In the heart of Baja’s wine country and nestled within the expansive Rancho Olivares, you will find Almazara Restaurant. Guadalajara-based Chef Antonio de Livier serves as a consultant to the kitchen, which turns out dishes incorporating fresh local ingredients that pay homage to his hometown of Mexicali. You can’t leave without ordering the tuna ceviche with roasted habanero mayonnaise and chicharrón (pigskin). (Slathering mayo on ceviche tostadas is a Northern Baja custom.) The tender pieces of tuna rest atop the fiery mayo sauce and are studded with crispy bits of chicharrón, citrus juices, and veggie garnishes. Enjoy it by the spoonful, or pile it high on top of a crunchy tostada.
Rancho Olivares, Careterra Tecate-Ensenada Km 84.5, Valle de Guadalupe, 22750
Photo by Antonio Díaz de Sandi