Food (and Other Things)

I was looking back on my old posts yesterday and realized that I talk about Toma in almost every post but I never really explained what it is!

In mid-December, my boyfriend opened a restaurant in San Francisco in the coveted Marina district. A lot of blood, sweat and tears have went into the place and I’m so proud every time I drive by it. This picture is before it even opened; I tried to find a more recent one (there’s chairs and dividers that spruce up the place now) but I guess I haven’t taken one lately.

The food is considered modern mexican, all the recipes are family recipes from Durango and Obregon in Mexico. The difference is that all the meats are premium and grass fed and they buy all the produce locally as well. The tortillas for the tacos are house-made every morning, which is something that is practically unheard of!

Toma has multiple meanings in Spanish, essentially it means to drink, to consume or to take. It can be used as a verb (ella toma, she takes) or as an expression (¡Toma!, take that!).

He recently started introducing specials, which are made in a limited quantity every morning and sells out usually by the afternoon.

Monday- Chile Colorado

Tuesday- Chicken Mole

Wednesday- Camarones de Ajo

Thursday- Chile Verde

Friday- Barbacoa

Sat/Sun- Pozole

The specials are some of my favorite things there, you can put them in tacos, burritos, or in a bowl. Sometimes I will be bummed to find out that they sold out before I can get there.

Since I want to continue with the Friday Five, I’ll post my five favorite things from his restaurant!

1. Torta

A torta is a Mexican sandwich, the bread is usually a sandwich roll (which they call bolillo) with your choice of meat. I really like it with carne asada (steak) and a guacamole spread in it.

2. Salsa

One of my favorite things about Toma are their salsa, each one is a family recipe that’s been perfected over time. My favorite one is the back right hand side that we call Rico’s. It’s a subtle but after-spicy habanero flavor. It goes on perfectly with cilantro and onion (mandatory at a Taqueria!) and a dash of lime.

3. Burritos

The one pictured above is actually a wet burrito, which is topped with enchilada sauce. My favorite burrito, which I named myself as the Tara special (Chi refuses to acknowledge it), is a half steak half chicken burrito with beans, rice, cilantro, onion, avocado and sautéed mushrooms. I don’t get it every time because it’s a handful to make, but when I do, I turn into the happiest girl ever!

4. Guacamole

Sometimes you have to look back and enjoy the smaller things in life, such as plain ol’ guacamole and chips. If you have noticed, I kind of have an obsession with avocados. If it fits, it sits on top of my food and it honestly goes with everything.

5. Tacos

(Shrimp)

(Steak, Mushroom, Chile Verde)

(Chicken)

There’s a reason tacos are at the end of my list. You always save the best for last, right? Growing up in California, I can say I have eaten my fair share of tacos. Without sounding biased, I honestly (swear on my life) think that these are one of the best tacos I have ever had in my life. I can seriously eat these tacos every day without any regret. The tortillas are hand made, so they taste really fresh and fluffy. What’s really good is to put one of the specials I was talking about earlier in here, and top it off with cilantro, onion, lime and Rico’s.

If you’re ever in the neighborhood, let me know and try to stop by! I’m sure we can do you a favor. 🙂

This weekend Chi is going to Vegas, so I’ll be spending Memorial Day a little low key and hanging out with friends I’ve been putting off until school was done.

What’s your favorite Mexican food? Any fun plans for Memorial Day?