Flautas Ahogadas de Papa: adobado potato taquitos, caldillo de jitomate, tomatillo-avocado salsa, queso cotija, and upland cress
Quesadilla de Asparagus y Champiñones: corn quesadilla filled with cascabel chile grilled asparagus and mushrooms, quesillo cheese, queso cotija, spring onion, epazote, cilantro, and salsa borracha de chile morita
Totopos, Guacamole, and Salsa
Guavacita: Cimarron Blanco tequila, Mancino Bianco, citrus liqueur, guava, lime, and pineapple
I caught up with my friend Eli at Nido's Backyard, a Mexican restaurant located on Oak and Embarcadero West near Jack London Square, in late May. Nido's is known for serving delicious cocktails and a variety of well-made Mexican classics in their wide outdoor space.
Since I've been there a few times now, I've tried a few of their popular dishes, like the quesabirria, tacos, and of course, the chips and guac. As we were waiting for a table, we ordered the Totopos, Guacamole, and Salsa and a few cocktails. I enjoyed the Guavacita — made with Cimarron Blanco tequila, Mancino Bianco, citrus liqueur, guava, lime, and pineapple — while my friend had the Paloma — made with a choice of Cimarron Blanco tequila or El Silencio mezcal, Pamplemousse liqueur, lime, and Squirt. Both were beautifully made and, like everything there, photogenic.
Once our number was called, we ate our meal at the bar, which provided a front row view to the friendly expert bartenders at work. For my main course, I tried the Quesadilla de Asparagus y Champiñones: a corn quesadilla filled with cascabel chile grilled asparagus and mushrooms, quesillo cheese, queso cotija, spring onion, epazote, cilantro, and salsa borracha de chile morita. Eli had the Flautas Ahogadas de Papa: adobado potato taquitos, caldillo de jitomate, tomatillo-avocado salsa, queso cotija, and upland cress. I loved how they incorporated the seasonal asparagus into my dish as well as how much flavor the mushrooms added. I believe Eli liked her meal as well.
While I would definitely return in the future, I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time and picking a warm day. Even though the restaurant is spacious, it gets busy and the outdoor area might get chilly while you're waiting.
Nido’s Backyard
104 Oak St., Oakland, CA 94607
Open: Monday - Friday 11am - 10pm, Saturday - Sunday 10am - 10pm
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