Dinner at Corazon de Tierra while staying at La Villa de Valle

The first two nights in Valle de Guadalupe Erin and I had dinner at Laja and Silvestre. We figured that by Monday we’d be ready for a lazy day by the pool at La Villa de Valle and saved eating at Corazon de Tierra for our final day in the valley.

If you’re not familiar with Corazon de Tierra or Chef Diego Hernández then Google him and you’ll see he’s a culinary rockstar. He was “out of town” cooking with Chef René Redzepi of Noma at a festival the Danish chef arranged in Copenhagen.. You may have seen Chef Diego Hernández yourself if you watch Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations on the Travel Channel. He’s a young chef creating the next wave of culinary culture in Baja Norte.

We’d already had a sneak peak of Corazon de Tierra because, each morning, the dining room provides breakfast to guests of the villa (score!).

[snip from earlier post]
Breakfast every morning is a treat as it’s served at Corazon de Tierra – a restaurant many come to simply to eat. Each morning the kitchen lays out granola, yogurt, honey, a selection of fresh cut fruit, and a selection of scones and other bake goods. Just as you’re thanking the heavens for the wonderful continental spread the waiter let’s you know the hot dish for the day. Twice we had delicious chilaquiles with eggs (the first day with a green sauce and the third day with a red sauce) and the reamining day eggs were served with a mushroom sauce. Then you get surprized by some house baked bread and butter. You’ll leave wondering why this doesn’t happen at your house.
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Room with a view (of the garden and mountains)

The restaurant itself is gorgeous. The structure is beamed with reclaimed wood and sheathed in gigantic, singular glass panes. The structure fits the menu well as it puts the diner in the garden from whence the dinner comes. In the morning we were able to see the sous-chefs picking vegetables and the master gardener playing her trade. Therefore we knew the meal in the evening would be fresh.

“Wine List”
Choose from many of Phil’s wines made from adjacent Vena Cava.

We chose a Sauvignon Blanc to start and moved on to a Cabernet Sauvignon

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The Amuse Bouche : Ceviche on micro tostada
Doesn’t look too micro in this macro picture (2-3X Zoom)

First Course : Garden salad with quail egg and local, goat cheese in ash(similar to Humboldt Fog with a milder flavor)

Second Course : Cold “Black Clam” Soup with Fish Stock
Our waiter didn’t know the English name for the clam served in our soup, he explained he called it “Black Clam” because it has a large black and white shell (which he showed us). The meat has a distinctive line of red color. Okay soup, but I was missing the Orange and Carrot Gazpacho we had two nights earlier at Laja.

If you can recognize this clam from my poor description please comment with it’s correct Spanish or English name.

The three pictures show the presentation, the pour, and the complete dish.

Third Course : Yellow-Fin Tuna with Crispy Skin
Okay, now we’re talking. Give me a warm piece of fish with a crispy, candy-like skin over a cold clam soup any day. The lentils are not underdone, they’re purposely prepared in this al dente Baja style and create a great textural pairing with the tender fish.

Course Five : Ice cream with “chocolate (soy-free) tofu”
Umm… well we ate the palate cleansing granita too quickly (so no course four pictured). It was followed by this interesting dish. The tofu is a traditional baja dish that is similar in texture to tofu. It’s a trompe le lengue.

Signature Bag as Candle Lamp with crest of Corazon de Tierra stamp