Restaurante Doña Tomás, Temescal, Oakland, CA.
Carnitas (with tortillas, salsa fresca, refritos, and green rice)
Sangrita y Tequila
Pay de Chocolate
Can a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Can a band from France (and marginally, Spain) substitute for music actually by Latin American artists in a Mexican restaurant (and does it matter)? Can phenomenal Mexican cuisine come from people named Schnetz and Savitsky? All questions that I don’t necessarily have the answers for as I contemplate the rest of my enormous carnitas platter over the mildly insipid Gipsy Kings.
At 5:15, I paced Temescal, grumbling at my own misfortune for the day, searching for culinary redemption. Noting that Pizzaiolo was closed for remodeling (they have since reopened), and not wanting Lanesplitters as consolation, I decided that a heaping plate of carnitas was the only solution.
Since they opened at 5:30, the restaurant was empty and I was swiftly placed at a table facing the kitchen, though obscured by the wall upon which they place steaming plates of food for delivery to the tables. I ordered food and drink at once. The food arrived almost instantly, before the tequila even appeared. Strange, but I suppose pork that has been stewing in its own, deliciously unkosher fat for hours doesn’t need much time before serving. Undeterred, I proceeded, expecting luscious melty-crisp gluttony.
The carnitas were browned to a perfect crisp. The meaty insides… were DRY! How is that possible? I’ve had Doña Tomás’ carnitas before, and they were heavenly! I could lessen the dryness by complementing it with refritos and salsa on a tortilla, but carnitas should be able to stand its own. I only finished half. That says much, regardless of massive serving size. And though I’d finished all the tortillas, couldn’t they have thrown a couple into my takeout box, or at least asked?
I drowned my frustration in alternating swallows of sangrita and tequila. Thankfully, the tequila selection for this combination at Doña Tomás is far better than the default at Fonda, and the sangrita is refreshing rather than cloying. I ordered chocolate pie, and it too was not as good as remembered. The graham cracker crust was more crumbly than tender, for which I had previously lauded them; the chocolate was more firm and cold than creamy with an odd medicinal flavor. The enormous dollop of whipped cream detracted more than it complemented. It tasted like it had been sliced yesterday and abruptly pulled out of the refrigerator before serving.
I left, utterly disappointed and $46 poorer. For that much, I’d rather have a hamburger dinner at Wood Tavern. To be fair, I reheated the leftover carnitas in a microwave later that night and they melted into a much moister, much greasier, much less crisp but far more delicious mess. I’ve had some delicious and well-presented meals at Doña Tomás; perhaps this was an anomaly.
–
And once more, with feeling!
Restaurante Doña Tomás, Temescal, Oakland, CA.
Tostadas de Coliflor
Ensalada César
Sopa de Pescado (spicy soup with halibut cheeks, chard, fennel, potato, and avocado, accompanied by green rice)
Sangrita y Tequila
I returned with company less than a week later. The restaurant was only about two-thirds full at 8pm, a far cry from my expectations. Is there something about the post-holidays that slows down restaurant business? On the other hand, Pizzaiolo was overflowing, but they’d also just reopened. Is this indicative of a decline in the quality of food, as suggested by my previous meal?
This time, instead of placing my bets on one dish, I decided on a different tactic and ordered a number of “small” things. Do note the quotations; despite my best dietary intentions, nothing here is small.
My companion and I shared the tostadas, crispy tortillas topped with roasted cauliflower tossed with raisins, and pine nuts in a very spicy crema-based sauce. While it was fairly tasty, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was eating a strangely creamy cauliflower trail mix — nothing quite pulled all of the elements together. The Mexican rendition of Caesar salad was a large plate of fresh, crisp romaine, well-dressed and topped with delicious croutons. (So far as I can tell, the only difference is that the dressing probably contains lime juice instead of lemon, and the cheese is cotija instead of parmesan.) The soup was excellent: large, tender-firm, flavorful halibut cheeks, sliced fennel bulb, potatoes and greens in a rich and wickedly spicy broth. I also stole a few bites of his carne asada with chimichurri — an excellent choice.
Redemption, for now. This time I was okay with forking over another $45.
