Mouthwatering Brunch Items At The Award-Winning Rosa Mexicano In NYC

Rosa Mexicano is offering a new brunch menu that combines authentic Mexican flair with classic brunch favorites.

Complimentary Skillet Cornbread

Every brunch menu comes with this heavenly skillet cornbread for the table. The melt-in-your-mouth cornbread, which has crusty exterior and moist interior, is topped with agave-lime butter, sauteed pepper and onions, and cilantro

Bistec con Huevos

Rosa Mexicano’s version of Steak & Eggs has Mexican influence. On top of juicy and tender grilled marinated skirt steak are two poached eggs (or eggs any style) sprinkled with cilantro. You can enjoy savory enchilada ranchera stuffed with melted cheese, sweet potato hash, bell pepper, and a dollop of guacamole on the side.

Sopes Benedict

This traditional Eggs Benedict dish has been upgraded with Mexican flair - instead of the boring ole’ English muffins, you get corn masa cakes topped with poached eggs and other delicious toppings. The “Traditional” is topped with Canadian bacon, chipotle hollandaise, and black bean puree, while the vegetarian option includes spinach and mushroom with pasilla de Oaxaca crema.

Huevos Josefina

Fluffy scrambled eggs are sauteed with caramelized onion, potato, and savory chorizo with melted Chihuahua cheese. The eggs are layered on top of crunchy tostadas with mestizo creema and pico de gallo.

Ensalada Picada

While not part of the new brunch menu, this beautiful, fresh salad is topped with natural grilled salmon with Tuscan kale, roasted corn, chayote, tortilla strips and roasted poblano peppers tossed in a poblano pepper vinaigrette.

Tres Leches Cake

Be sure to save room for dessert! The tres leches cake at Rosa Mexicano is absolutely divine. A piece of moist pound cake soaked in condensed milk is topped with a scoop of berries. This melt-in-your-mouth goodness is everything you have ever dreamed of.

Eat Your Way Through The Mission District, The Gourmet Ghetto Of San Francisco

Affectionately called the “Gourmet Ghetto,” San Francisco’s Mission District is home to some of the most popular restaurants, bakeries, and other famed food destinations in the city. Here is your ultimate guide to enjoying some of the best bites in the neighborhood!

Before You Begin…Do Your Research!

For newbies who are unfamiliar with the neighborhood, getting around Mission District can be a bit overwhelming. While searching for top restaurants on Google, Yelp, or TripAdvisor may yield some results, I would recommend participating in one of many walking food tours of the neighborhood to rely on the knowledge of the locals, to avoid tourist traps, and to experience Mission District at its fullest. My personal favorite, Avital Food Tours, is a comprehensive, 3-hour journey through Mission District’s top culinary spots with a chance to meet the chefs/owners, mingle with other foodies, and learn a bit of history and interesting facts about each destination. Without further ado, here are some of my favorite bites in Mission District.

Pork Belly Breakfast Taco from West of Pecos

Served on top of soft, warm flour tortilla, the Pork Belly Breakfast Taco from West of Pecos is topped with a thick piece of maple-glazed, caramelized pork belly, cheesy scrambled egg, pico de gallo, chipotle aioli, and a creamy slice of avocado with a sprinkle of shredded cheese. West of Pecos can accommodate those with dietary restrictions (i.e. gluten free, vegetarian, etc.). As an added bonus, if you are lucky, you might get a chance to meet Tyler MacNiven, the restaurant’s quirky, flamboyant owner who also won Season 9 of The Amazing Race!

A Flight of Cheese from Mission Cheese

Mission Cheese

You have probably been to a wine bar, but have you heard of a cheese bar? Mission Cheese has revolutionized the way we conceive cheese. This petite café serves in American artisan cheese, house-made charcuterie, and California beer and wine in a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Enjoy a wide selection of American cheese with charcuterie like pork pate or duck rillettes from the counter bar while sipping a glass of beer.

Quesadillas De Calabaza from Gracias Madre

As a cuisine that utilizes cheese as the main ingredient in many of its dishes, Mexican food is often not appropriate for vegans and those who are lactose-intolerant. But at the vegan Mexican restaurant, Gracias Madres, you can find tasty options that even meat lovers go crazy about. The vegan Quesadillas De Calabaza in homemade masa is stuffed with caramelized onion and butternut squash seasoned with cayenne pepper, and topped with a generous pour of cashew nacho cheese sauce and pumpkin seeds for the perfect balance of creamy and crunchy.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream from Bi-Rite Creamery

The final stop of the culinary journey through Mission District is the much famed ice cream shop beloved locals and tourists alike. No matter the time of the day or the time of the season, you will find a long line of people outside Bi-Rite Creamery, waiting for a scoop of its rich, creamy ice cream. Made by hand in small batches, theSalted Caramel Ice Cream highlights intense, rich caramel flavor with a hint of salt.

Dairy-Free, Cheeseless Affair at Dos Caminos in Midtown, NYC

As someone who is lactose-intolerant, I don't particularly enjoy Mexican cuisine, which tends to be heavy in its use of dairy like cheese and cream. That is why when I dine with a group who wants Mexican food, I usually browse through the menu to ensure that there is at least one item that doesn't use cheese. On a sunny Sunday morning, I went to Dos Caminos, a modern Mexican restaurant in Midtown East, New York City.

My eyes immediately averted from items like quesadillas and enchiladas. I decided to try the traditional Pollo Tacos ($16), served on warm, handmade corn tortillas with Mexican rice, refried beans, and a trio of salsas.

Unlike tacos from Taco Bells, which are packed with string-y, yellow "fake" cheese, traditional Mexican tacos do not have cheese. Instead, packed inside the warm corn tortillas were grilled, citrus-marinated chicken, pinto beans, chicken chicharron, and salsa suprema. I was a big fan of the marinated chicken because it was tender and juicy. The seasoning was slightly spicy. Chicken chicharron, or fried chicken rinds, oozed a lot of oil and fat to the bottom of the tortillas and made them soggy.

The dish on the left is Mexican Chopped Salad ($11.50), which includes grilled corn, poblano chiles, apples, pinto beans, green olives, tomato, onion, and anejo cheese with crispy tortillas on top and tossed with toasted cumin vinaigrette. The dish on the right is Carnitas Tacos ($16), packed with slow-roasted pork and green chile salsa.

The Carnitas Tacos didn't seem as greasy or oily as my Pollo tacos, but they also didn't appear as filling. The basil on top added a nice touch of flavor.

The Dos Caminos Chicken Cobb Salad ($14) was a colorful array of grilled chicken breast, tomato, avocado, corn, onion, queso fresco, and tortilla chips and tossed with cilantro-basil vinaigrette. Now that I reflect, all of the dishes could be made dairy-free if we skipped the cheese! Mexican cuisine is possible for lactose-intolerant people :)

Tex-Mex and Cajun Food at Border Cafe

A friend's mom came to visit and she wanted to treat us to dinner. We went to Border Cafe, which serves Tex-Mex and Cajun food. This is the Half-and-Half (Beef and Chicken) Fajitas, served sizzling on a pan with a side of tortillas, rice, beans, and pico de gallo.

The same dish, but just chicken.

Mexican Burger: mesquite broiled hamburger topped with a scoop of guacamole, and served with pico de gallo and fries. Can you say a heart attack? Those were some of the thinnest fries I have ever seen.

Mesquite Swordfish: a fresh 10 oz. swordfish steak grilled over a mesquite fire. Served with seasoned corn and black beans, Jose's rice and mango salsa.

The swordfish was surprisingly juicy! It really melted in my mouth. I also loved the mango salsa.

Chimichurri Steak:an authentic Argentinean style flank steak grilled over mesquite wood, cooked medium, sliced and served with black beans, rice, ad pico de gallo. I had one piece of the steak...it was quite tough.