We had planned to go to Bracero twice before...
but cancelled due to the rainy weather. This weekend had a tiny threat of rain but we only encountered gloomy gray skies and a tiny smattering of fine mist while en route to Little Italy.
Bracero opens for lunch at 11:30 on the weekends. We were there a full half hour early and decided to "kill some time" at Pan Bon next door. I finally took a decentinterior shot with the wood panels. We kept it simple, just three of their 'mignon' desserts for $5 (total, not each).
Hazel nut in the front, chocolate topped and cream filled in the middle and in the back, filled with Chantilly cream and topped with sugar chunks.
It was funny getting dessert before our lunch...
Although there was seating outside, we were given the choice of being seated at their upstairs patio since they had heaters.
Our view from the second floor:
View of downstairs raw bar from the stairwell:
Hats and horse heads in the narrow stairwell:
The decor of Bracero is represented with farming implements (there is a wall upstairs near the bathrooms) and the hats. Bracero is a Spanish term meaning, "one who works with his arms". In 1942, the United States enacted the Bracero Program to recruit (and exploit) Mexican farm workers. There was a shortage of workers during WWII and the braceros fulfilled the need for cheap labor.
Their lunch menu:
We ordered one item from this menu, a salad, two tacos and a lunch entree to share.
This was our first blow-out meal of the new year.
Baja Hiramasa Crudo (yellow tail Amberjack):
Although the menu stated "tortillas" (plural), we were only given one and it was kind of burnt and not that great to be honest. This appetizer on the other hand was fantastic. Each flavor was so distinct, the fish so butter soft. Underneath was the roasted eggplant which went well with the creamy avocado and the crisp tomatillo pieces.
Our array of dishes:
A quartet of sauces ranging from mild to spicy (L-R): tomatillo, roasted tomato, chile de arbol, and habanero with ghost pepper (yikes).
Vida es verde salad:
This was such a beautiful looking salad. I wish I took photos of the components that were hiding under the spinach, such as the verdolaga, (also known as "purslane"), the pickled nopal strips (cactus) and the watercress. The salad had generous avocado slices, oregano tinged dressing (it was on the saltier side), Cotija cheese, sliced watermelon radish (they used a fanciful cutter for these slices) and was garnished with flower petals.
Since we were going all out and since we both are Romesco fans, I ordered the Beef cheek taco for us to share (dividing the flavorful meat between the two tortillas). This was a step up frim your typical taco joint.
The Gyro style adobada taco only had one tortilla. The meat was sliced gyro style, but it was a bit on the drier side. I really liked the sweetness of the pineapple here as well.
Our shared lunch entree was the slow braised brisket torta served with a side of pickled carrots. The meat was so soft and delicious. I only managed a few bites then saved the rest for Bert to enjoy later.
Our server was attentive, making sure to have two heaters on for us. Even though it wasn't raining, it was still a bit chilly outside.
The upstairs bar:
and a view of the bar downstairs as seen from their glass wall near the stairwell:
The interior was beautiful in here and I'm sure this place is much more crowded during the dinner hour. We were so glad we went here for lunch. Of course we could not leave without getting at least one dessert. Two were offered (the other was a "paleta", which can be seen in Lynn's link at the end of this post); we chose the Brown Butter Panque which was served with perfectly diced pineapple, chopped peanut toffee with caramel sauce and a scoop of ice cream. Our floral garnish was a dendrobium orchid (you will see through the other bloggers' posts that the flower garnishes vary according to what they have on hand).
This dessert, along with our other entrees (like that salad) was just too pretty to "mess up". But we got over it pretty quickly, ha ha.
Who else has been to Bracero?
Kirbie has been here not once, but twice (her brown butter panque was garnished with a purple and yellow pansy), along with Jinxi (who went here for her birthday dinner), and most recently by Lynn of Oh So Yummy (her brown butter panque had a yellow marigold). They all have fantastic photos of their dinner and dessert offerings.
Articles:
"The culinary spotlight shines bright on Bracero now open in Little Italy" SD Eater, July 10, 2015
+ Darlene's article, "First Look - The Baja fare at Javier Plascencia's Bracero Cocina de Raiz" Zagat SD, July 23, 2015
Bracero Cocina de Raiz
1490 Kettner Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 756-7864
bracerococina.com + fb & reviews from trip advisor and that four lettered site
Can't wait to go here for my birthday dinner in a few months!
8 comments:
That hamachi dish looks amazing. I would have never thought to pair it with the roasted eggplant. Bracero is offering a lunch menu for Restaurant week. What's your take on RW? I haven't had much success in the past with dinner menus during RW but thought maybe lunch would be better (less crowded and hectic maybe means for a better RW meal). I think it's only $20 for their RW lunch menu this week.
Yes, the hiramasa was pretty good!
My friend MFH and her friend actually went back to Bracero for their Restaurant Week lunch ($20 for a starter and entree) and really liked it. As for my take on RW? I don't really care about going. RW used to be only on Sundays thru Thursdays but that's changed since then. I work at a school (and have a kid, now a teen) and I don't like going out to eat on work nights plus it's was a hassle to get child care. The only nights I could go out would have been Fri or Sat but that's when everyone and their mother goes to RW. I only went to RW once (it's my Roseville post from 2010) but that was about it.
The salad looks so pretty how they arranged it... almost like a half-wreath. The dessert looks outstanding as well with that pretty flower in it. I also love the handle of the knife... haha. Funny observation, maybe, but I love looking at silverware.
I thought it was interesting how they plated that salad. Everything here was so so pretty and I hated "ruining" the food by eating it. The dessert was quite lovely as well and tasted as good as it looked. The knife handle was also cool - very rustic.
So glad you finally got to visit! I really love the plating here.
Me too. I must try that octopus for my revisit.
yummmm. I want to go try more appetizers from here. I haven't been to pan bon though their food selection seemed really wide at Taste of Little Italy! :)
Hi Lynn,
I want to try dinner here! Your post, along with Kirbie's have so many mouth watering photos. One day I'll try that octopus dish. As for Pan Bon, I haven't had their hot food (made to order) yet, only the prepared foods, which I wasn't impressed with.
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