The East Bay’s Only Zacatecan Restaurant Is Reopening After a Yearlong Absence | Eater SF

"After being closed for almost a year, the East Bay’s only restaurant specializing in Zacatecan cuisine is finally set to reopen for takeout at 6633 Bancroft Avenue after passing its final health inspection, with chef-owner Cecilia Chairez aiming to open in late December or early January. I describe it as a cult favorite for its slow-cooked stews and freshly griddled gorditas — notably a Zacatecas-style pork skin braised in red salsa, a pork-and-nopales stew from Chairez’s hometown of Valparaiso, and gigantic handmade corn tortillas — dishes that set it apart from other Mexican spots in the Bay Area. During the pandemic Chairez kept busy sewing face masks, and now she’s hopeful the new, more established location (a couple blocks from a high school and close to Mills College) will reach a larger audience; it has a cozy patio that can seat about 10 socially distanced diners and an open kitchen separated by plexiglass so customers can watch gorditas and tortillas being made. For now she’ll start with the old menu for takeout, including menudo and barbacoa on weekends, while putting plans for breakfast service, a “meal of the day,” and a casual cenaduría on hold; she’s also found a fresh milk supplier and plans to buy a metate to make her own Zacatecan cheese, and is raising money for equipment upgrades and a new website. Chairez acknowledges uncertainty because of her yearlong absence and a spike in coronavirus cases, but she emphasizes that the food is good and not crazily expensive, and she hopes the restaurant will help meet East Oakland’s needs." - Luke Tsai