Giovanna M. Has 45 reviews on Yelp.com
San Diego, CA
5 star rating
11/13/2011
I LOVE this place!

During our last visit (11/12/2011) we ordered the quesadilla appetizer. It was very good! They have this really yummy salsa verde on it which makes it different than other quesadillas you may have had. Ours was free because of a check-in offer here on Yelp. But I’ll gladly pay for one in the future!!
Everyone orders what my favorite dish is: Pollo a la Crema. I get it with black beans instead of refried. Both are good, but I always personally prefer black beans over pinto. Everyone raves! It’s so so so good.
The chicken in this dish is a butterflied breast, covered in this rich and very mildly spicy Jalapeño Crema (a cream sauce). Served on a bed of delicious Spanish Rice.
Order extra crema if you like it. They’ve always been happy to give more in a little edible bowl.
I’ve ordered one other thing on their menu in the 10 or so times I’ve been here, but I cannot remember what it was. It was good though!
Patron Margarita on the rocks – Grande size… Yeah… Yummy! Definitely worth the price. One of the best margaritas I’ve ever had outside of my house. I order mine without the Gran Marnier, because of personal preference. But if you like that addition, you’ll love it in the margarita!!
Their flan is tasty and rich in sweetness, but the consistency is not right. It’s lumpy. I’m used to a much more smooth texture. So if you have a consistency issue, you might opt to skip that.
Our service is always superb. I have never had the need to complain here. They go the extra mile to make their guests happy.
I always look forward to our next visit.
Whether you’re a tourist or a native, I’m sure you’ll love this place!

A Summer of Fun

So many things to do in America’s Finest City, San Diego! Last weekend Café Coyote participated in the 3^rd annual San Diego Spirits Festival. This two-day celebration of spirits, local mixology and great fun was held at the stunning Port Pavilion on the Broadway Pier.  The weather was just right for an afternoon of local food, art and a diversity of beverages.

60 international and local liquor brands presented their products in a creative fashion to attract hundreds of people that passed by their booths. The party was wild! Many wanted to continue the party in a responsible manner. The after party continued in many of San Diego’s local hot sports; one of them being our very own, Café Coyote.

I was privileged to set up a table that featured 4 of some the finest tequilas in Mexico: 1519, Fortaleza, Don Fulano, Tanteo infused and Chihuahua’s famous Don Cuco Sotol.

There were many other though: Milagro, Agave Underground, Kah, Agave 99 and Sonora Mexico’s Bacanora from the rare agave Pacifica also shone in this diverse assortment of spirits.

Summer has just arrived and there is still time to enjoy San Diego’s perfect weather!

Taco Tuesday, Tequila Thursday, bloody Maria Sundays with smoky Mezcal. Wow, there is a party here everyday!

This weekend will literally be a blast with Fourth of July weekend.  Ask for a  ‘Red, White, and Blue Margarita to support this great country, The United States Of America!

Ask for quality 100% agave tequila in your drink so that the only starts you see are the stars on our beautiful flag and not the stars you see after a horrible hangover when you drink average tequila.

I will be here all weekend and hope to see you at this award winning place, Café Coyote!

Salud !!

Mario Marquez

Tequila Ambassador

June 2, 2011

The Endless Summer

June is here and summer is just around the corner. It seems that summer never ends in America’s finest city. This endless summer calls for cold drinks in a casual and relaxing ambiance. The place to visit this hot summer is Café Coyote! The entire month of June is set aside to teach you about tequila Cazadores and our delicious and complex cocktails made with this legendary brand. Tequila Cazadores (the one with the deer on the label) is produced in Arandas, Jalisco.  Arandas is located in the southern part of Los Altos (The Highlands) of Jalisco, which is just 100 kilometers to the east of Guadalajara. Arandas is known for its rich, red and fertile soil. Some of the world’s best tequilas were born in this noble place.

This Thursday I will be making a, “Blood Orange Cream sickle Margarita.“ Join me at Café Coyote from 6-9p.m. to learn step by step the correct way to make it. Discover what a difference it makes to pour 100 percent agave tequila in some of your favorite cocktails and dare to taste new innovations with fresh ingredients.

Besides being Tequila Thursday, it is also Lobster Thursday.  Deep-fried Main Lobster, Puerto Nuevo style goes great with our weekly-featured cocktails. If you overstuff yourself with our generous portions of food, I can guide you to excellent tequila that will take care of that full belly feeling.  In many parts of Mexico it is a custom to sip on tequila after a meal. They call it,  “el desempanze,” in other words a great digestive.

See you soon!

Salud!

Mario Marquez

World Class, Master Tequilier

Café Coyote, Old Town

CHEF ERNESTO’S FLAN

2 Cans of evaporated milk

2 cans of condensed milk

1 oz Vanilla

1 lb Cottage cheese

2 Cups sugar

Pre-heat oven to 325°

To make your caramel sauce: Pour the 2 cups sugar in warm pan over medium heat until it is brown and then pour in to the bottom of your ceramic dishes.

Blend the rest of the ingredients and pour the custard into the cups. Place the cups into large baking dish and fill dish with 1-2 inches of hot water. Bake for 45 minutes in the bath and then check by inserting a knife in the center of one flan. If the knife comes out clean then it is ready.

Remove and let cool for 1 hour. When ready to serve invert cups on to small plates.

The following is a step by step recipe on the Michelada that I made for the Cinco de Mayo news segment on UNIVISION for the PRIEST movie Promotion.

Step one: a frosty beer mug or add ice (personally I would not add ice because it dilutes the beer).

Step two: wet the rim with lime juice and dip into salt or chile Tajin (chili powder, ground chili peppers, salt, and dehydrated lemon juice)

Step three: add a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Step four: Squeeze two halves of a lime

Step  five: add a dash of Worcestershire sauce (Salsa Inglesa)

Step six : add a dash of tabasco and a dash of Cholula if you want it more spicy

Step seven: add about 2 oz of Clamato or tomato juice

Step eight: add your favorite Mexican Beer, in my case Cerveza Victoria.

Article in Cheers Mag about Tequila April 2011

Follow the link to see an article from Cheers Magazine featuring Cafe Coyote and our very own Mario Marquez!

Come Celebrate Easter at Café Coyote

Easter is the most widely celebrated religious holiday in Mexico. With the vast majority of Mexicans practicing Roman Catholicism, this might not come as a surprise.Because of this, the majority of students in Mexico have spring break over Holy Week, and it is thus one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.

In Mexico, Holy Week, or Semana Santa, is observed heavily throughout the weekthroughspecial masses and other practices, such as processions and plays. Easter Sunday itself is eagerly awaited and is the most important day of the year to the church. Packed celebrations are held in every church across the country. The atmosphere post-mass is joyous, and crowds bustle about, visiting local street vendors selling food and snacks, as well as toys. The country is reborn with the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus.

See our Specials section for our special Easter menu!

4-7-11

El Jimador  (The Harvester)

There is something about April that I absolutely love: spring break, people’s positive attitude, and the right climate conditions to sit down and relax with a nice cold margarita or a unique-complex beer. We are almost in the middle of the month and I am anxious to receive the thousands of people that visit our lovely restaurant for our annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. Even though there is always a fiesta at Café Coyote, Cinco de Mayo is a day that brings out the Mexican out of everyone that joins us.

The party begins early this year.  On Saturday, April 30^th and Sunday April 31, we kick off the celebration with our annual Old Town Fiesta.  Festivities and entertainment for the entire family will be provided at no cost for everyone to enjoy. On the actual 5^TH of May, we get to leave the young ones at home for a grown up fiesta.

If you wont be around late April and early May. Celebrate even earlier by coming down to Café Coyote any day of the week for and experience you will never forget. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will show you the time of your life. Really, try a Margarita with our tequila of the month, “ El Jimador”. Casa Herradura  (the tequila with the horseshoe label) from Amatián, Jalisco  created this brand to commemorate the agave harvester. “El Jimador” is an expert on cultivation and harvesting of the agave plant. On a daily basis one jimador can harvest about 80 agave plants. Each plant is harvested in less that tree minutes.

When drinking El Jimador tequila think about the hard work that went into the final product of 100 percent agave; pure tequila. Come talk to me every Thursday from 5-9 p.m. to learn about tequila and enjoy our tequila based cocktail of the week.

¡ Salud !

Mario Marquez

Tequila Ambassador

Café Coyote, Old Town, San Diego

Spring Break, 2011

Spring is in the air! The weather is currently 85 degrees Fahrenheit and I wish I were at the beach. Now that I think about it, I really don’t want to sit in the hot traffic to get a parking spot. Neither do I want to get sun burnt. If I weren’t working already I would come to Café Coyote on my day off and find easy parking in their lower garage. This place is as cool as a tequila cellar. Next, I would walk upstairs and order me a nice cold 100 percent agave margarita. Forget about the sweet and sour. I am on a diet and would ask for a skinny margarita with freshly squeezed limejuice, tequila and agave nectar. Sake it on ice for a well balance cocktail.

This is just a starter. All I had for lunch today was a cup of soup and I am starving. The rich Chipotle Camarones sounds scrumptious! The homemade flour tortillas are just right for this dish. I know what you’re thinking; this guy said that he was on a diet. Yes, but I think it is time to reward myself and get me something nice. After all, I don’t eat this everyday. Tonight I splurge!  I think I also deserve a frosty beer. My choice of cerveza is Victoria. It was only available in Mexico in the past and we just got it into the United States. It is well balance and packed with flavor!

I won’t be able to drink the margarita and beer tonight because I will be working our weekly Tequila. Come down and drink one for me. I will be on site from 4-9p.m. to guide you through our drink menu. If it cools down tonight I suggest nice tequila served neat to help you relax and get ready for this coming spring break.

Salud!

Mario Marquez

Café Coyote

Tequila Ambassador

Famous Handmade Flour Tortillas

Makes about a dozen tortillas

3 Cups (24 oz)  Unbleached Flour

½ Tablespoon   Salt

3 oz   Manteca or Vegetable Shortening

1 cup (8 oz)   Room Temperature water

1/2 cup (4 oz)  Extra Flour for sprinkling

Making homemade tortillas is fun and there’s very little kitchen equipment needed. After a few times, you’ll have these steps down to memory.

Mix Flour and Salt together in a bowl (except for the extra flour).

Mix in the Manteca or Vegetable Shortening By Hand

Mix in the water a little bit at a time until the dough is soft and sticky.

Kneed the dough for a bit and make about 18 small dough balls.

Heat up the griddle or frying pan. Make it medium to high temperature.

Sprinkle some flour (about one teaspoon) on a cutting board.

Break out the rolling pin and get a dough ball.

Put the dough ball on top of the sprinkled flour.

Put the rolling pin in the top center of the ball and start to roll out a little at a time.

Make sure to turn the flattened ball out now and then and sprinkle flour when it starts to stick.

Roll it out into a circle and make it fairly thin in thickness.

Lay your tortilla on the hot griddle or frying pan. It takes just about 45 – 60 seconds per side to cook.

Flip it when it starts to have a few nice brown speckles.

Cover tortillas with a towel. You’ll do this with all the tortillas to keep them warm.

Enjoy your homemade tortillas with some butter, fresh salsa or stuff them with your favorite ingredients!