Sit Back and Enjoy the Many Tastes of Tijuana
Hola amigas!
Who can resist Mexico as a destination for a girls weekend trip? Warm weather, sandy beaches, tequila...olé! Since I have a...well, unique memory of Tijuana, I’ll focus on giving you the best of what TJ (as it’s casually known) has to offer. Whether you’re staying in a rented home and cooking for yourself or dining out, My Girlfriendships has the answer to your feasting questions!
Casual fare
If you happen to be hanging with your friends in Southern California, you’ll want to take a day trip to TJ’s colectivos, or stall-based food courts. One of the largest is in theTelefónica Gastro Park, in Zona Centro. There you’ll find a variety of food trucks in a beer garden-type setting where you’ll find a complete variety of local cuisine, seafood, Mexican, a Brew pub, and so much more!
Relaxed vibe
Looking for a quiet, cozy place for a girlfriendship evening? A wonderful option is La Querenceria. Loosely translated, it’s the place where one’s strength is drawn from; where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self.” Sounds like the perfect spot for you and your girlfriends, doesn’t it?
TJ? Home of the caesar salad?
Here’s some good trivia that’ll impress your friends: Caesar salad was “invented” in Tijuana! It was the creation of restaurateur Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated restaurants in Mexico and the United States. Cardini was living in San Diego but was also working in Tijuana so he could avoid the restrictions of Prohibition. On this particular July 4th, 1924, Caesar was working at his restaurant, Caesar’s Restaurante Bar, when a rush of diners depleted the kitchen's food supplies. Cardini made do with what he had, adding the dramatic flair of the table-side tossing "by the chef.”
Of course, there is so much more to the menu than their delicious salad. Another great choice is the Camarones Costa Azul. Shrimp stuffed with crab and cheese, wrapped in bacon and butter sauce. Does that sound like heaven? Shrimp, crab, cheese, bacon, and butter!
Whether you are in the mood for Italian, Mexican, or Mediterranean—vegetarian, vegan, or gluten free, the options at this legendary restaurant are nearly endless.
Let's not forget the beverages! If you’re a tequila lover like I am, be sure to book one of the Tequila Tasting Tours. Then, after a long day of tequila tasting and sightseeing, there’s no better way to end it than laughing, talking, and snacking with my girls. One of my go-tos is this Easy Bean Dip Recipe.
Ingredients for 12 | Multiply by degree of hunger, divide by number of girlfriends!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
-
16 ounces refried beans canned
• ½ package taco seasoning -
4 ounces mild green chiles, diced and drained
- ½ cup sour cream
-
2 green onions divided
- ¼ cup jalapenos chopped, optional
- 3 cups cheddar cheese divided
- Tortila chips
DIRECTIONS
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Step 2
Slice green onions, dividing the white and green portions. Set the green part aside.
Step 3
Combine cream cheese, refried beans, taco seasoning and sour cream with a hand mixer until fluffy.
Step 4
Add the whites of the onions, jalapenos, chiles and 2 cups of cheddar cheese.
Step 5
Spread into a 2-quart (or 8x8) baking dish.
Step 6
Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes or hot and cheese is bubbly.
Step 7
Sprinkle with the green parts of the green onion.
Step 8
Serve with tortilla chips and that tequila you bought on the tour earlier in the day.
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/easy-bean-dip/