic neighborhood on the southern edge of San Jose’s downtown. It’s the kind of barrio you can visit at any hour to find some of the Bay Area’s most homey tacos while vatos circle the block on bicycles and inside minivans. It’s also where you’ll find\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rosarios_tacos/?hl=en\"> Rosario’s Tacos\u003c/a>, a no-frills taqueria that started inside a garage before moving to its current brick-and-mortar location in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The gregarious owner, Joe, is an embodiment of San Jose’s low-riding Chicano spirit — a proud father with a full-bellied laugh and cynical sense of humor who refuses to give up on his community. The restaurant is named after his late mother, Rosario, whose recipes Joe has adapted to create the restaurant’s beloved quesabirria — a red-drenched behemoth of a taco, dripping with consomme, birria, cheese and (if desired) plump, succulent shrimp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosario’s generous portion sizes and undiluted hometown pride are what attract one of Shark City’s biggest foodies:\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chrisillmatic/?hl=en\"> Chris Villa\u003c/a>. As the face of\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sanjosefoos/?hl=en\"> San Jose Foos\u003c/a> — the 408’s most culturally influential social media empire, with over 226,000 followers on Instagram — Villa has been going to Rosario’s for years and chose it as our rendezvous point on a sunny South Bay afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958803\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958803\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a table of tacos and flyers for a music festival\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Jose Foos is helping to coordinate the city’s first-ever Latin house music festival at Discovery Meadow Park on June 15. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Though not food-specific, the page — which Villa co-facilitates with \u003ca href=\"https://www.metrosiliconvalley.com/san-jose-foos-become-a-much-needed-voice-for-san-jose-culture/\">San Jose Foos founder, Jorge Anthony Gomez\u003c/a> — uplifts a variety of San Jose-owned businesses like Rosario’s. Their popular, insider-y memes and videos highlight small, family-run, genuinely under-appreciated and off-the-radar locales that otherwise go unnoticed by the Bay Area mainstream. Villa has been involved with the account for four years and recently left his job at Apple to pursue his creativity full-time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In their biggest effort to continue building the city’s cultural profile, San Jose Foos are launching a new music festival: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/C7AhHO0Pucw/?hl=en\">Taraka\u003c/a>. Headlined by\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/gordoszn/?hl=en\"> Nicaraguan super producer and DJ, Gordo\u003c/a>, and featuring a cast of eleven Latin American house music DJs, the festival will be the only one of its kind in the region (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13865311/how-sonido-clash-music-fest-became-a-hub-for-forward-thinking-latinx-sounds\">Sonido Clash, the alternative Latinx music festival\u003c/a> that was once held in San Jose, has been discontinued since the pandemic).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After ordering close to 20 tacos — which we divvied up, each taking home leftovers — Villa and I ate ourselves into a peaceful state of higher consciousness while chatting about Silicon Valley’s joys, complexities and upcoming food and music takeover.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958806\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958806\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"birria tacos on a grill at a taqueria\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The quesabirria tacos are a main attraction at Rosario’s. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: You chose this spot as our meeting point. What does Rosario’s Tacos mean to you? [mariachi music blares in the background]\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Chris Villa: \u003c/b>I’ve known about this spot for the longest. It’s a San Jose staple. It’s one of those spots that everyone in San Jose goes to. I’ve built a rapport with Joe [the owner] because of what he does and what he has contributed to the community. He has a presence here. And the food is delicious. This isn’t a gentrified spot, but you’ll still see every culture here. A group of Indian foodies recently made a video. That’s really cool to see. And Joe doesn’t want to go anywhere. He wants to stay right here in San Jose. That gives people a sense of pride. You can’t hate on that, you know?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I feel that. Have you eaten the Godzilla Taco here? The menu says it’s a 14-inch quesabirria taco. It crossed my mind.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yeah, I have. I can’t finish it [laughs].\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958804\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958804\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a kitchen cook prepares meat for birria tacos\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rosario’s Tacos uses family recipes from the owner’s late mother, Rosario, to make some of the best quesabirria in San Jose. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>There are a lot of solid taquerias in this area. I remember eating around here when I was a teenager, and a group of gang members got out of their car and approached the people I was with because of some of the colors they were wearing. But the tacos were so damn good that I kept coming back. Did you grow up in this part of the city?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13958336,arts_13958466,arts_13920483']\u003c/span>I grew up on the south side of San Jose. We used to stay away from this area growing up because of what it is, you know [laughs]. Where I lived was like the opposite gang, but I wasn’t affiliated or anything like that. Before all the Instagram stuff, I’ve always been cool with everyone. Just going out and saying what’s up to all the homies. That’s just the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How did you start working with San Jose Foos, and what’s your involvement?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I partnered with my homie, Anthony [Gomez]. He’s the one who started it; I’m considered the face of it, and I’m in some of the videos. I also help with scheduling, shooting, editing and stuff like that as much as needed. I started a few years ago right after COVID [emerged] in 2020. After all that was going on, that’s when I jumped on board, and I was like, hey, you know, it’s a lot of fighting hate with hate. We wanted to make it a love thing. Support our community. Support local businesses however we can. We were at maybe 10,000 followers at the time, and it still made a difference. And from then it blew up from just telling people to check out this spot, go look at this artist, sharing San Jose staples that you got to know. It became more about that. Local history, culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958805\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958805\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a mural that reads "Rosario's Tacos San Jose" inside a taqueria\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mural inside the taqueria reflects the owner’s hometown Chicano pride. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Is that cultural representation something you think San Jose was lacking at the time — or is maybe still lacking?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was missing for the longest. San Jose hasn’t always been shown the same love as San Francisco and Oakland. We wanted to pivot and put San Jose on the map in different ways. That was the goal. We want to make people laugh, too [laughs]. This is my favorite horchata in San Jose, by the way [sips horchata].\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’re helping launch a new festival in San Jose. That’s a big deal. How’s that going?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s huge. The first of its kind here in San Jose. They’re going to start building the stage. We’ve always wanted to do something big, festival wise. We’ve been mapping things out. Gordo is a dope artist. I’ve always been a fan of his, so when I heard we’re bringing him out I was like yo, that’s crazy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958808\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a journalist eating a taco\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">KQED food journalist Alan Chazaro listens in as Chris Villa talks about San Jose’s cultural riches. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your role in the festival?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m helping facilitate, mainly with the vendors. Making sure everyone’s good. I’ve been running around, wearing a few hats. It’ll all be at Discovery Meadows [the park outside the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose]. We have a friend who organizes events, and they’re really good at putting things together and getting the permits and things like that, so they took care of all that. We’ve done events before, but not this size. It’s gonna be good. It’s a large event being held in San Jose at a venue that not many people know about. The last big event that happened there was with Logic. He held a free event there. Hella random.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Who’s going to be there?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Live DJs will be going on from 2 to 9 on one stage. Gordo, Lee Foss, Malóne, Maneki. Nico Crespo from San Jose. He’s actually my best friend’s cousin and he’s been doing it big in the house and techno scene. It’s 11 Latin American house music DJs in total.\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/brownnproudla/?hl=en\"> Brown N Proud\u003c/a> LA is doing an SJ collab. He’s a clothing guy; [the clothing brand] Foos Gone Wild has partnered up with him before. But it’s mostly San Jose people:\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/shrimpn_aint_eazy/?hl=en\"> Shrimpin Ain’t Eazy\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/popupsj/?hl=en\">Pop Up SJ\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mrshrimpsj/\">Mr. Shrimp\u003c/a>. Food trucks, thrifters, clothing brands. Our own stuff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958809\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958809\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"three people sit in front of a taqueria during lunch\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chris Vilal (left), Alan Chazaro (center) and Rosario’s Tacos owner, Joe (right), discuss San Jose’s artistic community. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your philosophy on what San Jose could be doing better moving forward?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The biggest thing I see in San Jose is people fighting against each other, making everything a competition. [San Jose Foos] never saw it that way. We want to partner up with whoever wants to make a difference, big or small. Artists, photographers, any of that. One of the organizations we help out is\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/adopt_my_block/?hl=en\"> Adopt My Block\u003c/a>. They’re about adopting dogs, sheltering dogs. We reached out to them. It’s run by\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13839650/on-3rtys-veteran-san-jose-battle-rapper-dirtbag-dan-reveals-his-introspective-side\"> Dirtbag Dan\u003c/a>, one of [San Jose’s] old school battle rappers. We want to show that love to our city.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Taraka with Gordo’ will take place at Discovery Meadow Park (180 Woz Way, San Jose) on Sat., June 15 from 2 to 9 p.m. Tickets available \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taraka-san-jose-w-gordo-more-tba-tickets-891379388747?aff=aff0bandsintown&comeFrom=2500&artist_event_id=1031776474&bit_userid=%24%7Buser_id%7D&appId=onaqfvagbja_jro\">here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/hellahungry\">¡Hella Hungry!\u003c/a> is a series of interviews with Bay Area foodmakers exploring the region’s culinary innovations through the mouth of a first-generation local.\u003c/i>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>South Almaden Avenue is a long stretch of pavement that runs through a scrappy, historic neighborhood on the southern edge of San Jose’s downtown. It’s the kind of barrio you can visit at any hour to find some of the Bay Area’s most homey tacos while vatos circle the block on bicycles and inside minivans. It’s also where you’ll find\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rosarios_tacos/?hl=en\"> Rosario’s Tacos\u003c/a>, a no-frills taqueria that started inside a garage before moving to its current brick-and-mortar location in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The gregarious owner, Joe, is an embodiment of San Jose’s low-riding Chicano spirit — a proud father with a full-bellied laugh and cynical sense of humor who refuses to give up on his community. The restaurant is named after his late mother, Rosario, whose recipes Joe has adapted to create the restaurant’s beloved quesabirria — a red-drenched behemoth of a taco, dripping with consomme, birria, cheese and (if desired) plump, succulent shrimp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosario’s generous portion sizes and undiluted hometown pride are what attract one of Shark City’s biggest foodies:\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chrisillmatic/?hl=en\"> Chris Villa\u003c/a>. As the face of\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sanjosefoos/?hl=en\"> San Jose Foos\u003c/a> — the 408’s most culturally influential social media empire, with over 226,000 followers on Instagram — Villa has been going to Rosario’s for years and chose it as our rendezvous point on a sunny South Bay afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958803\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958803\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a table of tacos and flyers for a music festival\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-35-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Jose Foos is helping to coordinate the city’s first-ever Latin house music festival at Discovery Meadow Park on June 15. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Though not food-specific, the page — which Villa co-facilitates with \u003ca href=\"https://www.metrosiliconvalley.com/san-jose-foos-become-a-much-needed-voice-for-san-jose-culture/\">San Jose Foos founder, Jorge Anthony Gomez\u003c/a> — uplifts a variety of San Jose-owned businesses like Rosario’s. Their popular, insider-y memes and videos highlight small, family-run, genuinely under-appreciated and off-the-radar locales that otherwise go unnoticed by the Bay Area mainstream. Villa has been involved with the account for four years and recently left his job at Apple to pursue his creativity full-time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In their biggest effort to continue building the city’s cultural profile, San Jose Foos are launching a new music festival: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/C7AhHO0Pucw/?hl=en\">Taraka\u003c/a>. Headlined by\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/gordoszn/?hl=en\"> Nicaraguan super producer and DJ, Gordo\u003c/a>, and featuring a cast of eleven Latin American house music DJs, the festival will be the only one of its kind in the region (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13865311/how-sonido-clash-music-fest-became-a-hub-for-forward-thinking-latinx-sounds\">Sonido Clash, the alternative Latinx music festival\u003c/a> that was once held in San Jose, has been discontinued since the pandemic).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After ordering close to 20 tacos — which we divvied up, each taking home leftovers — Villa and I ate ourselves into a peaceful state of higher consciousness while chatting about Silicon Valley’s joys, complexities and upcoming food and music takeover.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003ci>********\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958806\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958806\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"birria tacos on a grill at a taqueria\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-14-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The quesabirria tacos are a main attraction at Rosario’s. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Alan Chazaro: You chose this spot as our meeting point. What does Rosario’s Tacos mean to you? [mariachi music blares in the background]\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Chris Villa: \u003c/b>I’ve known about this spot for the longest. It’s a San Jose staple. It’s one of those spots that everyone in San Jose goes to. I’ve built a rapport with Joe [the owner] because of what he does and what he has contributed to the community. He has a presence here. And the food is delicious. This isn’t a gentrified spot, but you’ll still see every culture here. A group of Indian foodies recently made a video. That’s really cool to see. And Joe doesn’t want to go anywhere. He wants to stay right here in San Jose. That gives people a sense of pride. You can’t hate on that, you know?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>I feel that. Have you eaten the Godzilla Taco here? The menu says it’s a 14-inch quesabirria taco. It crossed my mind.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yeah, I have. I can’t finish it [laughs].\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958804\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958804\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a kitchen cook prepares meat for birria tacos\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-4-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rosario’s Tacos uses family recipes from the owner’s late mother, Rosario, to make some of the best quesabirria in San Jose. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>There are a lot of solid taquerias in this area. I remember eating around here when I was a teenager, and a group of gang members got out of their car and approached the people I was with because of some of the colors they were wearing. But the tacos were so damn good that I kept coming back. Did you grow up in this part of the city?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>I grew up on the south side of San Jose. We used to stay away from this area growing up because of what it is, you know [laughs]. Where I lived was like the opposite gang, but I wasn’t affiliated or anything like that. Before all the Instagram stuff, I’ve always been cool with everyone. Just going out and saying what’s up to all the homies. That’s just the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How did you start working with San Jose Foos, and what’s your involvement?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I partnered with my homie, Anthony [Gomez]. He’s the one who started it; I’m considered the face of it, and I’m in some of the videos. I also help with scheduling, shooting, editing and stuff like that as much as needed. I started a few years ago right after COVID [emerged] in 2020. After all that was going on, that’s when I jumped on board, and I was like, hey, you know, it’s a lot of fighting hate with hate. We wanted to make it a love thing. Support our community. Support local businesses however we can. We were at maybe 10,000 followers at the time, and it still made a difference. And from then it blew up from just telling people to check out this spot, go look at this artist, sharing San Jose staples that you got to know. It became more about that. Local history, culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958805\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958805\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a mural that reads "Rosario's Tacos San Jose" inside a taqueria\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-2-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mural inside the taqueria reflects the owner’s hometown Chicano pride. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Is that cultural representation something you think San Jose was lacking at the time — or is maybe still lacking?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was missing for the longest. San Jose hasn’t always been shown the same love as San Francisco and Oakland. We wanted to pivot and put San Jose on the map in different ways. That was the goal. We want to make people laugh, too [laughs]. This is my favorite horchata in San Jose, by the way [sips horchata].\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You’re helping launch a new festival in San Jose. That’s a big deal. How’s that going?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s huge. The first of its kind here in San Jose. They’re going to start building the stage. We’ve always wanted to do something big, festival wise. We’ve been mapping things out. Gordo is a dope artist. I’ve always been a fan of his, so when I heard we’re bringing him out I was like yo, that’s crazy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958808\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a journalist eating a taco\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-26-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">KQED food journalist Alan Chazaro listens in as Chris Villa talks about San Jose’s cultural riches. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your role in the festival?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m helping facilitate, mainly with the vendors. Making sure everyone’s good. I’ve been running around, wearing a few hats. It’ll all be at Discovery Meadows [the park outside the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose]. We have a friend who organizes events, and they’re really good at putting things together and getting the permits and things like that, so they took care of all that. We’ve done events before, but not this size. It’s gonna be good. It’s a large event being held in San Jose at a venue that not many people know about. The last big event that happened there was with Logic. He held a free event there. Hella random.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Who’s going to be there?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Live DJs will be going on from 2 to 9 on one stage. Gordo, Lee Foss, Malóne, Maneki. Nico Crespo from San Jose. He’s actually my best friend’s cousin and he’s been doing it big in the house and techno scene. It’s 11 Latin American house music DJs in total.\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/brownnproudla/?hl=en\"> Brown N Proud\u003c/a> LA is doing an SJ collab. He’s a clothing guy; [the clothing brand] Foos Gone Wild has partnered up with him before. But it’s mostly San Jose people:\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/shrimpn_aint_eazy/?hl=en\"> Shrimpin Ain’t Eazy\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/popupsj/?hl=en\">Pop Up SJ\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mrshrimpsj/\">Mr. Shrimp\u003c/a>. Food trucks, thrifters, clothing brands. Our own stuff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958809\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958809\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"three people sit in front of a taqueria during lunch\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/TacoTalkWAlanChris-37-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chris Vilal (left), Alan Chazaro (center) and Rosario’s Tacos owner, Joe (right), discuss San Jose’s artistic community. \u003ccite>(@alexknowbody)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s your philosophy on what San Jose could be doing better moving forward?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The biggest thing I see in San Jose is people fighting against each other, making everything a competition. [San Jose Foos] never saw it that way. We want to partner up with whoever wants to make a difference, big or small. Artists, photographers, any of that. One of the organizations we help out is\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/adopt_my_block/?hl=en\"> Adopt My Block\u003c/a>. They’re about adopting dogs, sheltering dogs. We reached out to them. It’s run by\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13839650/on-3rtys-veteran-san-jose-battle-rapper-dirtbag-dan-reveals-his-introspective-side\"> Dirtbag Dan\u003c/a>, one of [San Jose’s] old school battle rappers. We want to show that love to our city.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Taraka with Gordo’ will take place at Discovery Meadow Park (180 Woz Way, San Jose) on Sat., June 15 from 2 to 9 p.m. Tickets available \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taraka-san-jose-w-gordo-more-tba-tickets-891379388747?aff=aff0bandsintown&comeFrom=2500&artist_event_id=1031776474&bit_userid=%24%7Buser_id%7D&appId=onaqfvagbja_jro\">here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "The Return of East Oakland’s Menudo King",
"headTitle": "The Return of East Oakland’s Menudo King | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>In 2019, Nolberto Martinez, Jr. was already an East Oakland legend in the making. His little taqueria, La Casita, was \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/pozole-birria-and-more-homey-cooking-at-la-casita-2-1/\">routinely hailed\u003c/a> as one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/B6GXIfUlr7c4A3MSRv9hBxrXrfiLyyWMCldJos0/?img_index=6\">best restaurants\u003c/a> in Fruitvale — for its fat, hand-pressed tortillas, its habit-forming housemade salsas and, most of all, its homey, Jalisco-style soups, like pozole and menudo, which were some of the best I’d ever tasted. At the center of it all was Martinez himself, the Bay Area’s self-styled “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk5XxFYnDH8Uz6YpKcgAiLNM2tScp6G3P0v3TQ0/\">menudo king\u003c/a>,” a boisterous presence who’d greet each guest with a plate of tortillas and cotija-dusted black beans and a booming, “What can I get for you, bro?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a dream come true for an East Oakland kid who grew up bussing tables at his grandmother’s Mexican restaurant on East 12th, hatching plans to someday open his own spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, a series of calamities: In May of 2019, Martinez’s father passed away from cancer, and before he’d even had a chance to process his grief, the pandemic hit the Bay Area in full force. “Nobody was coming to the Fruitvale,” Martinez recalls. “We were constantly in the news: ‘Don’t come to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/One-Oakland-neighborhood-has-seen-a-surge-in-15651955.php\">Fruitvale district because of COVID\u003c/a>.’ It was a ghost town.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>La Casita’s temporary closure quickly turned permanent, and then Martinez…kind of disappeared for four years. Not literally, of course. He still picked up catering gigs and did occasional pop-ups, slinging quesabirria in the park or at a local brewery. Once in a while he’d cook up a big batch of his excellent, sneakily spicy \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/12/8/22154347/holidays-shopping-gifts-san-francisco-oakland-food-restaurants\">orange salsa\u003c/a> and sell it to his \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CIeksGLF_kECYCtgJwTQjKxSLjKkpaUmcOsL7E0/?img_index=1\">Instagram\u003c/a> followers. But as far as running a restaurant? It seemed like he was out of the game for good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958128\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958128\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut.jpg\" alt=\"A chef uses tongs to turn ears of corn cooking on the grill inside a restaurant kitchen.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">After a four-year hiatus, Martinez is back doing what he loves best: running a restaurant in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Until a couple of months ago, that is. In March, Martinez started a new job as the general manager of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/todosmexican/?hl=en\">Todos\u003c/a>, a two-year-old Mexican restaurant in downtown Oakland where he does a little bit of everything — works front of house, oversees the kitchen crew, lends a hand at the bar, jumps on the line to grill up some elote. Slowly, too, he’s been tweaking the menu, and in the next couple of weeks, he’ll be rolling out some of the La Casita classics that made him a local legend: the birria, pozole and menudo. It’s an answer to so many soup lovers’ wistful prayers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now firmly entrenched in his new gig, Martinez acknowledges that the past four years were a dark and difficult time. Losing his dad, Nolberto Sr. — himself a chef and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/ByVYUeOAKy5vGAE1f33S8ohAtbvf2fYkSvzXwA0/\">longtime fixture in Oakland restaurant kitchens\u003c/a> — was a big blow to the entire family. Losing La Casita on top of that left Martinez feeling even more heartbroken and unmoored.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All I ever wanted was to open my own restaurant,” he says. “I was really down, man. For a long time, I was pissed off at myself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the midst of those difficult times, Martinez says he turned to his Oakland community for support. He worked for a coffee roaster and a moving company for a while, then found a job as a prep cook for a nonprofit that delivered meals to churches and convalescent homes. He started working on his mental health, too — joined a men’s healing group, stopped drinking, came to terms with his father’s death and just generally tried to take better care of himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957673\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957673\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt='Exterior of of a downtown restaurant. The sign reads, \"Todos Cantina + Cocina.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Todos, a two-year-old Mexican restaurant in downtown Oakland, has given Martinez a fresh opportunity. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Around this time, one of his coworkers told him that the Todos ownership group — the team that operates \u003ca href=\"https://underdogstoo.com/\">Underdogs\u003c/a> in San Francisco and a handful of \u003ca href=\"https://elrestaurante.com/the-taco-syndicate-web-of-restaurants-keeps-taco-lovers-happ/\">other Mexican restaurants around the Bay\u003c/a> — was looking for someone to run their Oakland location. They wanted someone who loved Oakland and knew the Mexican food business. As it turns out, Martinez fit that description to a T.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is a trope in the food industry where a talented chef quits his cushy job working for a big, investor-driven restaurant in order to open his own little passion project, allowing him to finally find true fulfillment. On the face of it, anyway, Martinez’s path has had the reverse trajectory. But if anything, he seems humbled and grateful for the opportunity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not too many people want to teach you something, let alone a guy from East Oakland,” Martinez says of his new employers. “I’m happy. I feel a lot better as a person. I feel like I have the weight on my shoulders [lifted].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957677\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957677\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Quesabirria cook on the plancha. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now, Martinez is learning the ins and outs of running a 90-seat restaurant — much, much larger than his tiny taqueria on Foothill Boulevard. He manages dozens of employees, handles a massive office catering operation and is taking online classes to acquire all of the deeper business knowledge he’d previously just had to pick up on the fly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003cb>\u003cstrong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13955802,arts_13954112,arts_13931115']\u003c/span>\u003c/strong>\u003c/b>\u003c/span>For longtime fans of La Casita, the most exciting part is that he’s starting to put his own stamp on the menu. This week he’ll roll out his beef birria, which has already been on the menu in the form of his popular consomé-soaked quesabirria tacos. Now, Todos will serve birria in a variety of new formats — the traditional way, as a soup, with rice and beans on the side; as a street taco; and in the double-wrapped crispy tacos known as diablitos. “You can call Todos an Oakland birrieria now, I’m very proud to say,” Martinez says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the coming weeks he’ll also begin serving pozole and menudo on the weekends. Both are versions of recipes that Martinez inherited when he bought the Foothill Boulevard restaurant from Ana Maria Campos, who ran it under the name Taqueria Campos for more than 10 years before he took over the business. It’s for good reason that old customers still speak about those soups in hushed, reverent tones: In my memory, Martinez’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lacasitaeastoakland/\">red pork pozole\u003c/a> had the kind of heady, invigorating broth that warms you up from the inside, especially when doctored with a drizzle of the chef’s housemade chile de árbol chili oil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957678\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957678\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A sauce-drenched wet burrito on a plate.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The wet burrito at Todos. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And his menudo, that famous hangover cure, may have been the best I’ve ever tasted — the tripe and the jiggly beef trotter slow-simmered until they’re slurpably soft, the broth as clean and clarifying as you can imagine. During La Casita’s glory years, the restaurant was “like a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/BksX-98HDv8HkCi5N3oYRFh-A0j-YL-HWb7rE80/\">hangover headquarters\u003c/a>,” Martinez recalls, as customers lined up for their morning menudo fix on Saturdays and Sundays — and even Mondays, when the really serious drinkers would call in sick. “I call it food for the soul, man,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After his long hiatus, Martinez says it means the world to him to bring these dishes back to Oakland now, at a restaurant with an even wider reach. He thinks about how important it is for him to carry on his family’s legacy — about how much he loved watching his dad cook and how his grandmother opened La Estrellita, one of Fruitvale’s first Mexican restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958129\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958129\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut.jpg\" alt=\"A chef puts plates of food that are ready to be served onto the pass inside a restaurant kitchen.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">For Martinez, operating a restaurant in Oakland is a matter of family pride — and Town pride. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There is the matter, too, of repping his neighborhood and hometown. In the old La Casita days, in almost every photo of the restaurant that Martinez posted on social media, he’s posing next to the mural on the outside. It reads, in boldface lowrider-style lettering, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Wqnj_laPncUFgduyw_OWl0eoCNWkrXbwZVZk0/\">Oakland Over Everything\u003c/a>” — an encapsulation of the chef’s Town pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Me being from the Fruitvale district here in East Oakland, it was rough growing up. A lot of us didn’t make it; a lot of us are not doing good,” Martinez says. “For me to be blessed like this, it means a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/todosmexican/\">\u003ci>Todos\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is located at 2315 Valdez St. in Oakland.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In 2019, Nolberto Martinez, Jr. was already an East Oakland legend in the making. His little taqueria, La Casita, was \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/pozole-birria-and-more-homey-cooking-at-la-casita-2-1/\">routinely hailed\u003c/a> as one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/B6GXIfUlr7c4A3MSRv9hBxrXrfiLyyWMCldJos0/?img_index=6\">best restaurants\u003c/a> in Fruitvale — for its fat, hand-pressed tortillas, its habit-forming housemade salsas and, most of all, its homey, Jalisco-style soups, like pozole and menudo, which were some of the best I’d ever tasted. At the center of it all was Martinez himself, the Bay Area’s self-styled “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk5XxFYnDH8Uz6YpKcgAiLNM2tScp6G3P0v3TQ0/\">menudo king\u003c/a>,” a boisterous presence who’d greet each guest with a plate of tortillas and cotija-dusted black beans and a booming, “What can I get for you, bro?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a dream come true for an East Oakland kid who grew up bussing tables at his grandmother’s Mexican restaurant on East 12th, hatching plans to someday open his own spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, a series of calamities: In May of 2019, Martinez’s father passed away from cancer, and before he’d even had a chance to process his grief, the pandemic hit the Bay Area in full force. “Nobody was coming to the Fruitvale,” Martinez recalls. “We were constantly in the news: ‘Don’t come to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/One-Oakland-neighborhood-has-seen-a-surge-in-15651955.php\">Fruitvale district because of COVID\u003c/a>.’ It was a ghost town.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>La Casita’s temporary closure quickly turned permanent, and then Martinez…kind of disappeared for four years. Not literally, of course. He still picked up catering gigs and did occasional pop-ups, slinging quesabirria in the park or at a local brewery. Once in a while he’d cook up a big batch of his excellent, sneakily spicy \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/12/8/22154347/holidays-shopping-gifts-san-francisco-oakland-food-restaurants\">orange salsa\u003c/a> and sell it to his \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CIeksGLF_kECYCtgJwTQjKxSLjKkpaUmcOsL7E0/?img_index=1\">Instagram\u003c/a> followers. But as far as running a restaurant? It seemed like he was out of the game for good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958128\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958128\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut.jpg\" alt=\"A chef uses tongs to turn ears of corn cooking on the grill inside a restaurant kitchen.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-03_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">After a four-year hiatus, Martinez is back doing what he loves best: running a restaurant in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Until a couple of months ago, that is. In March, Martinez started a new job as the general manager of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/todosmexican/?hl=en\">Todos\u003c/a>, a two-year-old Mexican restaurant in downtown Oakland where he does a little bit of everything — works front of house, oversees the kitchen crew, lends a hand at the bar, jumps on the line to grill up some elote. Slowly, too, he’s been tweaking the menu, and in the next couple of weeks, he’ll be rolling out some of the La Casita classics that made him a local legend: the birria, pozole and menudo. It’s an answer to so many soup lovers’ wistful prayers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now firmly entrenched in his new gig, Martinez acknowledges that the past four years were a dark and difficult time. Losing his dad, Nolberto Sr. — himself a chef and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/ByVYUeOAKy5vGAE1f33S8ohAtbvf2fYkSvzXwA0/\">longtime fixture in Oakland restaurant kitchens\u003c/a> — was a big blow to the entire family. Losing La Casita on top of that left Martinez feeling even more heartbroken and unmoored.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All I ever wanted was to open my own restaurant,” he says. “I was really down, man. For a long time, I was pissed off at myself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the midst of those difficult times, Martinez says he turned to his Oakland community for support. He worked for a coffee roaster and a moving company for a while, then found a job as a prep cook for a nonprofit that delivered meals to churches and convalescent homes. He started working on his mental health, too — joined a men’s healing group, stopped drinking, came to terms with his father’s death and just generally tried to take better care of himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957673\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957673\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt='Exterior of of a downtown restaurant. The sign reads, \"Todos Cantina + Cocina.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-01-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Todos, a two-year-old Mexican restaurant in downtown Oakland, has given Martinez a fresh opportunity. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Around this time, one of his coworkers told him that the Todos ownership group — the team that operates \u003ca href=\"https://underdogstoo.com/\">Underdogs\u003c/a> in San Francisco and a handful of \u003ca href=\"https://elrestaurante.com/the-taco-syndicate-web-of-restaurants-keeps-taco-lovers-happ/\">other Mexican restaurants around the Bay\u003c/a> — was looking for someone to run their Oakland location. They wanted someone who loved Oakland and knew the Mexican food business. As it turns out, Martinez fit that description to a T.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is a trope in the food industry where a talented chef quits his cushy job working for a big, investor-driven restaurant in order to open his own little passion project, allowing him to finally find true fulfillment. On the face of it, anyway, Martinez’s path has had the reverse trajectory. But if anything, he seems humbled and grateful for the opportunity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not too many people want to teach you something, let alone a guy from East Oakland,” Martinez says of his new employers. “I’m happy. I feel a lot better as a person. I feel like I have the weight on my shoulders [lifted].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957677\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957677\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-06-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Quesabirria cook on the plancha. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now, Martinez is learning the ins and outs of running a 90-seat restaurant — much, much larger than his tiny taqueria on Foothill Boulevard. He manages dozens of employees, handles a massive office catering operation and is taking online classes to acquire all of the deeper business knowledge he’d previously just had to pick up on the fly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003cb>\u003cstrong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/strong>\u003c/b>\u003c/span>For longtime fans of La Casita, the most exciting part is that he’s starting to put his own stamp on the menu. This week he’ll roll out his beef birria, which has already been on the menu in the form of his popular consomé-soaked quesabirria tacos. Now, Todos will serve birria in a variety of new formats — the traditional way, as a soup, with rice and beans on the side; as a street taco; and in the double-wrapped crispy tacos known as diablitos. “You can call Todos an Oakland birrieria now, I’m very proud to say,” Martinez says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the coming weeks he’ll also begin serving pozole and menudo on the weekends. Both are versions of recipes that Martinez inherited when he bought the Foothill Boulevard restaurant from Ana Maria Campos, who ran it under the name Taqueria Campos for more than 10 years before he took over the business. It’s for good reason that old customers still speak about those soups in hushed, reverent tones: In my memory, Martinez’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lacasitaeastoakland/\">red pork pozole\u003c/a> had the kind of heady, invigorating broth that warms you up from the inside, especially when doctored with a drizzle of the chef’s housemade chile de árbol chili oil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957678\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957678\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A sauce-drenched wet burrito on a plate.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-07-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The wet burrito at Todos. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And his menudo, that famous hangover cure, may have been the best I’ve ever tasted — the tripe and the jiggly beef trotter slow-simmered until they’re slurpably soft, the broth as clean and clarifying as you can imagine. During La Casita’s glory years, the restaurant was “like a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/BksX-98HDv8HkCi5N3oYRFh-A0j-YL-HWb7rE80/\">hangover headquarters\u003c/a>,” Martinez recalls, as customers lined up for their morning menudo fix on Saturdays and Sundays — and even Mondays, when the really serious drinkers would call in sick. “I call it food for the soul, man,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After his long hiatus, Martinez says it means the world to him to bring these dishes back to Oakland now, at a restaurant with an even wider reach. He thinks about how important it is for him to carry on his family’s legacy — about how much he loved watching his dad cook and how his grandmother opened La Estrellita, one of Fruitvale’s first Mexican restaurants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958129\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958129\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut.jpg\" alt=\"A chef puts plates of food that are ready to be served onto the pass inside a restaurant kitchen.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/240509-MENUDO-KING-MD-04_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">For Martinez, operating a restaurant in Oakland is a matter of family pride — and Town pride. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There is the matter, too, of repping his neighborhood and hometown. In the old La Casita days, in almost every photo of the restaurant that Martinez posted on social media, he’s posing next to the mural on the outside. It reads, in boldface lowrider-style lettering, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Wqnj_laPncUFgduyw_OWl0eoCNWkrXbwZVZk0/\">Oakland Over Everything\u003c/a>” — an encapsulation of the chef’s Town pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Me being from the Fruitvale district here in East Oakland, it was rough growing up. A lot of us didn’t make it; a lot of us are not doing good,” Martinez says. “For me to be blessed like this, it means a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/todosmexican/\">\u003ci>Todos\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is located at 2315 Valdez St. in Oakland.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "How Social Media Is Fueling a New Era of 'Latinextravagant' Restaurants",
"headTitle": "How Social Media Is Fueling a New Era of ‘Latinextravagant’ Restaurants | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>[dropcap]C[/dropcap]apturing the enormity of Latinidad is impossible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our diasporas are simply too sprawling and unwieldy. We are too bass-thumping. Too slippery. Too regionally layered and linguistically varied. Too contradictory, too bombastic, too fragmented, too migratory. Sometimes too nepotistic. Perhaps too open-hearted? We definitely resist simple definitions. (We can’t even internally agree on whether we call ourselves Latino, Latina, Latinx, Latine or, my personal favorite, Latin@).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And I love us for that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It makes sense, then, that our foods, which are equally hyphenated, uncategorizable and epic, push against the borders of tradition. Indeed, our culinary offerings are as sprawling and bold as our own communities are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Picture a restaurant in Hayward that serves pupusas with the circumference of a pizza. Or, at a Dublin taqueria, a ridiculously gigantic bowl of phở birria next to a cake-sized pan dulce French toast that’ll feed an entire family. Down in San Jose, you can grub on generously-loaded baked potatoes topped with sour cream, jalapeños and al pastor. And in Richmond, when all else fails, there’s always the amalgam of Hot Cheetos on this and Doritos on that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936289\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936289\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A large pupusa cooking on a griddle is flipped using a pizza peel.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Flipping one of Las Cabañas’ oversized pupusas on the griddle. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the words of \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/el_tragon_de_LA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\">L.A. Taco’s Memo Torres\u003c/a>, a journalist who often goes viral for showcasing imaginative Latinx meals, including both the \u003ca href=\"https://lataco.com/tiny-tamales-street-vendor\">tiniest\u003c/a> \u003cem>and\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://lataco.com/biggest-tamales-torrance-los-angeles\">largest\u003c/a> tamales in L.A.: “Latinos can be extra flamboyant.” It’s true. When it comes to cooking and eating, we tend to possess a Super Saiyan level of confidence. It’s a state of being that I’ve taken to calling “Latinextravagant.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lifestyle doesn’t come without its flaws: cycles of dietary miseducation, questionable spending habits and social media vulturing. Certainly, the widespread influence of platforms like Instagram and TikTok has warped the foodscape, with businesses adjusting their models to meet the algorithm’s demands. But combining intergenerational family knowledge with internet trends is a major part of how today’s food businesses are able to thrive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And no one seems to be doing it with as much out-of-pocket razzle dazzle as Latinx food entrepreneurs.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Pupusas the Size of a Pizza\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Perhaps no other eatery in the East Bay delivers a more Latinextravagant experience than Hayward’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pupuseria_las_cabanas/\">Pupuseria Las Cabañas\u003c/a>. A Salvadoran sit-down with a full bar, Las Cabañas is best known for its pizza-sized pupusas and dizzying selection of margaritas. When I went on a weekend after 10 p.m., lines snaked out the door. It felt like I was stepping into a family celebration, with abuelos cracking jokes beside sleeping infants while college-aged friends buzzed around.[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\"]‘Our foods, which are equally hyphenated, uncategorizable and epic, push against the borders of tradition.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Las Cabañas encapsulates the ways in which family legacy, comfort food, social media clout and intergenerational evolution intersect to create something uniquely appealing to modern eaters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What does that look like? A plate of gargantuan pupusas locas. The dish hails from El Salvador, where larger-than-average pupusas have been cooked up for eons. But for owner Frankie Martinez, it’s about taking it over the top.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936288\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936288\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with a goatee looks at the camera and leans against a wall inside a restaurant.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pupuseria Las Cabańas owner Frankie Martinez poses for a portrait at his Hayward restaurant. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To make the pupusa loca, a giant lump of masa — which weighs several pounds and resembles a small medicine ball — gets flattened into something like pizza dough, then kneaded and knuckled into a girthy disc that gets filled with cheese and refried beans. The process to make a single pupusa loca takes roughly 10 minutes inside a narrow, scorching-hot kitchen. It’s finally plated with an optional birria topping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the somewhat gimmicky nature of the dish, there is an emphasis on made-from-scratch ingredients, giving the final product a fire-kissed freshness that can hold its own against pupusas of any diameter. Social media has played a role, too, in helping to increase the local pupuseria’s mojo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I never knew how much [social media] would impact our sales,” Martinez says. “I had to hire a lot more people, put more systems in place. It’s not just our regular customers anymore, we get people who don’t even know what a pupusa is, so we’ve had to train our workers on how to even explain it. People are coming and just showing us something they saw on their phones and telling us that’s what they want. They’re not even looking at our menus.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936294\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936294\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"The interior of a restaurant with several tables full of customers.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The restaurant is known for its festive, party-like atmosphere. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to Martinez, the pupusa loca is so large that he only knows of one patron who has single-mouthedly finished it. The rest? They order it, take a selfie, attempt a few bites, then box it up to go — in an actual pizza box. (I shamefully admit my wife and I only ate about half, but we tried, damn it.) Martinez is aware that the spectacle and presentation of his food is just as important as the quality. It’s all part of his strategy. And it’s working.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everybody is on TikTok and Instagram,” says Cesar Arroyo, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ieatcalifornia/\">a Bay Area food influencer\u003c/a> and Gen-Z immigrant from Mexico who went from working construction to consulting for restaurant owners like Martinez to promote brand growth. “Simple videos can go viral and save a whole business. It can sometimes be too much, to be honest with you. But you want to bring in a crowd. You want people to take a picture with something big. It’s exposure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While at Las Cabañas, you’ll also want to also check out their pupusa bombs — deep fried bolitas of masa stuffed with cheese, frijoles and, if you so desire, birria (what else?). They’re equally photogenic, with fun cheese pulls and gooey insides dripping out of the spherical pupusa shell. And if you’re feeling especially Latinextravagant, you can add an order of “Angelita’s Margarita.” Named after Martinez’s mother, the drink is an endearing tribute to the original “hustler” who first opened Las Cabañas in 2004. After she passed from an illness in 2015, Martinez has carried on his mother’s recipes but with a modernized, Instagram-friendly twist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936292\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936292\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A fork and knife cut into a filled fried-looking ball.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cutting into the oozy, cheesy interior of a pupusa bomb. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The exposure has undoubtedly been good for Martinez’s family-owned business. He confirms a boost in clientele since he introduced the mammoth birria pupusas in 2018 that has been unlike anything previously seen in the restaurant’s multi-decade existence. This summer, numerous Bay Area food influencers — including Arroyo, whose IEatCalifornia account on Instagram has over 41,000 followers — have posted about the giant pupusa, which has led to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/bay-area-pupuseria-las-cabanas-giant-pupusa-18362742.php\">mainstream news outlets\u003c/a> catching on. I personally found out about the pupuseria when a friend DMed me a viral video of the pupusa loca earlier this year. Despite living in Hayward for years, I hadn’t known about Las Cabañas prior to seeing it on social media. [pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Cesar Arroyo\"]‘You want to bring in a crowd. You want people to take a picture with something big.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We started doing more social media, especially in 2020 when the pandemic happened,” Martinez says. “When my mom was around, she was skeptical of it. She wanted us to do TV commercials. But I told her people don’t watch those as much anymore. I know she would be proud of where the restaurant is today and she would understand and support it. She’d be like ‘What are you doing now, aye mijo? Que no son bayuncadas.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>L.A. Taco’s Torres has noticed similar social media trends in Southern California, where many of the nation’s Latinx food trends — including \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">quesabirria\u003c/a> — originally took off. “[Social media] is a way for people to empower their business in their own style. Any chef who wants to be out of pocket can [do so].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@thesnacksensei/video/7284136103475481902\" data-video-id=\"7284136103475481902\">\n\u003csection>\u003ca title=\"@thesnacksensei\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@thesnacksensei?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@thesnacksensei\u003c/a> The Biggest Pupusas In The Bay Area! 📍 Pupuseria Las Cabanas In Hayward CA 🔥 \u003ca title=\"pupusas\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/pupusas?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#pupusas\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"pupuseria\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/pupuseria?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#pupuseria\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"bayarea\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bayarea?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#bayarea\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"♬ Wild Thing (Re-Recorded) - Tone-Loc\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/Wild-Thing-Re-Recorded-6717747275818387458?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">♬ Wild Thing (Re-Recorded) – Tone-Loc\u003c/a>\u003c/section>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>[tiktok]\u003cbr>\nHowever, it’s a flawed system — one that fosters a certain kind of gatekeeping, fetishization and even exploitation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The vultures of IG and TikTok, like anything, have a downside,” Torres continues. “With millions of followers, [some food influencers] charge $800 to $1,000 for an hour. That’s capitalism right there. I know a lot of influencers who invite me to eat with them, and their rates with vendors are fucking outrageous. But yeah, it’s catchy, to get on the map, to get attention. Especially for small vendors. Social media is where they can get their publicity for cheaper, even if influencers are charging an arm and an ass for content.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Martinez hasn’t shied away from that approach, though, leveraging the Instagram-driven birria craze through popular food personalities like San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thesnacksensei/?hl=en\">Snack Sensei\u003c/a> to further blow up. The dynamic is complicated, as the social media buzz that comes with a made-for-glam dish like the pupusa loca is one of the easiest ways hard-working restaurateurs like Martinez can make their business stand out in a culinary landscape saturated with over-hyped content. It highlights this current generation of foodmakers’ larger struggles to present their cultural foods to a wider audience — foods that, in many cases, were simply overlooked in the past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938219\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938219\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A female line cook uses a spatula to lift a giant pupusa onto a plate.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Irma Morales, a cook at Las Cabañas, places a finished pupusa onto a plate. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>A Cultural Marriage of Birria and Phở\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In one of Dublin’s sleepiest, least glamorous strip malls, you’ll find what may be the most underappreciated fusion eatery in our region: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/taqueriaaztecadublinca/\">Taqueria Azteca\u003c/a>. Acquired in 1998 by Luong “Lu” Dang, a Vietnamese war refugee who arrived in the East Bay in the ‘70s, the shop has maintained its down-to-earth, homely Mexican vibes from previous ownership, while loudly introducing some of Dang’s zanier combinations, like Bochata (boba + horchata) and birria-filled bao.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azteca is the proud home of quesabirria grilled cheese sandwiches and — my wife’s favorite — pan dulce French toast. Served on a massive, custom-made concha from \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/JuanitaMarketTracy/\">Juanita Market #4 in Tracy\u003c/a>, the dense, pink beauty is buttered up and prepared like any other French toast, with an optional tray of ham and eggs on the side. To be mega-clear, this pan dulce has the acreage of a cake, with a heft that can only be described as intimidating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937819\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937819\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549.jpg\" alt=\"a tray of pink pan dulce french toast is topped with strawberries and served with a hefty side of eggs and ham\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taqueria Azteca’s pan dulce French toast is topped with strawberries and served with a hefty side of eggs and ham on a cafeteria-sized tray. \u003ccite>(Briana Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But the restaurant’s flagship item is its bone-in birria phở — an eye-popping amount of noodles swimming around in consommé broth, with a “dinosaur bone” of meat casually laid on top. For the average eater, it more than suffices as lunch and dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Years ago, I didn’t have the nuts to do this,” Dang says. “But the Bay Area has a huge Vietnamese and Latino community, so everyone loves to see it. At first we were all clumsy with it, but we found our rhythm and are learning how to do it properly. Ask the [Latino] cooks here what they eat. They’re the ones making stuff that’s personal to them, and we each add our own touches. We eat our own food every day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Dang’s case, it’s not so much about pushing forward a family tradition as it is about fusing immigrant experiences. Married to Estefany Garcia, an immigrant from Michoacán, Dang has extensively toured various pueblos around Mexico, listing off dishes that even I — the son of Mexicans whose own mother lives in Veracruz — didn’t recognize, including corundas, uchepos and morisquetas. Together, Dang and Garcia are organically uniting their cultures through a genuine, love-bound exploration of their own brand of Latinextravagant cuisine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937818\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937818\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541.jpg\" alt=\"a bone-in slab of Mexican birria is served in a giant bowl of Vietnamese pho\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In Dublin, a bone-in slab of Mexican birria is served in a giant bowl of Vietnamese phở. \u003ccite>(Briana Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It allows us to open up our kitchen in ways that are both traditional and non-traditional,” he says. “We’re always blending. At home, she might cook phở, and then she’ll make tinga and we’ll mix it. I added birria to bao, as well. The bao bun is a very different texture [from tortillas]. It’s soft and chewy and crispy, inside and out. It’s fun and easy to share. And it’s so damn good to eat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The internet has played a major role for Lu and Garcia’s concoctions, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Social media] is a communication channel unlike before,” says Lu. “I used to do TV and radio in the 2000s, and it was completely hit or miss. For small businesses like us, we can’t afford that. With Instagram, it levels the playing field. We eat with our eyes first. Something that we can do to grab your attention is to make it over-the-top.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@bayareafoodz/video/7293918581539048734\" data-video-id=\"7293918581539048734\">\n\u003csection>\u003ca title=\"@bayareafoodz\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@bayareafoodz?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@bayareafoodz\u003c/a> Check out this Big ass taco i got from @taqueriaaztecadublin its get no better than this \u003ca title=\"bayarea\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bayarea?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#bayarea\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"tacos\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tacos?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#tacos\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"tacostuesday\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tacostuesday?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#tacostuesday\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"bayareafoodz\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bayareafoodz?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#bayareafoodz\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"♬ original sound - Bayareafoodz\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7293918667434773279?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">♬ original sound – Bayareafoodz\u003c/a>\u003c/section>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>[tiktok]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a small, otherwise modest eatery where Latino construction workers, white suburban moms and Asian elders mingle, Azteca is among the most unexpectedly “epic” dining experiences I’ve found in the Bay. Lu is extremely passionate about keeping Azteca’s foods playful and inviting — a major element of Mexican food that attracted him when he first came to it as an outsider. It’s something that Latinextravagant foods tend to do: They compel others to join in and share.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Beyond the Big Dishes\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s not always about dishing out the largest super-sized taco on the block. It’s also about paying homage in smaller, but equally creative, ways. After all, there’s a reason antojitos locos (or “crazy snacks”) have also gone viral throughout Mexico and Central America, and have now reached the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent favorite of mine is the Tostielote, an open-faced bag of Tostitos buried under esquites, parmesan cheese, sour cream, butter and mayonnaise. I recommend the version at \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2_ptbtSSyQ\">Junior’s Roaster\u003c/a>, a food truck located in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957907/this-is-our-city-san-joses-berryessa-flea-market-vendors-fight-to-stay\">the San José Flea Market\u003c/a>. There, you’ll encounter an old-school roasting machine that is used to prepare elotes, esquites and papas horneadas (baked potatoes). You can add any mix of meats (carne asada, al pastor, pollo asado), junk food (Flamin’ Hots, Ruffles, Takis) and hot sauces for a customized perfection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914234\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914234\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A foil-wrapped burrito and a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos on red and white checkered butcher paper.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Flamin’ Hot Cheeto burrito is by far the most popular item at Taqueria El Mezcal, which has locations in San Pablo, Hayward and San Lorenzo. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elmezcalsanpablo/\">Taqueria El Mezcal\u003c/a>, a humble local chain with three locations scattered throughout the East Bay, is known for its fiery, snack-inspired dishes. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913985/hot-cheeto-burrito-taqueria-el-mezcal-richard-montanez-san-pablo\">Officially recognized by Chester Cheetah for its Hot Cheetos burrito\u003c/a>, the restaurant unveiled a new botana-inspired masterpiece this summer: the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/alan_chazaro/status/1696339131289203181\">Doritos chilaquiles burrito\u003c/a>. It includes a bag’s worth of spicy nacho Doritos, refried beans, three fried eggs, crema, guacamole and your choice of meat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cstrong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13931115,arts_13920483,arts_13913985']\u003c/span>\u003c/strong>\u003c/b>None of these Latinextravagant foods are exactly calorie-conscious. And for the most part, that’s okay: The restaurants themselves wouldn’t suggest that customers eat this stuff every day, and they aren’t necessarily challenging anyone to take down a giant burrito or pupusa on their own, either. The super-sized dishes are meant to be novelty foods — a memorable experience rather than your daily source of sustenance. And in many cases, immigrant foodmakers are simply tailoring their menus in response to their TikTok and Instagram numbers, even bantering and discussing ideas with commenters in the reply sections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a recipe that has, at least so far, proven itself successful for the times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s mostly a marketing thing, but [Latinx businesses] do really think out of the box,” Arroyo, the influencer, says. “Some people don’t like it, but I believe in food bringing people together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When done well, the Latinextravagant approach to food attracts more people to the table than ever. At our core, Latinx diasporas are simply too big to be boxed in, and our foods could never fit inside any one nation’s stomach. But still, we try our best to share it with everyone else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938220\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938220\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Rubber gloved hand sprinkles chopped cilantro onto an oversized pupusa topped the meat.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The finishing touch: sprinkling chopped onions and cilantro onto a giant — and truly Latinextravagant — pupusa. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pupuseria_las_cabanas/\">Pupuseria Las Cabañas\u003c/a> is located at 30030 Mission Blvd. in Hayward. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/taqueriaaztecadublinca/\">Taqueria Azteca\u003c/a> is located at 7155 Amador Plaza Rd. in Dublin.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">C\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>apturing the enormity of Latinidad is impossible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our diasporas are simply too sprawling and unwieldy. We are too bass-thumping. Too slippery. Too regionally layered and linguistically varied. Too contradictory, too bombastic, too fragmented, too migratory. Sometimes too nepotistic. Perhaps too open-hearted? We definitely resist simple definitions. (We can’t even internally agree on whether we call ourselves Latino, Latina, Latinx, Latine or, my personal favorite, Latin@).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And I love us for that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It makes sense, then, that our foods, which are equally hyphenated, uncategorizable and epic, push against the borders of tradition. Indeed, our culinary offerings are as sprawling and bold as our own communities are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Picture a restaurant in Hayward that serves pupusas with the circumference of a pizza. Or, at a Dublin taqueria, a ridiculously gigantic bowl of phở birria next to a cake-sized pan dulce French toast that’ll feed an entire family. Down in San Jose, you can grub on generously-loaded baked potatoes topped with sour cream, jalapeños and al pastor. And in Richmond, when all else fails, there’s always the amalgam of Hot Cheetos on this and Doritos on that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936289\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936289\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A large pupusa cooking on a griddle is flipped using a pizza peel.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-013-JY-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Flipping one of Las Cabañas’ oversized pupusas on the griddle. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the words of \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/el_tragon_de_LA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\">L.A. Taco’s Memo Torres\u003c/a>, a journalist who often goes viral for showcasing imaginative Latinx meals, including both the \u003ca href=\"https://lataco.com/tiny-tamales-street-vendor\">tiniest\u003c/a> \u003cem>and\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://lataco.com/biggest-tamales-torrance-los-angeles\">largest\u003c/a> tamales in L.A.: “Latinos can be extra flamboyant.” It’s true. When it comes to cooking and eating, we tend to possess a Super Saiyan level of confidence. It’s a state of being that I’ve taken to calling “Latinextravagant.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lifestyle doesn’t come without its flaws: cycles of dietary miseducation, questionable spending habits and social media vulturing. Certainly, the widespread influence of platforms like Instagram and TikTok has warped the foodscape, with businesses adjusting their models to meet the algorithm’s demands. But combining intergenerational family knowledge with internet trends is a major part of how today’s food businesses are able to thrive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And no one seems to be doing it with as much out-of-pocket razzle dazzle as Latinx food entrepreneurs.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Pupusas the Size of a Pizza\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Perhaps no other eatery in the East Bay delivers a more Latinextravagant experience than Hayward’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pupuseria_las_cabanas/\">Pupuseria Las Cabañas\u003c/a>. A Salvadoran sit-down with a full bar, Las Cabañas is best known for its pizza-sized pupusas and dizzying selection of margaritas. When I went on a weekend after 10 p.m., lines snaked out the door. It felt like I was stepping into a family celebration, with abuelos cracking jokes beside sleeping infants while college-aged friends buzzed around.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Las Cabañas encapsulates the ways in which family legacy, comfort food, social media clout and intergenerational evolution intersect to create something uniquely appealing to modern eaters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What does that look like? A plate of gargantuan pupusas locas. The dish hails from El Salvador, where larger-than-average pupusas have been cooked up for eons. But for owner Frankie Martinez, it’s about taking it over the top.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936288\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936288\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with a goatee looks at the camera and leans against a wall inside a restaurant.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-004-JY-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pupuseria Las Cabańas owner Frankie Martinez poses for a portrait at his Hayward restaurant. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To make the pupusa loca, a giant lump of masa — which weighs several pounds and resembles a small medicine ball — gets flattened into something like pizza dough, then kneaded and knuckled into a girthy disc that gets filled with cheese and refried beans. The process to make a single pupusa loca takes roughly 10 minutes inside a narrow, scorching-hot kitchen. It’s finally plated with an optional birria topping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the somewhat gimmicky nature of the dish, there is an emphasis on made-from-scratch ingredients, giving the final product a fire-kissed freshness that can hold its own against pupusas of any diameter. Social media has played a role, too, in helping to increase the local pupuseria’s mojo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I never knew how much [social media] would impact our sales,” Martinez says. “I had to hire a lot more people, put more systems in place. It’s not just our regular customers anymore, we get people who don’t even know what a pupusa is, so we’ve had to train our workers on how to even explain it. People are coming and just showing us something they saw on their phones and telling us that’s what they want. They’re not even looking at our menus.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936294\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936294\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"The interior of a restaurant with several tables full of customers.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-033-JY-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The restaurant is known for its festive, party-like atmosphere. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to Martinez, the pupusa loca is so large that he only knows of one patron who has single-mouthedly finished it. The rest? They order it, take a selfie, attempt a few bites, then box it up to go — in an actual pizza box. (I shamefully admit my wife and I only ate about half, but we tried, damn it.) Martinez is aware that the spectacle and presentation of his food is just as important as the quality. It’s all part of his strategy. And it’s working.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everybody is on TikTok and Instagram,” says Cesar Arroyo, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ieatcalifornia/\">a Bay Area food influencer\u003c/a> and Gen-Z immigrant from Mexico who went from working construction to consulting for restaurant owners like Martinez to promote brand growth. “Simple videos can go viral and save a whole business. It can sometimes be too much, to be honest with you. But you want to bring in a crowd. You want people to take a picture with something big. It’s exposure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While at Las Cabañas, you’ll also want to also check out their pupusa bombs — deep fried bolitas of masa stuffed with cheese, frijoles and, if you so desire, birria (what else?). They’re equally photogenic, with fun cheese pulls and gooey insides dripping out of the spherical pupusa shell. And if you’re feeling especially Latinextravagant, you can add an order of “Angelita’s Margarita.” Named after Martinez’s mother, the drink is an endearing tribute to the original “hustler” who first opened Las Cabañas in 2004. After she passed from an illness in 2015, Martinez has carried on his mother’s recipes but with a modernized, Instagram-friendly twist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936292\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936292\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A fork and knife cut into a filled fried-looking ball.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-029-JY-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cutting into the oozy, cheesy interior of a pupusa bomb. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The exposure has undoubtedly been good for Martinez’s family-owned business. He confirms a boost in clientele since he introduced the mammoth birria pupusas in 2018 that has been unlike anything previously seen in the restaurant’s multi-decade existence. This summer, numerous Bay Area food influencers — including Arroyo, whose IEatCalifornia account on Instagram has over 41,000 followers — have posted about the giant pupusa, which has led to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/bay-area-pupuseria-las-cabanas-giant-pupusa-18362742.php\">mainstream news outlets\u003c/a> catching on. I personally found out about the pupuseria when a friend DMed me a viral video of the pupusa loca earlier this year. Despite living in Hayward for years, I hadn’t known about Las Cabañas prior to seeing it on social media. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We started doing more social media, especially in 2020 when the pandemic happened,” Martinez says. “When my mom was around, she was skeptical of it. She wanted us to do TV commercials. But I told her people don’t watch those as much anymore. I know she would be proud of where the restaurant is today and she would understand and support it. She’d be like ‘What are you doing now, aye mijo? Que no son bayuncadas.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>L.A. Taco’s Torres has noticed similar social media trends in Southern California, where many of the nation’s Latinx food trends — including \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">quesabirria\u003c/a> — originally took off. “[Social media] is a way for people to empower their business in their own style. Any chef who wants to be out of pocket can [do so].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@thesnacksensei/video/7284136103475481902\" data-video-id=\"7284136103475481902\">\n\u003csection>\u003ca title=\"@thesnacksensei\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@thesnacksensei?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@thesnacksensei\u003c/a> The Biggest Pupusas In The Bay Area! 📍 Pupuseria Las Cabanas In Hayward CA 🔥 \u003ca title=\"pupusas\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/pupusas?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#pupusas\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"pupuseria\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/pupuseria?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#pupuseria\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"bayarea\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bayarea?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#bayarea\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"♬ Wild Thing (Re-Recorded) - Tone-Loc\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/Wild-Thing-Re-Recorded-6717747275818387458?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">♬ Wild Thing (Re-Recorded) – Tone-Loc\u003c/a>\u003c/section>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cbr>\nHowever, it’s a flawed system — one that fosters a certain kind of gatekeeping, fetishization and even exploitation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The vultures of IG and TikTok, like anything, have a downside,” Torres continues. “With millions of followers, [some food influencers] charge $800 to $1,000 for an hour. That’s capitalism right there. I know a lot of influencers who invite me to eat with them, and their rates with vendors are fucking outrageous. But yeah, it’s catchy, to get on the map, to get attention. Especially for small vendors. Social media is where they can get their publicity for cheaper, even if influencers are charging an arm and an ass for content.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Martinez hasn’t shied away from that approach, though, leveraging the Instagram-driven birria craze through popular food personalities like San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thesnacksensei/?hl=en\">Snack Sensei\u003c/a> to further blow up. The dynamic is complicated, as the social media buzz that comes with a made-for-glam dish like the pupusa loca is one of the easiest ways hard-working restaurateurs like Martinez can make their business stand out in a culinary landscape saturated with over-hyped content. It highlights this current generation of foodmakers’ larger struggles to present their cultural foods to a wider audience — foods that, in many cases, were simply overlooked in the past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938219\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938219\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A female line cook uses a spatula to lift a giant pupusa onto a plate.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-018-JY-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Irma Morales, a cook at Las Cabañas, places a finished pupusa onto a plate. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>A Cultural Marriage of Birria and Phở\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In one of Dublin’s sleepiest, least glamorous strip malls, you’ll find what may be the most underappreciated fusion eatery in our region: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/taqueriaaztecadublinca/\">Taqueria Azteca\u003c/a>. Acquired in 1998 by Luong “Lu” Dang, a Vietnamese war refugee who arrived in the East Bay in the ‘70s, the shop has maintained its down-to-earth, homely Mexican vibes from previous ownership, while loudly introducing some of Dang’s zanier combinations, like Bochata (boba + horchata) and birria-filled bao.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azteca is the proud home of quesabirria grilled cheese sandwiches and — my wife’s favorite — pan dulce French toast. Served on a massive, custom-made concha from \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/JuanitaMarketTracy/\">Juanita Market #4 in Tracy\u003c/a>, the dense, pink beauty is buttered up and prepared like any other French toast, with an optional tray of ham and eggs on the side. To be mega-clear, this pan dulce has the acreage of a cake, with a heft that can only be described as intimidating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937819\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937819\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549.jpg\" alt=\"a tray of pink pan dulce french toast is topped with strawberries and served with a hefty side of eggs and ham\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5549-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taqueria Azteca’s pan dulce French toast is topped with strawberries and served with a hefty side of eggs and ham on a cafeteria-sized tray. \u003ccite>(Briana Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But the restaurant’s flagship item is its bone-in birria phở — an eye-popping amount of noodles swimming around in consommé broth, with a “dinosaur bone” of meat casually laid on top. For the average eater, it more than suffices as lunch and dinner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Years ago, I didn’t have the nuts to do this,” Dang says. “But the Bay Area has a huge Vietnamese and Latino community, so everyone loves to see it. At first we were all clumsy with it, but we found our rhythm and are learning how to do it properly. Ask the [Latino] cooks here what they eat. They’re the ones making stuff that’s personal to them, and we each add our own touches. We eat our own food every day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Dang’s case, it’s not so much about pushing forward a family tradition as it is about fusing immigrant experiences. Married to Estefany Garcia, an immigrant from Michoacán, Dang has extensively toured various pueblos around Mexico, listing off dishes that even I — the son of Mexicans whose own mother lives in Veracruz — didn’t recognize, including corundas, uchepos and morisquetas. Together, Dang and Garcia are organically uniting their cultures through a genuine, love-bound exploration of their own brand of Latinextravagant cuisine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937818\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937818\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541.jpg\" alt=\"a bone-in slab of Mexican birria is served in a giant bowl of Vietnamese pho\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/IMG_5541-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In Dublin, a bone-in slab of Mexican birria is served in a giant bowl of Vietnamese phở. \u003ccite>(Briana Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It allows us to open up our kitchen in ways that are both traditional and non-traditional,” he says. “We’re always blending. At home, she might cook phở, and then she’ll make tinga and we’ll mix it. I added birria to bao, as well. The bao bun is a very different texture [from tortillas]. It’s soft and chewy and crispy, inside and out. It’s fun and easy to share. And it’s so damn good to eat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The internet has played a major role for Lu and Garcia’s concoctions, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Social media] is a communication channel unlike before,” says Lu. “I used to do TV and radio in the 2000s, and it was completely hit or miss. For small businesses like us, we can’t afford that. With Instagram, it levels the playing field. We eat with our eyes first. Something that we can do to grab your attention is to make it over-the-top.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@bayareafoodz/video/7293918581539048734\" data-video-id=\"7293918581539048734\">\n\u003csection>\u003ca title=\"@bayareafoodz\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@bayareafoodz?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@bayareafoodz\u003c/a> Check out this Big ass taco i got from @taqueriaaztecadublin its get no better than this \u003ca title=\"bayarea\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bayarea?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#bayarea\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"tacos\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tacos?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#tacos\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"tacostuesday\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tacostuesday?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#tacostuesday\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"bayareafoodz\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bayareafoodz?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#bayareafoodz\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"♬ original sound - Bayareafoodz\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7293918667434773279?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">♬ original sound – Bayareafoodz\u003c/a>\u003c/section>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a small, otherwise modest eatery where Latino construction workers, white suburban moms and Asian elders mingle, Azteca is among the most unexpectedly “epic” dining experiences I’ve found in the Bay. Lu is extremely passionate about keeping Azteca’s foods playful and inviting — a major element of Mexican food that attracted him when he first came to it as an outsider. It’s something that Latinextravagant foods tend to do: They compel others to join in and share.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Beyond the Big Dishes\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s not always about dishing out the largest super-sized taco on the block. It’s also about paying homage in smaller, but equally creative, ways. After all, there’s a reason antojitos locos (or “crazy snacks”) have also gone viral throughout Mexico and Central America, and have now reached the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent favorite of mine is the Tostielote, an open-faced bag of Tostitos buried under esquites, parmesan cheese, sour cream, butter and mayonnaise. I recommend the version at \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2_ptbtSSyQ\">Junior’s Roaster\u003c/a>, a food truck located in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957907/this-is-our-city-san-joses-berryessa-flea-market-vendors-fight-to-stay\">the San José Flea Market\u003c/a>. There, you’ll encounter an old-school roasting machine that is used to prepare elotes, esquites and papas horneadas (baked potatoes). You can add any mix of meats (carne asada, al pastor, pollo asado), junk food (Flamin’ Hots, Ruffles, Takis) and hot sauces for a customized perfection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914234\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914234\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A foil-wrapped burrito and a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos on red and white checkered butcher paper.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/hotcheetoburrito_lead-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Flamin’ Hot Cheeto burrito is by far the most popular item at Taqueria El Mezcal, which has locations in San Pablo, Hayward and San Lorenzo. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elmezcalsanpablo/\">Taqueria El Mezcal\u003c/a>, a humble local chain with three locations scattered throughout the East Bay, is known for its fiery, snack-inspired dishes. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913985/hot-cheeto-burrito-taqueria-el-mezcal-richard-montanez-san-pablo\">Officially recognized by Chester Cheetah for its Hot Cheetos burrito\u003c/a>, the restaurant unveiled a new botana-inspired masterpiece this summer: the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/alan_chazaro/status/1696339131289203181\">Doritos chilaquiles burrito\u003c/a>. It includes a bag’s worth of spicy nacho Doritos, refried beans, three fried eggs, crema, guacamole and your choice of meat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003cstrong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/strong>\u003c/b>None of these Latinextravagant foods are exactly calorie-conscious. And for the most part, that’s okay: The restaurants themselves wouldn’t suggest that customers eat this stuff every day, and they aren’t necessarily challenging anyone to take down a giant burrito or pupusa on their own, either. The super-sized dishes are meant to be novelty foods — a memorable experience rather than your daily source of sustenance. And in many cases, immigrant foodmakers are simply tailoring their menus in response to their TikTok and Instagram numbers, even bantering and discussing ideas with commenters in the reply sections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a recipe that has, at least so far, proven itself successful for the times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s mostly a marketing thing, but [Latinx businesses] do really think out of the box,” Arroyo, the influencer, says. “Some people don’t like it, but I believe in food bringing people together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When done well, the Latinextravagant approach to food attracts more people to the table than ever. At our core, Latinx diasporas are simply too big to be boxed in, and our foods could never fit inside any one nation’s stomach. But still, we try our best to share it with everyone else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938220\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938220\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Rubber gloved hand sprinkles chopped cilantro onto an oversized pupusa topped the meat.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/20230927-Biggest-Pupusa-020-JY-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The finishing touch: sprinkling chopped onions and cilantro onto a giant — and truly Latinextravagant — pupusa. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pupuseria_las_cabanas/\">Pupuseria Las Cabañas\u003c/a> is located at 30030 Mission Blvd. in Hayward. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/taqueriaaztecadublinca/\">Taqueria Azteca\u003c/a> is located at 7155 Amador Plaza Rd. in Dublin.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "This New Richmond Taco Truck Is a Cheesy, Meaty Social Media Sensation",
"headTitle": "This New Richmond Taco Truck Is a Cheesy, Meaty Social Media Sensation | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>As a crowd lines up in front of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tacoselrulas/?hl=en\">Tacos El Rulas #2\u003c/a> food truck on a recent Friday night, the real show is happening a few feet away in a long, tented section of the parking lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bookended by a big charcoal grill on one side and a spinning, sizzling al pastor trompo on the other, the taqueros work their magic on the flat-tops. They hand-press fresh tortillas, griddle onions and bell peppers in bacon fat, and layer heaps of well-charred meat and melted cheese to assemble the over-the-top creations that have become the truck’s calling card: the “papá loca” (a Mexican American analogue to the fully loaded baked potato) and the alambre — a cheesy, street food–style mixed grill that’s popular in Mexico City.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What I love about El Rulas is the backyard party vibe — something about the tight cluster of picnic tables and cheerful banda music and the smell of smoky grilled meats seeping deep into your clothes. All in all, it’s about as fun a place as there is right now to grab tacos in the East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931128\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931128\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot.jpg\" alt=\"The Tacos El Rulas #2 taco truck displays the red, green and white of the Mexican flag. To its left, the truck's taqueros prepare food on flat-top grills. To the right is a tented dining area with picnic tables.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The taco truck’s parking lot setup feels as festive as a backyard party. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When a lot of people are here, it just feels like a small get-together,” says Angeles Lopez, a high school senior who helps her father, Raul Ramirez Rodriguez, operate the business. “It doesn’t really feel like I’m working.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tacos El Rulas isn’t exactly a newcomer to the East Bay taco scene. Early in the pandemic, one of its trucks — known for its \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2021/2/11/22275500/tacos-el-rulas-truck-berkeley-quesabirria-torta-cubana-handmade-tortillas\">outlandishly overstuffed tortas\u003c/a> — debuted in the parking lot of a Berkeley auto shop. Its second truck used to be stationed at a smaller, more out-of-the-way location in Richmond, on Rumrill Road, before moving to its current spot on \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/a-richmond-taco-crawl-2-1/\">23rd Street\u003c/a> in March.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13915646,arts_13923359']\u003c/span>The new location’s popularity is, at least in part, a social media success story. I had driven past a few dozen times since it opened but, even as a fan of the Berkeley truck, never got around to stopping by. Then, a few weeks ago, three or four different \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Csmwe4OpYEd/?hl=en\">food influencer\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CsuHiSGtc7I/?hl=en\">videos\u003c/a> featuring Tacos El Rulas popped up on my Instagram feed in the span of a couple of days — this despite the fact that the truck has almost no presence on \u003ca href=\"https://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-el-rulas-richmond\">Yelp\u003c/a> or in traditional food media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lopez explains that the viral Instagram and TikTok videos are a deliberate part of their marketing strategy. When business lagged in the taco truck’s first couple of months, her father reached out directly to several prominent Bay Area food influencers to see if they’d be willing to help him promote his food (for a fee, of course). It seems \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs6kFO_rIuI/?hl=en\">nearly all of them\u003c/a> said yes. According to Lopez, early boosters like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Csbu6DarI8D/?hl=en\">@booziebrunch\u003c/a> were instrumental in helping to introduce Tacos El Rulas to the Black community, which now forms a large part of the truck’s fanbase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931130\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931130\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre.jpg\" alt=\"A cheesy mix of meat, bell pappers, and onions served in an aluminum tray with a stack of corn tortillas on top.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The alambre in all its glory. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931129\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931129\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holding a taco stuffed with cheesy meat, onions, and peppers.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemble your own tacos. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Of course, El Rulas’ massively portioned alambres and papás locas are uniquely suited for social media. (Everyone loves a good cheese pull, after all.) And it doesn’t hurt that those specific items — only available at the Richmond location — are legitimately delicious. The alambre is a gut-busting mix of chorizo, bacon, onions, peppers, pineapple, melted cheese and your choice of meat. As a crowning touch, a squirt of Worcestershire and Maggi seasoning adds a unique, almost stir fry–like savoriness, and the whole thing comes topped with a stack of handmade tortillas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The papá loca is just as much of a crowd-pleaser: a couple of big-ass potatoes topped with an unconscionable amount of butter, bacon, cheese, onions, guacamole and, again, your choice of meat. A day’s worth of calories, probably, though it’s still hard to stop myself from eating the whole thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931127\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931127\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill.jpg\" alt=\"A man in black uses tongs to flip a rack of ribs cooking on the grill. A long chorizo sausage is coiled overhead on the frame of the grill.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The grill station features whole racks of pork ribs, ribeye steaks and a long coil of chorizo cooking overhead. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If anything, the Tacos El Rulas menu has so many options that it can be intimidating for a first-timer. Their signature meat is Mexico City–style al pastor sliced off a pineapple-topped vertical spit, but every time I’ve visited, something new has caught my eye: garlic-butter shrimp, racks of pork ribs, flame-grilled ribeye steaks. They do the trendy \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">quesabirria tacos\u003c/a> here, as well as extra-crunchy vampiro tacos and quesadillas made with their fresh, hand-pressed tortillas. And while the mammoth torta Cubana has always been a star at the Berkeley truck, the Richmond location has a stand-alone torta menu with a whopping 18 varieties — more than you’ll find just about anywhere other than a dedicated torta shop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Something for everyone” might not be your typical taco truck credo, but so far, Tacos El Rulas’ maximalist, social media–driven approach seems to be working. Lopez says that customers regularly drive from as far away as Vallejo or San Francisco, often because they saw the alambre or the papá loca on TikTok or Instagram.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every time someone tells me that, I get amazed and surprised,” Lopez says. “But they always end up liking our food.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931126\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931126\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles.jpg\" alt=\"A teenage girl in a black long-sleeved Nirvana T-shirt stands in front of a green taco truck.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1439\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-1020x764.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-1536x1151.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angeles Lopez (left), a rising high school senior, helps her father run both of the Tacos El Rulas food trucks. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tacoselrulas/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Tacos El Rulas #2\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is located at 232 23rd St. in Richmond, in a parking lot shared by a beauty salon and an astrology shop. It’s open Sundays–Thursdays from 4 p.m. to midnight, and Fridays–Saurdays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Tacos El Rulas is winning hearts and minds — and Instagram feeds — with its decadent alambres and papás locas.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As a crowd lines up in front of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tacoselrulas/?hl=en\">Tacos El Rulas #2\u003c/a> food truck on a recent Friday night, the real show is happening a few feet away in a long, tented section of the parking lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bookended by a big charcoal grill on one side and a spinning, sizzling al pastor trompo on the other, the taqueros work their magic on the flat-tops. They hand-press fresh tortillas, griddle onions and bell peppers in bacon fat, and layer heaps of well-charred meat and melted cheese to assemble the over-the-top creations that have become the truck’s calling card: the “papá loca” (a Mexican American analogue to the fully loaded baked potato) and the alambre — a cheesy, street food–style mixed grill that’s popular in Mexico City.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What I love about El Rulas is the backyard party vibe — something about the tight cluster of picnic tables and cheerful banda music and the smell of smoky grilled meats seeping deep into your clothes. All in all, it’s about as fun a place as there is right now to grab tacos in the East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931128\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931128\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot.jpg\" alt=\"The Tacos El Rulas #2 taco truck displays the red, green and white of the Mexican flag. To its left, the truck's taqueros prepare food on flat-top grills. To the right is a tented dining area with picnic tables.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_lot-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The taco truck’s parking lot setup feels as festive as a backyard party. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“When a lot of people are here, it just feels like a small get-together,” says Angeles Lopez, a high school senior who helps her father, Raul Ramirez Rodriguez, operate the business. “It doesn’t really feel like I’m working.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tacos El Rulas isn’t exactly a newcomer to the East Bay taco scene. Early in the pandemic, one of its trucks — known for its \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2021/2/11/22275500/tacos-el-rulas-truck-berkeley-quesabirria-torta-cubana-handmade-tortillas\">outlandishly overstuffed tortas\u003c/a> — debuted in the parking lot of a Berkeley auto shop. Its second truck used to be stationed at a smaller, more out-of-the-way location in Richmond, on Rumrill Road, before moving to its current spot on \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/a-richmond-taco-crawl-2-1/\">23rd Street\u003c/a> in March.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>The new location’s popularity is, at least in part, a social media success story. I had driven past a few dozen times since it opened but, even as a fan of the Berkeley truck, never got around to stopping by. Then, a few weeks ago, three or four different \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Csmwe4OpYEd/?hl=en\">food influencer\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CsuHiSGtc7I/?hl=en\">videos\u003c/a> featuring Tacos El Rulas popped up on my Instagram feed in the span of a couple of days — this despite the fact that the truck has almost no presence on \u003ca href=\"https://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-el-rulas-richmond\">Yelp\u003c/a> or in traditional food media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lopez explains that the viral Instagram and TikTok videos are a deliberate part of their marketing strategy. When business lagged in the taco truck’s first couple of months, her father reached out directly to several prominent Bay Area food influencers to see if they’d be willing to help him promote his food (for a fee, of course). It seems \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs6kFO_rIuI/?hl=en\">nearly all of them\u003c/a> said yes. According to Lopez, early boosters like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Csbu6DarI8D/?hl=en\">@booziebrunch\u003c/a> were instrumental in helping to introduce Tacos El Rulas to the Black community, which now forms a large part of the truck’s fanbase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931130\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931130\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre.jpg\" alt=\"A cheesy mix of meat, bell pappers, and onions served in an aluminum tray with a stack of corn tortillas on top.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The alambre in all its glory. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931129\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931129\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holding a taco stuffed with cheesy meat, onions, and peppers.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_alambre-closeup-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assemble your own tacos. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Of course, El Rulas’ massively portioned alambres and papás locas are uniquely suited for social media. (Everyone loves a good cheese pull, after all.) And it doesn’t hurt that those specific items — only available at the Richmond location — are legitimately delicious. The alambre is a gut-busting mix of chorizo, bacon, onions, peppers, pineapple, melted cheese and your choice of meat. As a crowning touch, a squirt of Worcestershire and Maggi seasoning adds a unique, almost stir fry–like savoriness, and the whole thing comes topped with a stack of handmade tortillas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The papá loca is just as much of a crowd-pleaser: a couple of big-ass potatoes topped with an unconscionable amount of butter, bacon, cheese, onions, guacamole and, again, your choice of meat. A day’s worth of calories, probably, though it’s still hard to stop myself from eating the whole thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931127\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931127\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill.jpg\" alt=\"A man in black uses tongs to flip a rack of ribs cooking on the grill. A long chorizo sausage is coiled overhead on the frame of the grill.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_grill-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The grill station features whole racks of pork ribs, ribeye steaks and a long coil of chorizo cooking overhead. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If anything, the Tacos El Rulas menu has so many options that it can be intimidating for a first-timer. Their signature meat is Mexico City–style al pastor sliced off a pineapple-topped vertical spit, but every time I’ve visited, something new has caught my eye: garlic-butter shrimp, racks of pork ribs, flame-grilled ribeye steaks. They do the trendy \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">quesabirria tacos\u003c/a> here, as well as extra-crunchy vampiro tacos and quesadillas made with their fresh, hand-pressed tortillas. And while the mammoth torta Cubana has always been a star at the Berkeley truck, the Richmond location has a stand-alone torta menu with a whopping 18 varieties — more than you’ll find just about anywhere other than a dedicated torta shop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Something for everyone” might not be your typical taco truck credo, but so far, Tacos El Rulas’ maximalist, social media–driven approach seems to be working. Lopez says that customers regularly drive from as far away as Vallejo or San Francisco, often because they saw the alambre or the papá loca on TikTok or Instagram.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every time someone tells me that, I get amazed and surprised,” Lopez says. “But they always end up liking our food.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13931126\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13931126\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles.jpg\" alt=\"A teenage girl in a black long-sleeved Nirvana T-shirt stands in front of a green taco truck.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1439\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-1020x764.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/tacos-el-rulas_angeles-1536x1151.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angeles Lopez (left), a rising high school senior, helps her father run both of the Tacos El Rulas food trucks. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tacoselrulas/?hl=en\">\u003ci>Tacos El Rulas #2\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> is located at 232 23rd St. in Richmond, in a parking lot shared by a beauty salon and an astrology shop. It’s open Sundays–Thursdays from 4 p.m. to midnight, and Fridays–Saurdays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Richmond’s Hottest Taqueria Is Turning Mangonadas Into Beer",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though often operating under the radar—inside discreet flea markets, word-of-mouth backyards and literal garages—Richmond has quietly risen into the top tier of Bay Area food and beverage destinations.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether it’s a lager at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eastbrotherbeer/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">East Brother Beer Co.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913355/guatemalan-rice-tamales-antojitos-guatemaltecos-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Guatemalan rice tamal at Antojitos Guatemaltecos\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, or \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913985/hot-cheeto-burrito-taqueria-el-mezcal-richard-montanez-san-pablo\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a Hot Cheetos burrito at Taqueria El Mezcal\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the area’s rich culinary scene—influenced by the diverse presence of Black, immigrant and working-class families—is worth a trip. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The latest offering that speaks to that creativity? A mangonada-inspired beer created by \u003ca href=\"http://www.armisticebrewing.com/\">Armistice Brewing\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/el_gaaarage/?hl=en\">El Garage\u003c/a>—two heavyweights in the Richmond food and beverage game.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Very few residents exemplify the area’s success more than El Garage co-founder Viviana Montano. A born-and-raised Rich City business owner, Montano and her family opened their wildly popular taqueria in 2019, when it operated as a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">pop-up inside the family’s garage\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Since then, El Garage has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/7/9/21319032/quesabirria-tacos-el-garage-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">expanded into a premier downtown location\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and garnered attention from every taco lover in the region, including \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887986/exploring-richmonds-taco-corridor-and-more-with-luke-tsai\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">KQED’s own food editor, Luke Tsai, who spoke with Montano about her favorite hometown spots to grub\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914417\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914417\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Two tacos topped with beef birria and melted cheese, with sliced cucumbers and radishes on the side.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Garage’s signature quesabirria is revered by East Bay taco lovers. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But before all that taco glory, Montano started out as a bartender for Armistice Brewing Company, back when the brewery first opened in 2017. At the time, the craft brewhouse, owned by siblings Greg and Alex Zobel, was among the early wavemakers to move in along Richmond’s changing waterfront. They have since outlasted COVID to become one of the city’s flagship breweries with prime real estate in the marina. And though Montano left Armistice in 2019 to pursue her own ventures, she loved her time there and took a newfound interest in beer that she never anticipated.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I knew nothing about beer,” she admits. “But working there gave me experience with seeing how a business runs. I definitely started liking beer after that.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914416\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914416\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Woman in green sweatshirt stands in front of a large metal kettle for brewing beer.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Before Viviana Montano opened a taqueria, she dipped her toes in the beer business at Armistice Brewing. \u003ccite>(Armistice Brewing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now, Montano is collaborating with Armistice again on the brewery’s belated “Four Once More” block party, a fourth-anniversary celebration initially scheduled for 2021 but delayed due to COVID-related safety. The June 11 day party will feature live DJs, a free photo booth, family friendly activities and food served by Rocky Island Oyster Co., Curbside Kitchen and, of course, El Garage.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most enticingly, Armistice will be releasing a line of special beers, headlined by their partnership with El Garage’s Montano, who has taken the lead on her own unique creation: a mangonada “smoothie ale” called the Feliz Sábado.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you don’t know what a mangonada is, it’s a juicy mango party inside your cup. Usually, the summery treat consists of some variety of mango-flavored sorbet, fresh mango puree, salsa and chile. There are lime and orange variations as well, and they’re all typically served in the form of a colossal smoothie or spritzer. Drinking one is a common way to cool off in parts of Latin America.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Turning all that into a beer isn’t exactly the norm, but it’s Montano’s way of showing love to the many influences and flavors that have shaped who she has become in her own community. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Being from Richmond, I always wanted places like El Garage,” says Montano. “Places to hang out, drink a beer, have fun, with a Latinx experience for the community. That’s our goal: to embrace Richmond.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914413\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13914413 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-scaled.jpg\" alt='Four cans of beer with an orange and red label; the text on the can reads \"Feliz Sabado\" and \"Armistice + El Garage\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Once they have their beer and wine license, the El Garage team hopes to serve the “Feliz Sábado” at the taqueria. \u003ccite>(Armistice Brewing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13902507,arts_13895488']Made with “pounds and pounds” of mangoes, chile piquín and milk sugar (an ingredient that helps to prevent the loss of sugar during the highest temperatures of the brewing process, allowing the beer to retain a sweet thickness reminiscent of a smoothie), Montano’s playful tribute will debut at the Armistice “Four Once More” block party.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eventually, Montano hopes to feature the beer at El Garage, which is currently in the process of securing a liquor license (as well as some old-school pinball machines). The taqueria and brewery are also in talks about another collaboration for Armistice’s next anniversary, which is scheduled for later this year on August 6—National IPA Day—to properly celebrate its fifth year of brewing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Who knows? Maybe we’ll get some rendition of a Quesa-Beer-IPA then? Or not. I’ll leave that to the pros to decide.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The “Four Once More” block party will happen on Saturday, June 11, from 1 to 8 pm, at Armistice Brewing Company, 845 Marina Bay Parkway, Suite 1, Richmond. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-anniversary-block-party-at-armistice-brewing-company-tickets-337405317387\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">$10 tickets include first beer\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Children with guardian are free.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though often operating under the radar—inside discreet flea markets, word-of-mouth backyards and literal garages—Richmond has quietly risen into the top tier of Bay Area food and beverage destinations.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether it’s a lager at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eastbrotherbeer/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">East Brother Beer Co.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913355/guatemalan-rice-tamales-antojitos-guatemaltecos-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Guatemalan rice tamal at Antojitos Guatemaltecos\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, or \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913985/hot-cheeto-burrito-taqueria-el-mezcal-richard-montanez-san-pablo\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">a Hot Cheetos burrito at Taqueria El Mezcal\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the area’s rich culinary scene—influenced by the diverse presence of Black, immigrant and working-class families—is worth a trip. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The latest offering that speaks to that creativity? A mangonada-inspired beer created by \u003ca href=\"http://www.armisticebrewing.com/\">Armistice Brewing\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/el_gaaarage/?hl=en\">El Garage\u003c/a>—two heavyweights in the Richmond food and beverage game.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Very few residents exemplify the area’s success more than El Garage co-founder Viviana Montano. A born-and-raised Rich City business owner, Montano and her family opened their wildly popular taqueria in 2019, when it operated as a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">pop-up inside the family’s garage\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Since then, El Garage has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/7/9/21319032/quesabirria-tacos-el-garage-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">expanded into a premier downtown location\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and garnered attention from every taco lover in the region, including \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887986/exploring-richmonds-taco-corridor-and-more-with-luke-tsai\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">KQED’s own food editor, Luke Tsai, who spoke with Montano about her favorite hometown spots to grub\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914417\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914417\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Two tacos topped with beef birria and melted cheese, with sliced cucumbers and radishes on the side.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/el-garage-quesabirria-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Garage’s signature quesabirria is revered by East Bay taco lovers. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But before all that taco glory, Montano started out as a bartender for Armistice Brewing Company, back when the brewery first opened in 2017. At the time, the craft brewhouse, owned by siblings Greg and Alex Zobel, was among the early wavemakers to move in along Richmond’s changing waterfront. They have since outlasted COVID to become one of the city’s flagship breweries with prime real estate in the marina. And though Montano left Armistice in 2019 to pursue her own ventures, she loved her time there and took a newfound interest in beer that she never anticipated.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I knew nothing about beer,” she admits. “But working there gave me experience with seeing how a business runs. I definitely started liking beer after that.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914416\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13914416\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Woman in green sweatshirt stands in front of a large metal kettle for brewing beer.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/ArmisticeViviana-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Before Viviana Montano opened a taqueria, she dipped her toes in the beer business at Armistice Brewing. \u003ccite>(Armistice Brewing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now, Montano is collaborating with Armistice again on the brewery’s belated “Four Once More” block party, a fourth-anniversary celebration initially scheduled for 2021 but delayed due to COVID-related safety. The June 11 day party will feature live DJs, a free photo booth, family friendly activities and food served by Rocky Island Oyster Co., Curbside Kitchen and, of course, El Garage.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most enticingly, Armistice will be releasing a line of special beers, headlined by their partnership with El Garage’s Montano, who has taken the lead on her own unique creation: a mangonada “smoothie ale” called the Feliz Sábado.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you don’t know what a mangonada is, it’s a juicy mango party inside your cup. Usually, the summery treat consists of some variety of mango-flavored sorbet, fresh mango puree, salsa and chile. There are lime and orange variations as well, and they’re all typically served in the form of a colossal smoothie or spritzer. Drinking one is a common way to cool off in parts of Latin America.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Turning all that into a beer isn’t exactly the norm, but it’s Montano’s way of showing love to the many influences and flavors that have shaped who she has become in her own community. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Being from Richmond, I always wanted places like El Garage,” says Montano. “Places to hang out, drink a beer, have fun, with a Latinx experience for the community. That’s our goal: to embrace Richmond.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13914413\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13914413 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-scaled.jpg\" alt='Four cans of beer with an orange and red label; the text on the can reads \"Feliz Sabado\" and \"Armistice + El Garage\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/feliz-sabado-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Once they have their beer and wine license, the El Garage team hopes to serve the “Feliz Sábado” at the taqueria. \u003ccite>(Armistice Brewing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Made with “pounds and pounds” of mangoes, chile piquín and milk sugar (an ingredient that helps to prevent the loss of sugar during the highest temperatures of the brewing process, allowing the beer to retain a sweet thickness reminiscent of a smoothie), Montano’s playful tribute will debut at the Armistice “Four Once More” block party.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eventually, Montano hopes to feature the beer at El Garage, which is currently in the process of securing a liquor license (as well as some old-school pinball machines). The taqueria and brewery are also in talks about another collaboration for Armistice’s next anniversary, which is scheduled for later this year on August 6—National IPA Day—to properly celebrate its fifth year of brewing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Who knows? Maybe we’ll get some rendition of a Quesa-Beer-IPA then? Or not. I’ll leave that to the pros to decide.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The “Four Once More” block party will happen on Saturday, June 11, from 1 to 8 pm, at Armistice Brewing Company, 845 Marina Bay Parkway, Suite 1, Richmond. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-anniversary-block-party-at-armistice-brewing-company-tickets-337405317387\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">$10 tickets include first beer\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Children with guardian are free.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Gay4U's Closing Is Not a Goodbye: The Trans-Centric Vegan Cafe Hits the Road",
"headTitle": "Gay4U’s Closing Is Not a Goodbye: The Trans-Centric Vegan Cafe Hits the Road | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n the corner of 14th and Peralta Street in West Oakland sits \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/gay4u.biz/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a small, unassuming restaurant that sells kimchi chilaquiles, vegan quesabirria and other meatless wonders. But the space has grown to be more than just another vegan restaurant. The trans flag colors (light blue, white and pink) that decorate the restaurant’s facade are just one sign of how \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U has made its mark on the Bay Area’s queer and trans communities of color—and in the hearts, and stomachs, of many. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now, after two and a half years in West Oakland, the restaurant is closing. Or, to be more accurate, it’s hitting the road: \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U will have its last day of service as a brick-and-mortar restaurant—at least for now—on Sunday, March 27. Starting in April, the business will morph into a roving pop-up that will move across the country, from city to city, at least through the end of September.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beyond its menu of vegan dishes that draw on Latinx, Asian and American comfort food flavors, Gay4U became a fixture in West Oakland by building a supportive and safe space for trans people of color. The restaurant instituted a program wherein trans people of color could always eat for free. It set up a bright pink community fridge right outside to provide for those experiencing food and housing insecurity. Every month, it hosts a local market called “GayMart” that holds space for LGBTQ+ artists, live music and more. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">All this has made the restaurant a go-to for queer and trans folks in the area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911179\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13911179\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-scaled.jpg\" alt='A display inside Gay4U with blocks that read \"Black Trans Lives Matter.\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"2007\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-800x627.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-1020x800.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-160x125.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-768x602.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-1536x1204.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-2048x1605.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-1920x1505.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The West Oakland restaurant has been a haven for queer and trans communities of color. \u003ccite>(Paloma Cortes)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The nurturer behind all of this is Ginger Espice, a trans femme woman who moved to the Bay Area from San Diego in their early 20s, launching a series of pop-ups to show off their vegan tamales and other vegetable-based goodies. In 2009, Espice (who was known as Sofi Peligras at the time) and their then-partner started Hella Vegan Eats, a food truck in Oakland’s Uptown Arts District. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Once I moved to the Bay Area, I felt really allotted to be myself, and a lot of that had to do with starting Hella Vegan Eats, selling food on the streets, and all the fun vegan foods that people [are] recognizing me for,” Espice says. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For its last three years of business, the popular food truck operated out of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/ccwbarandrestaurant/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Classic Cars West\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, but \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/2/7/18215793/hella-vegan-eats-closing-displaced-oakland\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">it was asked to leave\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in early 2019. Espice’s relationship with their partner ended, too, not long after that. So, Espice needed to figure out a new plan.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I was like, ‘I’m not coming correct, I’m not being myself as I need to be and that just needs to come out,’ [so] I agreed with myself that it was okay to be myself,” Espice says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The end result of this journey of self-acceptance was Gay4U, which \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/135485/hella-vegan-eats-is-reborn-in-oakland-as-gay-4-u\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">opened in its new West Oakland home toward the end of 2019\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, with its new trans-POC-eat-free policy in place. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/CawytdGAIcG/\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The food itself was a big attraction from the very start. “Unusual things are what’s inspiring, just trying different flavors and textures,” says Espice, who wanted the restaurant to reflect California’s rich culture of hole-in-the-wall restaurants—like doughnut shops that also sell amazing cheeseburgers or Chinese food. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U’s vegan quesabirria is a nod to their parents’ roots in Tijuana, with well-spiced snow mushrooms that imitate the chewiness of meat, a crispy blue-corn tortilla, cashew-based cheese, and a cordyceps mushroom consomé on the side for dipping or sipping. The makka birria crunch wrap (think Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme) stuffs two of those crunchy quesabirria tacos into a soft flour tortilla, along with a vegan cheddar mac and cheese, and tops the whole thing off with a sprinkling of cashew-cotija cheese—a vegan take on the much-admired aged Mexican cheese. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Espice, food is a kind of love language: “That’s just what I do. I see people and I’m like, ‘Let me make you dinner!’” But Gay4U was never solely about the food. Espice’s bigger goal was always to make queer and trans people of color feel welcomed, seen, accepted and supported. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I think for me [it’s about] having a resource and a place to see the community that I want to see \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">held up and prized,” Espice explains. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Toward that end, Gay4U also hosts the aforementioned “GayMart,” which \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Espice figured would be a clever antidote to the big corporate stores like Kmart and Walmart. One Sunday a month, the restaurant converts into an outdoor lounge for the community. Queer and trans artists set up tables and clothing racks outside, selling vintage clothing, crystals, handmade candles and a plethora of other creative things. Local DJs come through with their sound equipment and vinyl collections. Other folks stop by the community fridge to enjoy some free food, or to grab the free clothing that’s available there at times. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Noelle, a local beauty aesthetician and owner of Oakland’s \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/deladerma/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">De La Derma\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“GayMart feels like a once in a lifetime experience—the people are so lovely and sweet, and it’s one of my favorite places to be.” Rizza, a tooth gem artist in Alameda who runs \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/gemsbytsg/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Topshelfgold\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, says, “I’ve vended for three years now, and there’s no other space that has been provided to me like Ginger’s space—it feels so much more supportive. There’s no words to express how much I love Ginger and how they support the queer community.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911181\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13911181\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-scaled.jpg\" alt='Artists and other creatives set up booths on the sidewalk for the outdoor market known as \"GayMart.\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"1865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-800x583.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-1020x743.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-768x559.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-1536x1119.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-2048x1492.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-1920x1399.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One Sunday a month, the sidewalk outside Gay4U turns into a sprawling outdoor market known as “GayMart.” \u003ccite>(Paloma Cortes)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the past year, Espice has joined forces with Oakland-based mutual aid and QTIBIPOC artists collective \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://threadsradio.com/introducing-we-are-the-ones/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We Are The Ones\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/visibilit_/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Visibilit_\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a trans migrant-focused fundraising platform, to host dedicated trans skate parties. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/th3mb0ys/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ThemBoys\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a Bay Area skate crew, provides skate rentals, helping attendees prep for an evening dedicated to skating, rolling and bouncing. Of course, Gay4U provides the food.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The final West Oakland iteration of the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CbGXdv3PimU/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">skate party\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, at least for now, will take place at Defremery Skate Park on March 26, in honor of the Transgender Day of Visibility. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='bayareabites_135485,arts_13910410,arts_13910234']Espice hopes to bring the skate parties with them on the road, but the challenges of the pandemic made them realize that they needed to bring this chapter of their business to a close. They spent the last four years working over 100 hours a week to serve the community, build their brand and keep Gay4U afloat. But in the end, it all proved to be too much. After selling most of their belongings to pay the lease and not receiving any PPE grants, Espice decided they needed to take a break. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The stresses of running a business on my own started weighing on me,” Espice says. The pop-up tour would provide a different set of opportunities. Espice plans to be on the road for six months, starting with a two-month stint at the queer, Chinanx taqueria \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mistaconespdx/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mis Tacones\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in Portland, Oregon. The other stops have yet to be announced, but Espice plans to end the tour in New York City. And trans people of color will eat for free everywhere Gay4U goes. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As for the restaurant’s current West Oakland location, Espice wanted to be sure that the kitchen went to another vegan POC-owned business. Starting in April, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dontbechickn.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Don’t Be Chiki’n\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a Black woman-owned food truck serving vegan soul food classics like fried chicken, mac and cheese, beignets and milkshakes, will be moving in.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With many projects in the works dedicated to what they call the “gay agenda,” Espice promises that Gay4U is just getting started. During the next six months, you can also expect Espice to co-host a podcast focused on queer and trans artists, sell hand-designed clothing made in collaboration with their sibling, and much more. They’re currently working on popularizing the idea of “Trans Tuesday”—a day of the week when people are encouraged to be a little different. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In other words, Espice doesn’t believe this is a goodbye to the Bay Area from Gay4U, but a see-you-later.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I am someone who believes this is all a lucid dream, and I want to express that I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Black trans femmes,” Espice says. “I want to always show my love and admiration for the culture that blossomed and inspired me.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U’s last day of business is Sunday, March 27—it will be open from 10am to 5pm at 1327 Peralta St. in Oakland. The Trans Skate Day will take place on Saturday, March 26, 2–6 pm, at the Defremery Town Park Skate Park.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "A haven for queer and trans communities of color, the West Oakland restaurant embarks on a nationwide pop-up tour.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">O\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>n the corner of 14th and Peralta Street in West Oakland sits \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/gay4u.biz/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a small, unassuming restaurant that sells kimchi chilaquiles, vegan quesabirria and other meatless wonders. But the space has grown to be more than just another vegan restaurant. The trans flag colors (light blue, white and pink) that decorate the restaurant’s facade are just one sign of how \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U has made its mark on the Bay Area’s queer and trans communities of color—and in the hearts, and stomachs, of many. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now, after two and a half years in West Oakland, the restaurant is closing. Or, to be more accurate, it’s hitting the road: \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U will have its last day of service as a brick-and-mortar restaurant—at least for now—on Sunday, March 27. Starting in April, the business will morph into a roving pop-up that will move across the country, from city to city, at least through the end of September.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beyond its menu of vegan dishes that draw on Latinx, Asian and American comfort food flavors, Gay4U became a fixture in West Oakland by building a supportive and safe space for trans people of color. The restaurant instituted a program wherein trans people of color could always eat for free. It set up a bright pink community fridge right outside to provide for those experiencing food and housing insecurity. Every month, it hosts a local market called “GayMart” that holds space for LGBTQ+ artists, live music and more. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">All this has made the restaurant a go-to for queer and trans folks in the area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911179\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13911179\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-scaled.jpg\" alt='A display inside Gay4U with blocks that read \"Black Trans Lives Matter.\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"2007\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-800x627.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-1020x800.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-160x125.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-768x602.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-1536x1204.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-2048x1605.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_blacktranslives-1920x1505.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The West Oakland restaurant has been a haven for queer and trans communities of color. \u003ccite>(Paloma Cortes)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The nurturer behind all of this is Ginger Espice, a trans femme woman who moved to the Bay Area from San Diego in their early 20s, launching a series of pop-ups to show off their vegan tamales and other vegetable-based goodies. In 2009, Espice (who was known as Sofi Peligras at the time) and their then-partner started Hella Vegan Eats, a food truck in Oakland’s Uptown Arts District. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Once I moved to the Bay Area, I felt really allotted to be myself, and a lot of that had to do with starting Hella Vegan Eats, selling food on the streets, and all the fun vegan foods that people [are] recognizing me for,” Espice says. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For its last three years of business, the popular food truck operated out of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/ccwbarandrestaurant/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Classic Cars West\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, but \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/2/7/18215793/hella-vegan-eats-closing-displaced-oakland\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">it was asked to leave\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in early 2019. Espice’s relationship with their partner ended, too, not long after that. So, Espice needed to figure out a new plan.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I was like, ‘I’m not coming correct, I’m not being myself as I need to be and that just needs to come out,’ [so] I agreed with myself that it was okay to be myself,” Espice says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The end result of this journey of self-acceptance was Gay4U, which \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/135485/hella-vegan-eats-is-reborn-in-oakland-as-gay-4-u\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">opened in its new West Oakland home toward the end of 2019\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, with its new trans-POC-eat-free policy in place. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The food itself was a big attraction from the very start. “Unusual things are what’s inspiring, just trying different flavors and textures,” says Espice, who wanted the restaurant to reflect California’s rich culture of hole-in-the-wall restaurants—like doughnut shops that also sell amazing cheeseburgers or Chinese food. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U’s vegan quesabirria is a nod to their parents’ roots in Tijuana, with well-spiced snow mushrooms that imitate the chewiness of meat, a crispy blue-corn tortilla, cashew-based cheese, and a cordyceps mushroom consomé on the side for dipping or sipping. The makka birria crunch wrap (think Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme) stuffs two of those crunchy quesabirria tacos into a soft flour tortilla, along with a vegan cheddar mac and cheese, and tops the whole thing off with a sprinkling of cashew-cotija cheese—a vegan take on the much-admired aged Mexican cheese. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Espice, food is a kind of love language: “That’s just what I do. I see people and I’m like, ‘Let me make you dinner!’” But Gay4U was never solely about the food. Espice’s bigger goal was always to make queer and trans people of color feel welcomed, seen, accepted and supported. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I think for me [it’s about] having a resource and a place to see the community that I want to see \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">held up and prized,” Espice explains. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Toward that end, Gay4U also hosts the aforementioned “GayMart,” which \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Espice figured would be a clever antidote to the big corporate stores like Kmart and Walmart. One Sunday a month, the restaurant converts into an outdoor lounge for the community. Queer and trans artists set up tables and clothing racks outside, selling vintage clothing, crystals, handmade candles and a plethora of other creative things. Local DJs come through with their sound equipment and vinyl collections. Other folks stop by the community fridge to enjoy some free food, or to grab the free clothing that’s available there at times. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Noelle, a local beauty aesthetician and owner of Oakland’s \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/deladerma/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">De La Derma\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“GayMart feels like a once in a lifetime experience—the people are so lovely and sweet, and it’s one of my favorite places to be.” Rizza, a tooth gem artist in Alameda who runs \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/gemsbytsg/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Topshelfgold\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, says, “I’ve vended for three years now, and there’s no other space that has been provided to me like Ginger’s space—it feels so much more supportive. There’s no words to express how much I love Ginger and how they support the queer community.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911181\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13911181\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-scaled.jpg\" alt='Artists and other creatives set up booths on the sidewalk for the outdoor market known as \"GayMart.\"' width=\"2560\" height=\"1865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-800x583.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-1020x743.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-768x559.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-1536x1119.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-2048x1492.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/gay4u_gaymart-1920x1399.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One Sunday a month, the sidewalk outside Gay4U turns into a sprawling outdoor market known as “GayMart.” \u003ccite>(Paloma Cortes)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the past year, Espice has joined forces with Oakland-based mutual aid and QTIBIPOC artists collective \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://threadsradio.com/introducing-we-are-the-ones/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We Are The Ones\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/visibilit_/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Visibilit_\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a trans migrant-focused fundraising platform, to host dedicated trans skate parties. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/th3mb0ys/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ThemBoys\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a Bay Area skate crew, provides skate rentals, helping attendees prep for an evening dedicated to skating, rolling and bouncing. Of course, Gay4U provides the food.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The final West Oakland iteration of the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CbGXdv3PimU/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">skate party\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, at least for now, will take place at Defremery Skate Park on March 26, in honor of the Transgender Day of Visibility. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Espice hopes to bring the skate parties with them on the road, but the challenges of the pandemic made them realize that they needed to bring this chapter of their business to a close. They spent the last four years working over 100 hours a week to serve the community, build their brand and keep Gay4U afloat. But in the end, it all proved to be too much. After selling most of their belongings to pay the lease and not receiving any PPE grants, Espice decided they needed to take a break. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The stresses of running a business on my own started weighing on me,” Espice says. The pop-up tour would provide a different set of opportunities. Espice plans to be on the road for six months, starting with a two-month stint at the queer, Chinanx taqueria \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mistaconespdx/?hl=en\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mis Tacones\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in Portland, Oregon. The other stops have yet to be announced, but Espice plans to end the tour in New York City. And trans people of color will eat for free everywhere Gay4U goes. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As for the restaurant’s current West Oakland location, Espice wanted to be sure that the kitchen went to another vegan POC-owned business. Starting in April, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dontbechickn.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Don’t Be Chiki’n\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a Black woman-owned food truck serving vegan soul food classics like fried chicken, mac and cheese, beignets and milkshakes, will be moving in.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With many projects in the works dedicated to what they call the “gay agenda,” Espice promises that Gay4U is just getting started. During the next six months, you can also expect Espice to co-host a podcast focused on queer and trans artists, sell hand-designed clothing made in collaboration with their sibling, and much more. They’re currently working on popularizing the idea of “Trans Tuesday”—a day of the week when people are encouraged to be a little different. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In other words, Espice doesn’t believe this is a goodbye to the Bay Area from Gay4U, but a see-you-later.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I am someone who believes this is all a lucid dream, and I want to express that I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Black trans femmes,” Espice says. “I want to always show my love and admiration for the culture that blossomed and inspired me.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gay4U’s last day of business is Sunday, March 27—it will be open from 10am to 5pm at 1327 Peralta St. in Oakland. The Trans Skate Day will take place on Saturday, March 26, 2–6 pm, at the Defremery Town Park Skate Park.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Long Live La Pulga, the San Jose Flea Market No ‘Urban Village’ Can Ever Replace",
"headTitle": "Long Live La Pulga, the San Jose Flea Market No ‘Urban Village’ Can Ever Replace | KQED",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905402\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905402\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A taco truck employee hands a plate of food to a customer through the window.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An employee at Virrueta’s Tacos, one of some 400 vendors who show up at the San Jose Flea Market (aka “La Pulga”) every week. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\">KQED’s \u003c/i>\u003c/em>San Jose: The Bay Area’s Great Immigrant Food City\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/sanjosefood\">series of stories\u003c/a> exploring San Jose’s wonderfully diverse immigrant food scene. A new installment will post each weekday from Oct. 20–29. \u003c/i>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ial Cruz deftly maneuvers his way through the crowded aisle in front of the FruJuice So So Fresh stand at the San Jose Flea Market. Behind the counter, his coworkers chop fruit of all different colors and sizes, blending them together to make fresh juices and aguas frescas. \u003c/span> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Pásenle, pásenle,” Cruz calls out to the people walking by. “You have to try this fruit, there’s nothing fresher.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On a hot September afternoon, FruiJuice stands as an oasis under the unrelenting South Bay sun. A sip of the cucumber-lime agua fresca provides immediate relief from the heat—a mix of tangy sweetness and coolness that washes over you, reaching all the way up to the top-of-the-scalp spot where the sun almost seems to sit.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The juice stand is located in the produce corridor of the flea market—also known as La Pulga—where dozens of stalls sell spices, nuts and vegetables from California, Latin America and the rest of the world. Elsewhere in the market’s 60 acres of winding passageways, merchants buy and sell almost anything you can imagine: plants, rugs, craftwork, toys, clothes, furniture and the list goes on. It’s one of the biggest outdoor swap meets in California.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">La Pulga’s sprawling nature evokes a bygone era, when Silicon Valley was an agricultural hub and empty tracts of land were plentiful—something the first owners of the market took advantage of when they opened up in 1960. The founder of the market, George Bumb Sr., worked in the solid waste and landfill management business and wanted to resell items that would otherwise be discarded.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Originally called the Berryessa Flea Market, the market was built off of land that used to house an old meat processing plant. Produce stands opened up, selling fresh fruits and vegetables. The farmers who brought that produce were predominantly Latino, and soon enough they brought their foods and other cultural products into the market. Thus, La Pulga was born.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905407\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905407\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A row of open-air produce stands.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A corridor of produce stands during a quiet day at La Pulga, San Jose’s sprawling, 60-acre outdoor market. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fast forward 60 years, and San Jose has become the largest city in the Bay Area and one of the global capitals of the tech industry. The orchards that used to surround the flea market have been replaced by modern, brand-name shopping complexes and sleek, modular high-rise apartments. This transformation has put the city between two possible futures: continue embracing the tradition of large, loud, sprawling spaces like La Pulga or move towards a more urbanized and sleeker version of itself that’s more in line with the needs and wants of Silicon Valley.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In June of this year, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11878548/san-jose-flea-market-leaders-end-hunger-strike-but-future-of-la-pulga-still-hangs-in-the-balance\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">San Jose city officials approved a plan\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to rezone the north San Jose flea market site to make way for a major mixed-use development called the Berryessa BART Urban Village, which includes more than 3 million square feet of office and retail space and 3,400 housing units, a quarter of which the City promises will be affordable to “very low, low and moderate-income households”—though it’s not clear what that breakdown will be. Plans to redesign the flea market’s layout had been in the works for almost two decades when the city council voted in 2007 to rezone the market as a “mixed-use transit village” surrounding the new BART station, which opened last year. When San Jose’s current city council unanimously approved the Urban Village plan this year, council members said the project \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11879717/san-jose-approves-plan-to-radically-transform-flea-market-site\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">would bring more housing, jobs and business to the city\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"left\"]“[San Jose’s] transformation has put the city between two possible futures: continue embracing the tradition of large, loud, sprawling spaces like La Pulga or move towards a more urbanized and sleeker version of itself.”[/pullquote]But the project, expected to begin construction in three years, sets aside only five acres—down from 60—for a so-called “urban market” in the middle of the development. It’s a space advocates say is not nearly large enough to fit the more than 400 vendors who show up to La Pulga every week to make a living.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And there’s no question: The design shake-up is likely to have dire consequences for the long-running family businesses that have established a base at the flea market—that rely on the place for steady income. Many of the merchants—like Cruz, the juice vendor—are close to retirement and troubled by the uncertainty of where their stall will land. At this point, however, they have little choice but to carry on with their business.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On this particular Saturday in September, Cruz lists off the juices and aguas frescas the stall offers: nanche, guanábana, tamarindo, tunita (or prickly fruit), strawberry horchata, maracuyá, lemon cucumber and more. “We believe in freshness,” he says. “What doesn’t sell, sadly enough, we throw away.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905425\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905425\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Two agua frescas, one green and one white, arranged on a table in front of a juice stand.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hundreds of customers flock to the FruJuice So So Fresh stand to beat the South Bay heat. The cucumber-lime (left) and coconut milk drinks are especially refreshing. \u003ccite>(Adhiti Bandlamudi/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Cruz, this is more than a marketing statement; it’s a point of pride. He’s worked at the market for more than 50 years, and in that time he has come to understand the needs of the thousands of people who walk through the corridors of La Pulga each week. The need for accessible fresh fruit, for instance, is especially acute \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">in some parts of the South Bay\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We didn’t have half of all of [these juices] when we started,” Cruz says. Since the stall opened its doors roughly eight years ago, more families from Latin America, specifically Central America, have made their home in San Jose and have come looking for fruits that remind them a bit of home.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“People want guanábana? Go fly it from Guatemala. They want passion fruit? Then, Honduras.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cruz wonders where his customers will be able to find flavors like his if his stall isn’t included in the new Urban Village plan. Although FruJuice So So Fresh operates several other stands in San Jose, the flea market’s outdoor atmosphere is what allows this particular location to really thrive. Without it, his entire business’s future is uncertain. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>A Family Tradition\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While La Pulga’s transformation—and dramatic down-sizing—is still a few years away, María Piñeda is nervous about what these changes could mean for her family’s future. Along with her husband, she owns Virrueta’s Tacos, a Mexican food truck that’s parked a few corridors down from FruJuice.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“This is so sad,” she says in Spanish. “I first started coming here with my grandmother when I was a little girl.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905428\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905428\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man and woman stand in front of a green taco truck.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">María Piñeda (left) opened the Viruetta’s Tacos truck at the flea market this year. The food truck specializes in cuisine from Mexico’s southwestern state of Michoacán. \u003ccite>(Adhiti Bandlamudi/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The flea market tradition runs deep in her blood. So many of her relatives worked at La Pulga at some point in their lives, and currently, her family also owns a pistachio business that operates there. All through Piñeda’s childhood, she would come with her family every Sunday to help out and shop. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virrueta’s Tacos started as a dream that Piñeda and her husband had for many years. This year, they finally secured the food truck and began cooking recipes handed down by Piñeda’s mother—dishes specific to the town of Apatzingán, in the southwest state of Michoacán.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The flavors of Michoacán are very special,” she says, pointing out her chavindecas, a variation of quesadillas that usually includes a stuffing of carne asada, and her morisquetas, a dish that combines rice, refried beans, tomato sauce, queso fresco and flautas (crisp-fried tacos).\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905431\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905431\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Three crispy, red-tinged birria tacos lined up on a piece of red-checked butcher paper.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Viruetta’s serves an excellent version of quesabirria, the recent internet taco sensation. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But what customers love the most is the birria, a slowly-cooked stew that brings together goat meat, garlic, thyme and a unique combination of chiles and spices—the exact combination varies by family recipe and region.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even on a hot day, a cup of birria and consomé (the broth the birria is cooked in), go down quite easily. Even better are the quesabirrias, or quesadillas stuffed with birria, with the consomé on the side for dipping to avoid a mess.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">These trendy tacos have become commonplace in the South Bay’s Mexican food scene, and Piñeda’s spicy, tangy version is especially great. The slightly crunchy tortilla envelops the melted cheese and tender, shredded goat meat, with thinly sliced radish and cucumber to serve as cool relief.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Piñeda smiles when asked about the secret to her family’s recipe. “It’s a lot of affection, a lot of love,” she says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Already, she is mentally preparing for a future outside of La Pulga, but she says it won’t be easy. Her taco truck is relatively easy to move, but finding a new home for her family’s pistachio stand will be much harder. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It’s not just anywhere they’ll let you sell pistachios,” Piñeda says. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905433\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905433\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A styrofoam cup of consomé (birria cooking broth) on an orange tabletop.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cup of well-spiced consomé is perfect for dipping or sipping. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>The Fight to Save La Pulga\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many vendors feel the same way about their stalls—that La Pulga provides a place for them to display their products and reel in customers in ways no other market could. And so, they’re still holding out hope that they might all fit into the redesigned market’s space, or at least negotiate terms that will make leaving the market less painful. Toward that end, they formed the Berryessa Flea Market Vendors Association (BFVA), a nonprofit organization that has been on the forefront of the fight to protect vendors in the flea market’s redevelopment. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before the City Council’s big vote in June to approve the BART Urban Village Plan, some BFVA members \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11878548/san-jose-flea-market-leaders-end-hunger-strike-but-future-of-la-pulga-still-hangs-in-the-balance\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">led a hunger strike\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, demanding flea market space in the new design and monetary support during the transition. After all, the developers’ initial proposal didn’t guarantee \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">any \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">space for La Pulga’s vendors. The City Council and the Bumb family—which still owns the market—eventually agreed to include 5 acres of designated flea market space in the Urban Village’s design plan and $5 million for a vendor transition fund. Still, the redevelopment plans have strained the relationship between the landlord and the tenants. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Roberto Gonzalez, president of the Berryessa Flea Market Vendors Association\"]“More than anything, it’s [the owners] posturing and puffing out their chests to say, ‘Hey, we’re the ones who rule this land.’”[/pullquote]The most recent battle was over license agreement rates. Vendors currently hold license agreements for a space in the market on a month-to-month basis, and for the past year, they’ve been asking the Bumb family to make those agreements longer. In mid-September, the flea market owners did offer six-month license agreements, but with a catch: The rent for those six months had to be paid fully up front. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">BFVA President Roberto Gonzalez, who runs a piñata stand at La Pulga, says the terms of the new license agreement felt like a “spit in the face” to vendors who just wanted more stability for their small business’s space in the flea market. “It’s really unfortunate that these terms are laid out that way, and the way we see it is that they’re not working in good faith with us,” he says. “More than anything, it’s them posturing and puffing out their chests to say, ‘Hey, we’re the ones who rule this land.’”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Speaking on behalf of the Bumbs, Rich Alvari, the flea market’s director of marketing, said in a press release that the license agreement is similar to buying season tickets for a football game—that to “reserve the same seat for future football games, a season pass is required” and is usually paid for up front. The market owners are also asking the vendors to pay a $300 damage deposit—another fee that hadn’t been required in the past. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The net effect is that Gonzalez and the other vendors feel they’re being taken advantage of. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There is at least one other option: La Pulga’s vendors could simply leave and try to form their own market. Gonzales has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/FleaVendors/status/1442604193160708102\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">expressed interest\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in finding another space for the displaced vendors, but that won’t exactly be an easy task given how expensive real estate is in San Jose, especially as more and more of the city gets developed into office spaces, shopping centers and apartment complexes.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Reimagining the Panadería\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As the afternoon rolls in and the lunchtime crowd dissipates across the flea market, one stall stays busy. From a distance, all that is visible are several shiny glass cabinets with a large sign above that reads “Ricarmi Bakery.” But start moving closer and the smell hits you first: the familiar smell of a panadería, that sensation that somehow combines sweetness, comfort and memory.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Don’t worry about keeping your eyes open as you make your way there. Your feet know the way with just the smell.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Opened by couple Armida Rodriguez and Ricardo Lopez, Ricarmi operates a small stall in La Pulga in addition to its main bakery in Watsonville. Fernanda Urbina, the couple’s daughter, works at the flea market bakery stand along with her brothers. It features traditional Mexican sweet breads and cakes with a twist.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905435\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905435\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Colorful conchas, or Mexican sweet breads, arranged on a tray by color: red, pink, yellow, green.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ricarmi Bakery’s colorful conchas each have a distinct flavor, including pistachio, pina colada, watermelon and strawberry. \u003ccite>(Adhiti Bandlamudi)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We like to elevate them with new colors, different flavors,” Urbina says. “We specialize in vanilla fillings, arroz con leche fillings.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ricarmi Bakery’s conchas, sweet rolls decorated with a sugary shell, are different from those sold at other bakeries because each color represents a different flavor: turquoise for pistachio, white for horchata, yellow for piña colada and so on. Some of the conchas are filled with a vanilla bean custard while others have soft, subtly sweet rice pudding inside.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Urbina’s dad, Ricardo, is a third-generation Mexican baker. But Urbina says it’s her mom, Armida, who is the one who invented all of the creative new flavors. And that’s ultimately the reason for the business’s success at La Pulga—the reason there’s always a long line of customers peering into the bakery’s glass cases.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“In the beginning, it wasn’t this popular, but I don’t know, COVID-19 brought everyone,” Urbina says. “Most businesses were starting to go down, but ours actually went up. It’s because more people started coming to the flea market because that’s all that was open.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[pullquote size=\"large\" align=\"left\"]“That’s the role that the flea market has played in the community for decades now, giving working class immigrants the opportunity to work alongside their families and earn a modest, dignified living in the heart of ever-expensive Silicon Valley.”[/pullquote]Indeed, La Pulga has provided a lifeline to the community during the past year and a half. Unlike most shopping centers which had to close for several months at the start of the pandemic, the outdoor flea market reopened in mid-May, providing an outlet for visitors to walk around after being cooped up at home. Even more importantly, it helped allow the vendors, many of whom have no other source of income, to keep their head above water. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ultimately, that’s the role that the flea market has played in the community for decades now, giving working class immigrants the opportunity to work alongside their families and earn a modest, dignified living in the heart of ever-expensive Silicon Valley. It has allowed low-income families to pass on legacy businesses, like spicy nut stands and Mexican candy stalls, that couldn’t exist anywhere else in the Bay Area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905439\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905439\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Bags of flavored pistachios of all different colors, displayed at an outdoor market stand.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assorted flavors of spiced pistachios on display at one of La Pulga’s outdoor market stands. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In Ricarmi Bakery’s case, the entire business isn’t dependent on its spot in La Pulga, but Urbina says it’ll be a real loss if they can’t find a spot in the Urban Village’s reimagined configuration. There are still so many new creations they want to share with the city that has seen their business grow.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile, Rial Cruz of FruJuice is determined to stay at the flea market, no matter what the future holds. “This is a well requested service,” Cruz says. “I mean, just imagine right now, as you stand here, imagine you don’t have this in a flea market? This is the attraction right here.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13904861,arts_13904788,arts_13904835' label='More San Jose Food']He believes La Pulga can’t exist without a juice stand any more than San Jose would be in any way the same without its flea market. Unlike the sleek high-rises that have been sprouting up around the Bay, La Pulga is loud and colorful and doesn’t fit as neatly within organized lines. And while it offers a glimpse into San Jose’s past and present, the future remains an open question. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One thing is clear, however: This is almost certainly the end of La Pulga as we know it. Even if the flea market does reopen at the new Berryessa BART Urban Village three years from now, it won’t exist the way it does today—not after it’s gotten packed into an indoor space that’s less than 10 percent of its current, wonderfully sprawling form. Whatever promises its owners might make about the modern “indoor marketplace,” it can’t possibly recreate the outdoor heat; the pedestrians’ passing glances; and the mingling of sights, smells and sounds that you can only get from walking around an open-air market. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And if this is the end, what a run it has been. What a spectacular gift to the San Jose community to have provided a place to belong and so many memories—and, of course, so much delicious food—for all these years. And what a gift it will continue to be for at least the next three years, until this chapter finally comes to a close. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s no wonder, then, that so many of the vendors themselves are reluctant to give up their belief that La Pulga might still be saved. Vendors like Rial Cruz have spent literal decades at the market. They’ve greeted the same familiar faces week after week, seen their kids grow up into enterprising adults running their own stalls at the market. Whatever form the new iteration of the flea market might take, he’s determined to be a part of it—to help turn it into something good. “It’s like I was here when it began and I’ll be here,” Cruz says with a grin. “I’ll be here till the end.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Adhiti Bandlamudi is a reporter on KQED’s Silicon Valley Desk, where she covers anything related to the South Bay. Follow her on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/oddity_adhiti\">@oddity_adhiti\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí is a reporter and producer with KQED News and KQED en Español. He grew up in San Francisco but spent weekends in the South Bay. Every time he visits San Jose, he learns—and tastes—something completely new. Follow him on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/LomeliCabrera\">@LomeliCabrera\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The Berryessa Flea Market has long been a staple for the city's Latino community. Soon, it may no longer exist.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905402\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905402\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A taco truck employee hands a plate of food to a customer through the window.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/006_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An employee at Virrueta’s Tacos, one of some 400 vendors who show up at the San Jose Flea Market (aka “La Pulga”) every week. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\">KQED’s \u003c/i>\u003c/em>San Jose: The Bay Area’s Great Immigrant Food City\u003cem>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\"> is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/sanjosefood\">series of stories\u003c/a> exploring San Jose’s wonderfully diverse immigrant food scene. A new installment will post each weekday from Oct. 20–29. \u003c/i>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">R\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>ial Cruz deftly maneuvers his way through the crowded aisle in front of the FruJuice So So Fresh stand at the San Jose Flea Market. Behind the counter, his coworkers chop fruit of all different colors and sizes, blending them together to make fresh juices and aguas frescas. \u003c/span> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Pásenle, pásenle,” Cruz calls out to the people walking by. “You have to try this fruit, there’s nothing fresher.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On a hot September afternoon, FruiJuice stands as an oasis under the unrelenting South Bay sun. A sip of the cucumber-lime agua fresca provides immediate relief from the heat—a mix of tangy sweetness and coolness that washes over you, reaching all the way up to the top-of-the-scalp spot where the sun almost seems to sit.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The juice stand is located in the produce corridor of the flea market—also known as La Pulga—where dozens of stalls sell spices, nuts and vegetables from California, Latin America and the rest of the world. Elsewhere in the market’s 60 acres of winding passageways, merchants buy and sell almost anything you can imagine: plants, rugs, craftwork, toys, clothes, furniture and the list goes on. It’s one of the biggest outdoor swap meets in California.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">La Pulga’s sprawling nature evokes a bygone era, when Silicon Valley was an agricultural hub and empty tracts of land were plentiful—something the first owners of the market took advantage of when they opened up in 1960. The founder of the market, George Bumb Sr., worked in the solid waste and landfill management business and wanted to resell items that would otherwise be discarded.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Originally called the Berryessa Flea Market, the market was built off of land that used to house an old meat processing plant. Produce stands opened up, selling fresh fruits and vegetables. The farmers who brought that produce were predominantly Latino, and soon enough they brought their foods and other cultural products into the market. Thus, La Pulga was born.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905407\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905407\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A row of open-air produce stands.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/024_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A corridor of produce stands during a quiet day at La Pulga, San Jose’s sprawling, 60-acre outdoor market. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fast forward 60 years, and San Jose has become the largest city in the Bay Area and one of the global capitals of the tech industry. The orchards that used to surround the flea market have been replaced by modern, brand-name shopping complexes and sleek, modular high-rise apartments. This transformation has put the city between two possible futures: continue embracing the tradition of large, loud, sprawling spaces like La Pulga or move towards a more urbanized and sleeker version of itself that’s more in line with the needs and wants of Silicon Valley.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In June of this year, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11878548/san-jose-flea-market-leaders-end-hunger-strike-but-future-of-la-pulga-still-hangs-in-the-balance\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">San Jose city officials approved a plan\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to rezone the north San Jose flea market site to make way for a major mixed-use development called the Berryessa BART Urban Village, which includes more than 3 million square feet of office and retail space and 3,400 housing units, a quarter of which the City promises will be affordable to “very low, low and moderate-income households”—though it’s not clear what that breakdown will be. Plans to redesign the flea market’s layout had been in the works for almost two decades when the city council voted in 2007 to rezone the market as a “mixed-use transit village” surrounding the new BART station, which opened last year. When San Jose’s current city council unanimously approved the Urban Village plan this year, council members said the project \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11879717/san-jose-approves-plan-to-radically-transform-flea-market-site\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">would bring more housing, jobs and business to the city\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But the project, expected to begin construction in three years, sets aside only five acres—down from 60—for a so-called “urban market” in the middle of the development. It’s a space advocates say is not nearly large enough to fit the more than 400 vendors who show up to La Pulga every week to make a living.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And there’s no question: The design shake-up is likely to have dire consequences for the long-running family businesses that have established a base at the flea market—that rely on the place for steady income. Many of the merchants—like Cruz, the juice vendor—are close to retirement and troubled by the uncertainty of where their stall will land. At this point, however, they have little choice but to carry on with their business.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On this particular Saturday in September, Cruz lists off the juices and aguas frescas the stall offers: nanche, guanábana, tamarindo, tunita (or prickly fruit), strawberry horchata, maracuyá, lemon cucumber and more. “We believe in freshness,” he says. “What doesn’t sell, sadly enough, we throw away.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905425\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905425\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Two agua frescas, one green and one white, arranged on a table in front of a juice stand.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_juice_adhiti-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hundreds of customers flock to the FruJuice So So Fresh stand to beat the South Bay heat. The cucumber-lime (left) and coconut milk drinks are especially refreshing. \u003ccite>(Adhiti Bandlamudi/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Cruz, this is more than a marketing statement; it’s a point of pride. He’s worked at the market for more than 50 years, and in that time he has come to understand the needs of the thousands of people who walk through the corridors of La Pulga each week. The need for accessible fresh fruit, for instance, is especially acute \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">in some parts of the South Bay\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We didn’t have half of all of [these juices] when we started,” Cruz says. Since the stall opened its doors roughly eight years ago, more families from Latin America, specifically Central America, have made their home in San Jose and have come looking for fruits that remind them a bit of home.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“People want guanábana? Go fly it from Guatemala. They want passion fruit? Then, Honduras.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cruz wonders where his customers will be able to find flavors like his if his stall isn’t included in the new Urban Village plan. Although FruJuice So So Fresh operates several other stands in San Jose, the flea market’s outdoor atmosphere is what allows this particular location to really thrive. Without it, his entire business’s future is uncertain. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>A Family Tradition\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While La Pulga’s transformation—and dramatic down-sizing—is still a few years away, María Piñeda is nervous about what these changes could mean for her family’s future. Along with her husband, she owns Virrueta’s Tacos, a Mexican food truck that’s parked a few corridors down from FruJuice.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“This is so sad,” she says in Spanish. “I first started coming here with my grandmother when I was a little girl.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905428\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905428\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man and woman stand in front of a green taco truck.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_taco-truck_adhiti-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">María Piñeda (left) opened the Viruetta’s Tacos truck at the flea market this year. The food truck specializes in cuisine from Mexico’s southwestern state of Michoacán. \u003ccite>(Adhiti Bandlamudi/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The flea market tradition runs deep in her blood. So many of her relatives worked at La Pulga at some point in their lives, and currently, her family also owns a pistachio business that operates there. All through Piñeda’s childhood, she would come with her family every Sunday to help out and shop. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virrueta’s Tacos started as a dream that Piñeda and her husband had for many years. This year, they finally secured the food truck and began cooking recipes handed down by Piñeda’s mother—dishes specific to the town of Apatzingán, in the southwest state of Michoacán.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The flavors of Michoacán are very special,” she says, pointing out her chavindecas, a variation of quesadillas that usually includes a stuffing of carne asada, and her morisquetas, a dish that combines rice, refried beans, tomato sauce, queso fresco and flautas (crisp-fried tacos).\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905431\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905431\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Three crispy, red-tinged birria tacos lined up on a piece of red-checked butcher paper.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/010_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Viruetta’s serves an excellent version of quesabirria, the recent internet taco sensation. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But what customers love the most is the birria, a slowly-cooked stew that brings together goat meat, garlic, thyme and a unique combination of chiles and spices—the exact combination varies by family recipe and region.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even on a hot day, a cup of birria and consomé (the broth the birria is cooked in), go down quite easily. Even better are the quesabirrias, or quesadillas stuffed with birria, with the consomé on the side for dipping to avoid a mess.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">These trendy tacos have become commonplace in the South Bay’s Mexican food scene, and Piñeda’s spicy, tangy version is especially great. The slightly crunchy tortilla envelops the melted cheese and tender, shredded goat meat, with thinly sliced radish and cucumber to serve as cool relief.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Piñeda smiles when asked about the secret to her family’s recipe. “It’s a lot of affection, a lot of love,” she says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Already, she is mentally preparing for a future outside of La Pulga, but she says it won’t be easy. Her taco truck is relatively easy to move, but finding a new home for her family’s pistachio stand will be much harder. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It’s not just anywhere they’ll let you sell pistachios,” Piñeda says. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905433\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905433\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A styrofoam cup of consomé (birria cooking broth) on an orange tabletop.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/012_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cup of well-spiced consomé is perfect for dipping or sipping. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>The Fight to Save La Pulga\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many vendors feel the same way about their stalls—that La Pulga provides a place for them to display their products and reel in customers in ways no other market could. And so, they’re still holding out hope that they might all fit into the redesigned market’s space, or at least negotiate terms that will make leaving the market less painful. Toward that end, they formed the Berryessa Flea Market Vendors Association (BFVA), a nonprofit organization that has been on the forefront of the fight to protect vendors in the flea market’s redevelopment. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before the City Council’s big vote in June to approve the BART Urban Village Plan, some BFVA members \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11878548/san-jose-flea-market-leaders-end-hunger-strike-but-future-of-la-pulga-still-hangs-in-the-balance\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">led a hunger strike\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, demanding flea market space in the new design and monetary support during the transition. After all, the developers’ initial proposal didn’t guarantee \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">any \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">space for La Pulga’s vendors. The City Council and the Bumb family—which still owns the market—eventually agreed to include 5 acres of designated flea market space in the Urban Village’s design plan and $5 million for a vendor transition fund. Still, the redevelopment plans have strained the relationship between the landlord and the tenants. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "“More than anything, it’s [the owners] posturing and puffing out their chests to say, ‘Hey, we’re the ones who rule this land.’”",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The most recent battle was over license agreement rates. Vendors currently hold license agreements for a space in the market on a month-to-month basis, and for the past year, they’ve been asking the Bumb family to make those agreements longer. In mid-September, the flea market owners did offer six-month license agreements, but with a catch: The rent for those six months had to be paid fully up front. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">BFVA President Roberto Gonzalez, who runs a piñata stand at La Pulga, says the terms of the new license agreement felt like a “spit in the face” to vendors who just wanted more stability for their small business’s space in the flea market. “It’s really unfortunate that these terms are laid out that way, and the way we see it is that they’re not working in good faith with us,” he says. “More than anything, it’s them posturing and puffing out their chests to say, ‘Hey, we’re the ones who rule this land.’”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Speaking on behalf of the Bumbs, Rich Alvari, the flea market’s director of marketing, said in a press release that the license agreement is similar to buying season tickets for a football game—that to “reserve the same seat for future football games, a season pass is required” and is usually paid for up front. The market owners are also asking the vendors to pay a $300 damage deposit—another fee that hadn’t been required in the past. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The net effect is that Gonzalez and the other vendors feel they’re being taken advantage of. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There is at least one other option: La Pulga’s vendors could simply leave and try to form their own market. Gonzales has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/FleaVendors/status/1442604193160708102\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">expressed interest\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in finding another space for the displaced vendors, but that won’t exactly be an easy task given how expensive real estate is in San Jose, especially as more and more of the city gets developed into office spaces, shopping centers and apartment complexes.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Reimagining the Panadería\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As the afternoon rolls in and the lunchtime crowd dissipates across the flea market, one stall stays busy. From a distance, all that is visible are several shiny glass cabinets with a large sign above that reads “Ricarmi Bakery.” But start moving closer and the smell hits you first: the familiar smell of a panadería, that sensation that somehow combines sweetness, comfort and memory.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Don’t worry about keeping your eyes open as you make your way there. Your feet know the way with just the smell.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Opened by couple Armida Rodriguez and Ricardo Lopez, Ricarmi operates a small stall in La Pulga in addition to its main bakery in Watsonville. Fernanda Urbina, the couple’s daughter, works at the flea market bakery stand along with her brothers. It features traditional Mexican sweet breads and cakes with a twist.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905435\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905435\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Colorful conchas, or Mexican sweet breads, arranged on a tray by color: red, pink, yellow, green.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/lapulga_conchas_adhiti-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ricarmi Bakery’s colorful conchas each have a distinct flavor, including pistachio, pina colada, watermelon and strawberry. \u003ccite>(Adhiti Bandlamudi)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We like to elevate them with new colors, different flavors,” Urbina says. “We specialize in vanilla fillings, arroz con leche fillings.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ricarmi Bakery’s conchas, sweet rolls decorated with a sugary shell, are different from those sold at other bakeries because each color represents a different flavor: turquoise for pistachio, white for horchata, yellow for piña colada and so on. Some of the conchas are filled with a vanilla bean custard while others have soft, subtly sweet rice pudding inside.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Urbina’s dad, Ricardo, is a third-generation Mexican baker. But Urbina says it’s her mom, Armida, who is the one who invented all of the creative new flavors. And that’s ultimately the reason for the business’s success at La Pulga—the reason there’s always a long line of customers peering into the bakery’s glass cases.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“In the beginning, it wasn’t this popular, but I don’t know, COVID-19 brought everyone,” Urbina says. “Most businesses were starting to go down, but ours actually went up. It’s because more people started coming to the flea market because that’s all that was open.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "“That’s the role that the flea market has played in the community for decades now, giving working class immigrants the opportunity to work alongside their families and earn a modest, dignified living in the heart of ever-expensive Silicon Valley.”",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Indeed, La Pulga has provided a lifeline to the community during the past year and a half. Unlike most shopping centers which had to close for several months at the start of the pandemic, the outdoor flea market reopened in mid-May, providing an outlet for visitors to walk around after being cooped up at home. Even more importantly, it helped allow the vendors, many of whom have no other source of income, to keep their head above water. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ultimately, that’s the role that the flea market has played in the community for decades now, giving working class immigrants the opportunity to work alongside their families and earn a modest, dignified living in the heart of ever-expensive Silicon Valley. It has allowed low-income families to pass on legacy businesses, like spicy nut stands and Mexican candy stalls, that couldn’t exist anywhere else in the Bay Area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13905439\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13905439\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Bags of flavored pistachios of all different colors, displayed at an outdoor market stand.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/019_SanJose_BerryessaFleaMarket_10222021-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Assorted flavors of spiced pistachios on display at one of La Pulga’s outdoor market stands. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In Ricarmi Bakery’s case, the entire business isn’t dependent on its spot in La Pulga, but Urbina says it’ll be a real loss if they can’t find a spot in the Urban Village’s reimagined configuration. There are still so many new creations they want to share with the city that has seen their business grow.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile, Rial Cruz of FruJuice is determined to stay at the flea market, no matter what the future holds. “This is a well requested service,” Cruz says. “I mean, just imagine right now, as you stand here, imagine you don’t have this in a flea market? This is the attraction right here.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>He believes La Pulga can’t exist without a juice stand any more than San Jose would be in any way the same without its flea market. Unlike the sleek high-rises that have been sprouting up around the Bay, La Pulga is loud and colorful and doesn’t fit as neatly within organized lines. And while it offers a glimpse into San Jose’s past and present, the future remains an open question. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">One thing is clear, however: This is almost certainly the end of La Pulga as we know it. Even if the flea market does reopen at the new Berryessa BART Urban Village three years from now, it won’t exist the way it does today—not after it’s gotten packed into an indoor space that’s less than 10 percent of its current, wonderfully sprawling form. Whatever promises its owners might make about the modern “indoor marketplace,” it can’t possibly recreate the outdoor heat; the pedestrians’ passing glances; and the mingling of sights, smells and sounds that you can only get from walking around an open-air market. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And if this is the end, what a run it has been. What a spectacular gift to the San Jose community to have provided a place to belong and so many memories—and, of course, so much delicious food—for all these years. And what a gift it will continue to be for at least the next three years, until this chapter finally comes to a close. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s no wonder, then, that so many of the vendors themselves are reluctant to give up their belief that La Pulga might still be saved. Vendors like Rial Cruz have spent literal decades at the market. They’ve greeted the same familiar faces week after week, seen their kids grow up into enterprising adults running their own stalls at the market. Whatever form the new iteration of the flea market might take, he’s determined to be a part of it—to help turn it into something good. “It’s like I was here when it began and I’ll be here,” Cruz says with a grin. “I’ll be here till the end.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Adhiti Bandlamudi is a reporter on KQED’s Silicon Valley Desk, where she covers anything related to the South Bay. Follow her on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/oddity_adhiti\">@oddity_adhiti\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí is a reporter and producer with KQED News and KQED en Español. He grew up in San Francisco but spent weekends in the South Bay. Every time he visits San Jose, he learns—and tastes—something completely new. Follow him on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/LomeliCabrera\">@LomeliCabrera\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "One of the East Bay’s Best Taquerias Is Coming to San Rafael",
"headTitle": "One of the East Bay’s Best Taquerias Is Coming to San Rafael | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marin County doesn’t exactly have a reputation for being one of the Bay Area’s premier taco destinations. (Some might even call certain stretches of the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11307601/why-is-marin-county-so-white\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">wealthy, predominantly white\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> county a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/10/14/21515020/quesabirria-tacos-marin-county-richmond-san-rafael\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">taco \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">desert\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of sorts.) But no longer: Later this year, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.tacoseltucan.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">El Tucán\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, one of the East Bay’s very best taquerias, will open a new outpost on the San Rafael waterfront that’s larger and even more ambitious than its original Richmond location. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like the original El Tucán, tacos at the new spot—called El Tucán Tacos and Beer—will feature all the hallmarks of the Tijuana style: handmade tortillas, a dollop of guacamole on every taco and, most importantly, meats that have been grilled over fire. The idea is for customers at the new taqueria to be able to enjoy some of the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/theluketsai/status/1433962298717081605\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">tastiest carne asada in the Bay\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on the waterfront deck, cold beer or michelada in hand. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to co-owner Alfredo Padilla, El Tucán Tacos and Beer should open in December or January, in the space previously occupied by \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pier15RestaurantandBar/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pier 15\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a San Rafael institution that closed in the early months of the pandemic.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When El Tucán \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/12/5/20994943/tacos-el-tucan-tijuana-carne-asada-quesatacos-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">first burst onto Richmond’s much-vaunted Mexican food scene\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> two years ago, the taqueria’s biggest point of distinction was its focus on Tijuana-style tacos—a rarity in the Bay Area. It was, and remains, one of a very small number of taquerias in the East Bay that grills its meats over fire instead of just on a flat-top. Its quesatacos, whose tortillas are gilded with a thin layer of brown, crispy cheese, can go toe to toe with any taco in the Bay Area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13903361\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13903361\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Three tacos, topped with guacamole and crispy cheese, on a paper plate.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Tucán’s calling card is its Tijuana-style quesatacos. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The restaurant immediately drew long lines at all times of day and, according to Padilla, maintained its popularity even through the worst of the pandemic. “Being mostly a takeout restaurant helped us stay busy,” Padilla says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When business did slow down during the very first month of shelter in place, that gave Padilla and his taqueros time to experiment with their menu a bit. For the first time, they started selling \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">quesabirria\u003c/a>—the cheesy, red-tinged birria tacos that are the Bay Area taco scene’s most famous Tijuana import—along with other “red tacos” prepared in the same style. They also added a well-griddled version of a \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/theluketsai/status/1433962298717081605\">California burrito\u003c/a>, that deliciously fry-stuffed SoCal classic. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13903363\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13903363\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017.jpg\" alt='Exterior of a restaurant with \"El Tucán Tacos and Beer\" signage.' width=\"1536\" height=\"2304\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The exterior of the former Pier 15 space in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood. \u003ccite>(Tony Tamayo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">All of those new additions will be on the menu at the San Rafael restaurant, which is a joint venture between Padilla, his brother Edgar and a third partner, Victor Ceja. The new El Tucán is located in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood, in what Padilla acknowledges is a bit of a weird location, “literally in the middle of an industrial area” surrounded by car dealerships. It’s one of the only restaurants that he’s aware of in the immediate vicinity. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But the neighborhood also has its share of perks. The Canal neighborhood is the heart of Marin County’s working class Latino and Mexican American community, much of which lives in the sprawl of apartment complexes just a few blocks away from the restaurant. There is, in this part of San Rafael, a built-in audience for superlative tacos.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile, Padilla is excited about the space itself, which at 2,000 square feet is much larger than the Richmond location. This will be Padilla’s first sit-down restaurant, with indoor seating available in the bar area and dining room, with an additional 40 seats out back on the deck facing the water. Along the side of the building, there will be a little taco window for customers who want to grab their food to go. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13899700,arts_13896221,arts_13895488']The larger space will give Padilla the chance to flesh out the menu a bit. Most excitingly, there will be Baja-style fried fish and fried shrimp tacos—another iconic category of Baja California foods that’s rarely done well here in the Bay. Unlike the Richmond taqueria, the new restaurant has a liquor license and plans to offer a dozen beers on tap, so it’ll also add some bar bites to the menu, such as chicken wings served with housemade salsa—like Buffalo wings with a Mexican twist, Padilla says. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The restaurant will also serve five kinds of margaritas and five different micheladas, with both cocktails available as a flight.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to Padilla, part of the reason he felt confident about the San Rafael expansion is that he often gets customers who drive across the bridge to Richmond from the North Bay just to eat at El Tucán—because of the lack of “good, authentic tacos” in the area, they tell him. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I think people are going to like the style that we have,” Padilla says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">El Tucán Tacos and Beer will open in December or January at 15 Harbor Street in San Rafael. Check El Tucán’s \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tacoseltucan/\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Instagram\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> page for updates.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "El Tucán brings Tijuana-style flame-grilled meats and michelada flights to a historic waterfront spot.",
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"title": "One of the East Bay’s Best Taquerias Is Coming to San Rafael | KQED",
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"headline": "One of the East Bay’s Best Taquerias Is Coming to San Rafael",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marin County doesn’t exactly have a reputation for being one of the Bay Area’s premier taco destinations. (Some might even call certain stretches of the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11307601/why-is-marin-county-so-white\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">wealthy, predominantly white\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> county a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/10/14/21515020/quesabirria-tacos-marin-county-richmond-san-rafael\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">taco \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">desert\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of sorts.) But no longer: Later this year, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.tacoseltucan.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">El Tucán\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, one of the East Bay’s very best taquerias, will open a new outpost on the San Rafael waterfront that’s larger and even more ambitious than its original Richmond location. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like the original El Tucán, tacos at the new spot—called El Tucán Tacos and Beer—will feature all the hallmarks of the Tijuana style: handmade tortillas, a dollop of guacamole on every taco and, most importantly, meats that have been grilled over fire. The idea is for customers at the new taqueria to be able to enjoy some of the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/theluketsai/status/1433962298717081605\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">tastiest carne asada in the Bay\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on the waterfront deck, cold beer or michelada in hand. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to co-owner Alfredo Padilla, El Tucán Tacos and Beer should open in December or January, in the space previously occupied by \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pier15RestaurantandBar/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pier 15\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a San Rafael institution that closed in the early months of the pandemic.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When El Tucán \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/12/5/20994943/tacos-el-tucan-tijuana-carne-asada-quesatacos-richmond\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">first burst onto Richmond’s much-vaunted Mexican food scene\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> two years ago, the taqueria’s biggest point of distinction was its focus on Tijuana-style tacos—a rarity in the Bay Area. It was, and remains, one of a very small number of taquerias in the East Bay that grills its meats over fire instead of just on a flat-top. Its quesatacos, whose tortillas are gilded with a thin layer of brown, crispy cheese, can go toe to toe with any taco in the Bay Area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13903361\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13903361\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Three tacos, topped with guacamole and crispy cheese, on a paper plate.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/eltucan_quesatacos_luketsai-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Tucán’s calling card is its Tijuana-style quesatacos. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The restaurant immediately drew long lines at all times of day and, according to Padilla, maintained its popularity even through the worst of the pandemic. “Being mostly a takeout restaurant helped us stay busy,” Padilla says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When business did slow down during the very first month of shelter in place, that gave Padilla and his taqueros time to experiment with their menu a bit. For the first time, they started selling \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">quesabirria\u003c/a>—the cheesy, red-tinged birria tacos that are the Bay Area taco scene’s most famous Tijuana import—along with other “red tacos” prepared in the same style. They also added a well-griddled version of a \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/theluketsai/status/1433962298717081605\">California burrito\u003c/a>, that deliciously fry-stuffed SoCal classic. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13903363\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1536px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13903363\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017.jpg\" alt='Exterior of a restaurant with \"El Tucán Tacos and Beer\" signage.' width=\"1536\" height=\"2304\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/IMG_0017-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The exterior of the former Pier 15 space in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood. \u003ccite>(Tony Tamayo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">All of those new additions will be on the menu at the San Rafael restaurant, which is a joint venture between Padilla, his brother Edgar and a third partner, Victor Ceja. The new El Tucán is located in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood, in what Padilla acknowledges is a bit of a weird location, “literally in the middle of an industrial area” surrounded by car dealerships. It’s one of the only restaurants that he’s aware of in the immediate vicinity. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But the neighborhood also has its share of perks. The Canal neighborhood is the heart of Marin County’s working class Latino and Mexican American community, much of which lives in the sprawl of apartment complexes just a few blocks away from the restaurant. There is, in this part of San Rafael, a built-in audience for superlative tacos.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile, Padilla is excited about the space itself, which at 2,000 square feet is much larger than the Richmond location. This will be Padilla’s first sit-down restaurant, with indoor seating available in the bar area and dining room, with an additional 40 seats out back on the deck facing the water. Along the side of the building, there will be a little taco window for customers who want to grab their food to go. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The larger space will give Padilla the chance to flesh out the menu a bit. Most excitingly, there will be Baja-style fried fish and fried shrimp tacos—another iconic category of Baja California foods that’s rarely done well here in the Bay. Unlike the Richmond taqueria, the new restaurant has a liquor license and plans to offer a dozen beers on tap, so it’ll also add some bar bites to the menu, such as chicken wings served with housemade salsa—like Buffalo wings with a Mexican twist, Padilla says. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The restaurant will also serve five kinds of margaritas and five different micheladas, with both cocktails available as a flight.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to Padilla, part of the reason he felt confident about the San Rafael expansion is that he often gets customers who drive across the bridge to Richmond from the North Bay just to eat at El Tucán—because of the lack of “good, authentic tacos” in the area, they tell him. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I think people are going to like the style that we have,” Padilla says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">El Tucán Tacos and Beer will open in December or January at 15 Harbor Street in San Rafael. Check El Tucán’s \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tacoseltucan/\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Instagram\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> page for updates.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Low Bar, Oakland’s New Chicano Bar, Takes Off After a Yearlong Delay",
"headTitle": "Low Bar, Oakland’s New Chicano Bar, Takes Off After a Yearlong Delay | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>When Matthew Meyer and Daniel Paez first announced their plans for \u003ca href=\"https://www.lowbaroakland.com/\">Low Bar\u003c/a> early last year, the Chicano-owned bar was hailed as part of \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/21311059/oakland-black-latinx-bipoc-bars-sobre-mesa-low-bar-oeste-pican\">a new wave of craft cocktail bars\u003c/a> in Oakland that centered the experiences of people of color. Then, of course, the pandemic hit, and everything ground to a halt. Low Bar was one of countless local watering holes that either shut down entirely or had their openings placed in protracted limbo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Happy news, then, for those who have been waiting: About a month ago, Low Bar quietly opened at 2300 Webster Street (the former Hawker Fare space) with both food and cocktail menus that proudly reflect the owners’ Mexican American backgrounds: quesabirria tacos, plenty of creative agave cocktails, and an ingenious Mexican twist on a Scotch egg. For now, the bar is open Thursday through Sunday for both indoor and outdoor service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel like COVID obviously put a huge damper and was a momentum buster for everyone,” says Meyer. “But if you’re asking if bars owned by people of color are going to slow down: Absolutely not. As a Chicano, I’ve never been more proud.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-13896245\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon-800x416.jpg\" alt='Three cocktails glow red in front of a neon sign that reads \"Low Bar.\"' width=\"800\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon-800x416.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon-160x83.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon-768x400.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon.jpg 890w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there was a time when Oakland’s booming bar scene was regarded as \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/oaklands-dive-bar-aficionados-adapt-to-the-citys-changing-bar-scene-2-1/\">the purview of white hipsters\u003c/a>, by early last year that characterization had increasingly started to feel like it no longer applied. As \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/21311059/oakland-black-latinx-bipoc-bars-sobre-mesa-low-bar-oeste-pican\">Eater SF\u003c/a> first noted, within a span of a few months, several prominent, upscale-ish, POC-owned spots opened with diverse staffing and serious cocktail programs that reflected their owners’ cultural backgrounds—and all within a few city blocks. Before COVID hit, \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/2/3/21119819/viridian-uptown-oakland-bar-cocktails-desserts-asian-photos\">Viridian was trumpeting its uniquely Asian American identity\u003c/a> as a cocktail bar, slinging Portuguese egg tarts and sublime drinks inspired by Chinese-American dishes like a tomato beef stir-fry. And \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/136410/sobre-mesa-brings-afro-caribbean-cocktails-and-light-bites-to-oakland\">Sobre Mesa had a whole Afro-Latino lounge vibe going\u003c/a>, with a deep rum lineup and a small plates menu that drew inspiration from across the African diaspora.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='bayareabites_136410' label='Also on the Bar Front']Both of those bars are back up and running now that COVID-related restrictions have started to loosen. For Low Bar, the past year has mostly been a matter of survival, Meyer explains. Investors pulled out, and, unable to finish the build-out of the bar, Meyer and Paez had to pivot to doing a burrito and tamale pop-up called \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chanchos_oakland/?hl=en\">Chancho’s\u003c/a> just to keep some revenue coming in. In fact, Meyer says, it was Chancho’s partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://wck.org/\">World Central Kitchen\u003c/a>, celebrity chef José Andrés’ disaster relief organization, that ultimately saved them, paying Chancho’s to provide meals for people in need during the pandemic. “We haven’t missed a single week since July,” Meyer says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As POC-owned, POC-focused craft cocktail bars have become more normalized in Oakland, it’s allowed folks like Meyer and Paez to be a little bit more expansive in the way they define what it means to be, say, a “Chicano bar.” For Meyer, who is Low Bar’s chef, that means he’s put together a \u003ca href=\"https://www.lowbaroakland.com/menus\">food menu\u003c/a> that’s a little less traditional than the old-school burritos and tamales he was serving through Chancho’s. He describes it as “Mexican-ish American bar food,” heavily influenced by his own upbringing near the border of San Diego and Tijuana. Yes, he makes a version of quesabirria, the cheesy birria tacos that are easily \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">Tijuana’s most famous culinary export of the moment\u003c/a>. But he also serves a number of dishes that are reflective of the border city’s vibrant fusion food scene: a cheeseburger with salsa verde and, perhaps most notably, a play on a Scotch egg that consists of chorizo coated in ground-up tortilla chips before it gets deep-fried.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/COA5hbDhQQp/\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Paez puts it, “The concept of Mexican food is no longer defined by just a taqueria.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the cocktail front, Paez describes his approach as “low pressure, low stakes, high reward,” with a strong emphasis on all the classics—your negronis and old fashioneds and daiquiris—but also plenty of creative agave and tequila drinks, as befits a Chicano bar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Meyer and Paez, if anything has changed in the past five or 10 years, it’s that bar and restaurant patrons in the Bay Area are now actively seeking out different kinds of cultural experiences. “People are more excited about trying new flavors and traditional dishes from people’s backgrounds,” Meyer says. “I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Low Bar is open for both indoor and outdoor dining and drinking at 2300 Webster Street, Thursday through Sunday from 3–10pm.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When Matthew Meyer and Daniel Paez first announced their plans for \u003ca href=\"https://www.lowbaroakland.com/\">Low Bar\u003c/a> early last year, the Chicano-owned bar was hailed as part of \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/21311059/oakland-black-latinx-bipoc-bars-sobre-mesa-low-bar-oeste-pican\">a new wave of craft cocktail bars\u003c/a> in Oakland that centered the experiences of people of color. Then, of course, the pandemic hit, and everything ground to a halt. Low Bar was one of countless local watering holes that either shut down entirely or had their openings placed in protracted limbo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Happy news, then, for those who have been waiting: About a month ago, Low Bar quietly opened at 2300 Webster Street (the former Hawker Fare space) with both food and cocktail menus that proudly reflect the owners’ Mexican American backgrounds: quesabirria tacos, plenty of creative agave cocktails, and an ingenious Mexican twist on a Scotch egg. For now, the bar is open Thursday through Sunday for both indoor and outdoor service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel like COVID obviously put a huge damper and was a momentum buster for everyone,” says Meyer. “But if you’re asking if bars owned by people of color are going to slow down: Absolutely not. As a Chicano, I’ve never been more proud.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-13896245\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon-800x416.jpg\" alt='Three cocktails glow red in front of a neon sign that reads \"Low Bar.\"' width=\"800\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon-800x416.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon-160x83.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon-768x400.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/lowbar_neon.jpg 890w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there was a time when Oakland’s booming bar scene was regarded as \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/oaklands-dive-bar-aficionados-adapt-to-the-citys-changing-bar-scene-2-1/\">the purview of white hipsters\u003c/a>, by early last year that characterization had increasingly started to feel like it no longer applied. As \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/21311059/oakland-black-latinx-bipoc-bars-sobre-mesa-low-bar-oeste-pican\">Eater SF\u003c/a> first noted, within a span of a few months, several prominent, upscale-ish, POC-owned spots opened with diverse staffing and serious cocktail programs that reflected their owners’ cultural backgrounds—and all within a few city blocks. Before COVID hit, \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/2/3/21119819/viridian-uptown-oakland-bar-cocktails-desserts-asian-photos\">Viridian was trumpeting its uniquely Asian American identity\u003c/a> as a cocktail bar, slinging Portuguese egg tarts and sublime drinks inspired by Chinese-American dishes like a tomato beef stir-fry. And \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/136410/sobre-mesa-brings-afro-caribbean-cocktails-and-light-bites-to-oakland\">Sobre Mesa had a whole Afro-Latino lounge vibe going\u003c/a>, with a deep rum lineup and a small plates menu that drew inspiration from across the African diaspora.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Both of those bars are back up and running now that COVID-related restrictions have started to loosen. For Low Bar, the past year has mostly been a matter of survival, Meyer explains. Investors pulled out, and, unable to finish the build-out of the bar, Meyer and Paez had to pivot to doing a burrito and tamale pop-up called \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chanchos_oakland/?hl=en\">Chancho’s\u003c/a> just to keep some revenue coming in. In fact, Meyer says, it was Chancho’s partnership with \u003ca href=\"https://wck.org/\">World Central Kitchen\u003c/a>, celebrity chef José Andrés’ disaster relief organization, that ultimately saved them, paying Chancho’s to provide meals for people in need during the pandemic. “We haven’t missed a single week since July,” Meyer says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As POC-owned, POC-focused craft cocktail bars have become more normalized in Oakland, it’s allowed folks like Meyer and Paez to be a little bit more expansive in the way they define what it means to be, say, a “Chicano bar.” For Meyer, who is Low Bar’s chef, that means he’s put together a \u003ca href=\"https://www.lowbaroakland.com/menus\">food menu\u003c/a> that’s a little less traditional than the old-school burritos and tamales he was serving through Chancho’s. He describes it as “Mexican-ish American bar food,” heavily influenced by his own upbringing near the border of San Diego and Tijuana. Yes, he makes a version of quesabirria, the cheesy birria tacos that are easily \u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">Tijuana’s most famous culinary export of the moment\u003c/a>. But he also serves a number of dishes that are reflective of the border city’s vibrant fusion food scene: a cheeseburger with salsa verde and, perhaps most notably, a play on a Scotch egg that consists of chorizo coated in ground-up tortilla chips before it gets deep-fried.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As Paez puts it, “The concept of Mexican food is no longer defined by just a taqueria.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the cocktail front, Paez describes his approach as “low pressure, low stakes, high reward,” with a strong emphasis on all the classics—your negronis and old fashioneds and daiquiris—but also plenty of creative agave and tequila drinks, as befits a Chicano bar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Meyer and Paez, if anything has changed in the past five or 10 years, it’s that bar and restaurant patrons in the Bay Area are now actively seeking out different kinds of cultural experiences. “People are more excited about trying new flavors and traditional dishes from people’s backgrounds,” Meyer says. “I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Low Bar is open for both indoor and outdoor dining and drinking at 2300 Webster Street, Thursday through Sunday from 3–10pm.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Some of the Tastiest Quesabirria-Inspired Tacos Can Be Found at This Oakland Pho Shop",
"headTitle": "Some of the Tastiest Quesabirria-Inspired Tacos Can Be Found at This Oakland Pho Shop | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We are living in the golden age of quesabirria. It’s been more than two years since the crispy, cheesy, red-tinged beef birria tacos \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">first exploded onto the Bay Area food scene\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> courtesy of a handful of OG taqueros in Richmond, Oakland and Antioch. Since then, the Tijuana-style tacos have spawned too many imitators to count, including a number of cross-cultural riffs—say, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CMw6MX2BmtW/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">beef rendang quesabirria\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or “Mexipino” \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/9/9/21427997/al-pastor-papi-quesadobo-taco-filipino-quesabirria-mexipino\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">chicken adobo quesabirria\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Perhaps the most delicious of these hybridized versions are the bo kho, or Vietnamese beef stew, tacos that East Oakland’s \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://phovyoakland.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pho Vy\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> has been selling for the past few months—the blessed union of that basic quesabirria formula (tender stewed meat + crispy tortillas + melted cheese) with a family recipe passed down through four generations. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Since it opened in 2016, Pho Vy has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-pho-restaurants-san-francisco-oakland-east-bay/ph-vy-vietnamese-cuisine\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">garnered a reputation\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for serving what might be the richest and most delicious bowl of pho in the East Bay. But Tuan Nguyen, who runs the business with his wife Trang Truong, says the restaurant’s real signature dish is its bo kho—a recipe that was passed down to Nguyen by his mother and his maternal grandfather. It’s a lighter, brothier version of the stew than the dark gravy base you’ll find at a lot of other Vietnamese restaurants; the recipe is specific to his family’s hometown of My Tho, in southern Vietnam, Nguyen says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [aside tag='tacos' label='More Taco Stories'] \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like so many other small, family-run restaurants, the pandemic has been tough on Pho Vy, which shut down entirely for several months until finally reopening in July with a skeleton crew—family members only—for takeout and, eventually, limited-capacity outdoor dining. As Nguyen explains it, the shift to takeout was especially tough for a pho restaurant: “Pho in general is something you have to eat on the spot to experience it the way it’s meant to be eaten,” he says, noting how the texture, temperature, and flavor all have to be just so. “It never tastes right when you take it to go.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nguyen’s tacos started as a kind of Hail Mary born out of the challenges of the pandemic. An Oakland native, Nguyen grew up eating tacos and always had a deep love for Latino foods. He’d always toyed with the idea of creating some kind of hybrid Vietnamese-Mexican dish—to, as he puts it, “mix different kinds of culinary fields into one type.” With the restaurant struggling just to keep its head above water, Nguyen decided to give it a shot. Traditionally, he says, you’d eat the restaurant’s tender, slow-cooked bo kho over rice noodles or with a French baguette. But Nguyen had been watching the burgeoning quesabirria trend, and he thought his stew would make a great base for that style of taco. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13895514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13895514\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-800x480.jpg\" alt=\"Closeup of a Vietnamese taco, with stewed beef and pickled carrot and daikon.\" width=\"800\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-800x480.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-1020x612.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-768x461.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-1536x922.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-2048x1229.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-1920x1152.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A close-up view of the bo kho taco. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The process isn’t very different from what you’d see at a birria shop, though the flavors are distinctly Vietnamese: To make his bo kho, Nguyen simmers brisket for four or five hours until it reaches maximal tenderness, then shreds the meat. He scoops out some of the rendered fat that collects at the top of the pot and uses it as a dip for the corn tortillas, which get crisped up on the griddle. He melts some Colby Jack on top of the stew to add a little bit of chile heat. And then, in addition to the standard taco toppings of cilantro and onion, Nguyen also tops his bo kho tacos with Thai basil and slices of raw jalapeño, like you’d get with a bowl of pho, and sweet carrot and daikon pickles like the kind served on banh mi.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Taken all together, it makes for an absurdly delicious bite: crispy, soupy, meaty, and a little bit sweet. For taco eaters who like to dip their quesabirria, Pho Vy will serve a little cup of the concentrated bo kho broth on the side by request, though Nguyen says it isn’t really necessary: The tacos are juicy enough as it is.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1gVtH_48Do\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For now, the tacos are an off-menu item, sold at $12.95 for a plate of three—roughly in line with the going rate for quesabirria. Nguyen says he hasn’t yet listed them on the menu officially, as “Vietnamese quesabirria” or some such, because he didn’t want to “overstep Latino restaurants.” But so far, he says, everyone seems to love the tacos—including a number of Mexican-American customers. On a good day, Pho Vy now sometimes sells 200 or 300 tacos. It’s a boost in business that, ultimately, may have helped save the restaurant.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It made a big difference,” Nguyen says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pho Vy is currently open for takeout and outdoor seating at 401 International Blvd. in Oakland, from 10 a.m.–8 p.m. every day except Thursdays. For now, the bo kho tacos aren’t listed on the menu, but they’re always available. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We are living in the golden age of quesabirria. It’s been more than two years since the crispy, cheesy, red-tinged beef birria tacos \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2019/11/21/20937687/el-garage-quesabirria-birria-taco-richmond-instagram\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">first exploded onto the Bay Area food scene\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> courtesy of a handful of OG taqueros in Richmond, Oakland and Antioch. Since then, the Tijuana-style tacos have spawned too many imitators to count, including a number of cross-cultural riffs—say, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CMw6MX2BmtW/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">beef rendang quesabirria\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or “Mexipino” \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/2020/9/9/21427997/al-pastor-papi-quesadobo-taco-filipino-quesabirria-mexipino\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">chicken adobo quesabirria\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Perhaps the most delicious of these hybridized versions are the bo kho, or Vietnamese beef stew, tacos that East Oakland’s \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://phovyoakland.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pho Vy\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> has been selling for the past few months—the blessed union of that basic quesabirria formula (tender stewed meat + crispy tortillas + melted cheese) with a family recipe passed down through four generations. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Since it opened in 2016, Pho Vy has \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-pho-restaurants-san-francisco-oakland-east-bay/ph-vy-vietnamese-cuisine\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">garnered a reputation\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for serving what might be the richest and most delicious bowl of pho in the East Bay. But Tuan Nguyen, who runs the business with his wife Trang Truong, says the restaurant’s real signature dish is its bo kho—a recipe that was passed down to Nguyen by his mother and his maternal grandfather. It’s a lighter, brothier version of the stew than the dark gravy base you’ll find at a lot of other Vietnamese restaurants; the recipe is specific to his family’s hometown of My Tho, in southern Vietnam, Nguyen says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like so many other small, family-run restaurants, the pandemic has been tough on Pho Vy, which shut down entirely for several months until finally reopening in July with a skeleton crew—family members only—for takeout and, eventually, limited-capacity outdoor dining. As Nguyen explains it, the shift to takeout was especially tough for a pho restaurant: “Pho in general is something you have to eat on the spot to experience it the way it’s meant to be eaten,” he says, noting how the texture, temperature, and flavor all have to be just so. “It never tastes right when you take it to go.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nguyen’s tacos started as a kind of Hail Mary born out of the challenges of the pandemic. An Oakland native, Nguyen grew up eating tacos and always had a deep love for Latino foods. He’d always toyed with the idea of creating some kind of hybrid Vietnamese-Mexican dish—to, as he puts it, “mix different kinds of culinary fields into one type.” With the restaurant struggling just to keep its head above water, Nguyen decided to give it a shot. Traditionally, he says, you’d eat the restaurant’s tender, slow-cooked bo kho over rice noodles or with a French baguette. But Nguyen had been watching the burgeoning quesabirria trend, and he thought his stew would make a great base for that style of taco. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13895514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13895514\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-800x480.jpg\" alt=\"Closeup of a Vietnamese taco, with stewed beef and pickled carrot and daikon.\" width=\"800\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-800x480.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-1020x612.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-768x461.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-1536x922.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-2048x1229.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/PhyVyTaco_closeup-1920x1152.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A close-up view of the bo kho taco. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The process isn’t very different from what you’d see at a birria shop, though the flavors are distinctly Vietnamese: To make his bo kho, Nguyen simmers brisket for four or five hours until it reaches maximal tenderness, then shreds the meat. He scoops out some of the rendered fat that collects at the top of the pot and uses it as a dip for the corn tortillas, which get crisped up on the griddle. He melts some Colby Jack on top of the stew to add a little bit of chile heat. And then, in addition to the standard taco toppings of cilantro and onion, Nguyen also tops his bo kho tacos with Thai basil and slices of raw jalapeño, like you’d get with a bowl of pho, and sweet carrot and daikon pickles like the kind served on banh mi.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Taken all together, it makes for an absurdly delicious bite: crispy, soupy, meaty, and a little bit sweet. For taco eaters who like to dip their quesabirria, Pho Vy will serve a little cup of the concentrated bo kho broth on the side by request, though Nguyen says it isn’t really necessary: The tacos are juicy enough as it is.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/F1gVtH_48Do'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/F1gVtH_48Do'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For now, the tacos are an off-menu item, sold at $12.95 for a plate of three—roughly in line with the going rate for quesabirria. Nguyen says he hasn’t yet listed them on the menu officially, as “Vietnamese quesabirria” or some such, because he didn’t want to “overstep Latino restaurants.” But so far, he says, everyone seems to love the tacos—including a number of Mexican-American customers. On a good day, Pho Vy now sometimes sells 200 or 300 tacos. It’s a boost in business that, ultimately, may have helped save the restaurant.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It made a big difference,” Nguyen says.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pho Vy is currently open for takeout and outdoor seating at 401 International Blvd. in Oakland, from 10 a.m.–8 p.m. every day except Thursdays. For now, the bo kho tacos aren’t listed on the menu, but they’re always available. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
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"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
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"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
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"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
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