Puerto Nuevo style lobsters have been a tradition in the Baja region since 1956. According to legend, the tradition started when two local women in a fishing village south of Rosarito decided to drop fresh lobster into hot, bubbling oil. Puerto Nuevo style lobsters quickly became a staple in the area because many families did not have refrigerators, and the lobsters did not require any refrigerated ingredients. Since 1956, Puerto Nuevo has served locals and tourist millions of lobsters each year.

At Café Coyote, diners can enjoy this Mexican tradition without traveling all the way to Puerto Nuevo. For $25.95, diners will receive a 1.5 to 1.75 pound lobster served with Mexican style rice, refried beans, handmade tortillas, drawn butter and fresh salsa. Lobsters are only available until supplies run out so get there early.

In addition, Café Coyote will feature a special taco each week. Specialty tacos will center around fresh, creative ingredients in unusual combinations. These specialty tacos include the Fried Calamari Chipotle Taco, the Irish Taco and the Chicken Diablo Taco. Café Coyote’s website has a detailed list of each specialty taco they will feature so diners can plan ahead each week.

Café Coyote will also be creating a new taco that the restaurant’s Facebook and Twitter fans will have a chance to take part in naming. This new taco will become a staple on Café Coyote’s menu each week.

For more information about Café Coyote including a full list of the tacos served, please visit: http://cafecoyoteoldtown.com/taco-tuesday.html.

Turkey and Yam Spicy Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 yam, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound turkey
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup tomatillo salsa
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 16 warm flour tortillas

Directions

1. Put the diced yam in a microwave-safe bowl; cook in the microwave until cooked through and fork-tender, stirring once, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place over medium heat; cook and stir the onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper. Continue cooking until the onions begin to caramelize, 7 to 10 minutes. Add cooked Turkey to heat and season with the chili powder, cumin, , and salt. Pour the salsa over everything; fold the sweet potatoes into the mixture. Allow the mixture to cook until the excess moisture evaporates. Garnish with the cilantro. Serve with the warm tortillas.

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!

(Portions are on a restaurant size scale)

10 Lb Uncle Ben’s Stuffing Mix

1 Lb Butter

3/4 Lb Diced onion

1/2 Lb Diced celery

3/4 Lb Diced Pineapple

½ Lb Raisins

2 Lb Pecans

• Melt the butter and add onions & celery
• When they are soft add the rest of the ingredients
• Add water ( per instructions on Uncle Ben’s box) and cook until it is boiling then add stuffing and mix for another 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS:                                              PREP TIME:  30 Minutes

COOKING TIME:  3 ½ Hours

10 lbs.              Pork “cushion” (body part)

7 tbs                 Salt

1                      Orange (cut in half)

2oz                   Onion

5                       Garlic Cloves

5 lbs                Lard

PREPARATION:

Low Heat:  Place lard in Lg Pot (enough lard that when it melts it covers the Pork)

Add:   Pork, Salt, Orange, Onion & Garlic Cloves

Cover:   Lg Pot of Carnitas

Cook:  for 3 to 3 1/2 hours

Remove from heat when Pork is tender

Tequila is becoming known far and wide as a quality spirit for consumption at almost any type of event.  Café Coyote has chosen Thursday to be our weekly day of appreciation for the spirit and have added a lobster Dinner special to the menu to further enhance the Thursday night experience.  Once you arrive at Café Coyote on Thursday you will notice the display that the Tequila Ambassador has put up to show everyone.  Starting with what particular brand of tequila we will be spot lighting and what new and creative cocktail will be served.

Tequilas are not just for shots anymore and Café Coyote is just the place to show you how to enjoy this spirit in a new and exciting way!  Please join us every Thursday and ask your server, hostess, busboy or anyone wearing or colorful Coyote T-shirt about talking to one of our in house Tequila Ambassadors to create a night of tequila magic that you will want to experience again and again.

Cafe Coyote invitees its employees and the community to honor their deceased loved ones by visiting its Dia de los Muertos altar. The altar is a Dia de los Muertos staple that is used for families to place items deceased spirits will need when they make the journey back to visit the living. These items can include toiletries so the spirit can clean-up after making the long journey, personal items that belonged to the deceased person or even tequila or cigarettes.

During Dia de los Muertos, Cafe Coyote will give away free Mexican hot chocolate and face painting. Cafe Coyote will also feature a traditional Dia de los Muertos menu with items like hot chocolate served with almonds and cinnamon.

Cafe Coyote won awards for Best Mexican cuisine in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. The restaurant is located at 2461 San Diego Avenue. For reservations, call 619.291.HOWL (4695) or visit www.cafecoyote.com.

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

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