Eating In Translation

Rosamunde Sausage Grill

(The Brooklyn location of this venue is closed.) On a boisterous stretch of the Lower Haight, the subtlety of my first Rosamunde sausage was lost on me.

Mexicatessens

La Borinquena, in Oakland, Pepito's, in Richmond, and Belmar and La Palma, in San Francisco, each self-identifies as a "Mexicatessen." (The hyphen hops around, and sometimes is absent altogether.) It's a meme that I've seen replicated only in the Bay Area, without affectation.

Mexicatessens
San Francisco Bay Area
(From an August 2011 visit)

"Tacos de canasta"

Literally "basket" tacos, these are more tellingly called tacos al vapor, since they are "steamed," or tacos sudados, since their texture is consequently "sweaty." Long hours in sweltering conditions allow the taco fillings to soak the tortillas, adding a glistening appeal, but also might be a concern for certain health authorities, especially if the holding temperature is less than ideal. Perhaps that's why I've never seen such a sign in New York.

"Tacos de canasta"
Seen on Fruitvale Ave. near International Blvd., Oakland
(From an August 2011 visit)

La Torta Loca

If Mexican for Mexican's sake doesn't suffice, this sandwich joint also serves Hawaiian, Swiss, and German styles, and name-checks Poland and Cuba, too. Since none of these outliers has a discernible presence in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood, this seems to be an expansionist play for jaded palates, as at many pizzerias. One or all of these tortas might be tasty; I can't speak from personal experience.

La Torta Loca
3149 International Blvd. (34th-35th Aves.), Oakland
510-532-7105
(From an August 2011 visit)

Pipirin

After-services social.

16 de Septiembre Taqueria

"Taco de ojo" — prepared by a storefront neighbor of Nieves Cinco de Mayo, whose proprietor, Luis Abundis, treated me to this off-menu delicacy — has a common figurative translation of "eye candy."

Nieves Cinco de Mayo

On a previous food and photo safari up Oakland's International Blvd., I arrived too early to sample the nieves de garrafa.

Tamales Mexicanos Casa Mia

This tamal Oaxaquena ($2) is freighted with dark-meat chicken; here, my fork has exposed a single fat chunk, though it's hard to see against the backdrop of chile-tinted masa. John Birdsall, a food writer for the East Bay Express whose writings steered me to good eats in Oakland and points north, previously noted the curtido, the condiment scattered atop my tamal. This spicy slaw, characteristic not of Mexico but of Central America, is a marker for a new wave of immigrants in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood, notes Birdsall.

Tamales Mexicanos Casa Mia
Fruitvale Ave. at International Blvd., Oakland
Mornings after 7:00 a.m.
(From an August 2011 visit)

Champurrado cart

Though this street vendor sets up in the early morning, not far from the Fruitvale BART, it's not purely with breakfast in mind. Pre-made tortas were wrapped to go, and takeaway, I now believe, is also the intent for champurrado (about a pint, $1.50), the chocolate version of the cornmeal-based drinks called atoles. I started on mine immediately, despite the server's caution, but had to give it a rest; here it's served very, very hot.

Champurrado cart
Fruitvale Ave. between East 16th and East 17th Sts., Oakland
(From an August 2011 visit)

Specialty Foods

No knock on the grocer — Specialty Foods is well-stocked with both Caribbean and African foodstuffs, the latter labeled with uncommon clarity — but my maltas came up short. The Hatuey (12 fl. oz., $1.35) had a fuller, rounder flavor than the Pony (10 fl. oz., 99 cents), but both these nonalcoholic barley-malt beverages were corn-syrup sweet. I'd had a different impression of Hatuey, but it must have been conflated with my memory of one autumn afternoon on Miami Beach.

Specialty Foods
535 8th St. (Clay-Washington Sts.), Oakland
510-452-3918
www.SpecialtyFoodsInc.com
Closed Sunday
(From an August 2011 visit)