a dinner at Yerba Buena

Falling out of a cab and shuffling into Yerba Buena, I found myself warmly greeted by a handsome man tucking me into a seat- as he removed my jacket. A good start. I ordered the Azteca- in waiting for my company to arrive. The sleek cocktail is composed of Lunazal tequila, St. Germain, yellow chartreuse and fresh lime juice. Absolutely divine. When my dining partner pushed in, he selected the Mojito: Flor de Cana 7 rum, mint leaves demarara syrup and fresh lime. It's difficult to shy away from well-selected liquor and top-notch juices. At mid-point through our cocktails, we requested a corner table.

For sustenance, we decided to share three plates. From the Frios: Ceviche Mixto with shrimp, octopus, crawfish, clams, red onion, rocoto, cilantro and maiz cancho. Superb in freshness and firm textures. The dish was appropriately served before our two Bontanas plates. Our second (shared plates) course involved the Empanadas and the Tacos de Pescado. The Empanadas came golden brown with chicken tinga, sirloin picadillo and chimichurri sauce for dressing. Without the sauce for garnish, the Empanadas would have been quite disappointing- regardless, my dining partner seemed satisfied. I found the Tacos de Pescado to be quite refreshing in their make-up of crispy tilapia, baja style jimica, cabbage and chipotle slaw. The crunchy and subtle jimica added a bit of interest beyond your typical fish taco.

Excellent Southwestern food is often difficult to come by, I certainly plan to return to Yerba Buena.

images: latina.com, cherry patter