Chef Carlos Valdez: El Rey del Baja California Sur

By Bill Esparza Thu., May 24 2012 at 12:30 PM

Bill Esparza

Yellow fin tuna roe pâté at Buffalo BBQ

Valdez' modern version of pâté de jurel, or yellow fin tuna pate shows the chefs skillful command of a B.C.S. standard with a subtle perfume of smoked chipotle blended with yellow fin tuna roe served with pipettes of chile de arbol oil and soy alongside a smoked manilla clam with parsley, garlic butter.

Bill Esparza

Tostada de atun at Buffalo BBQ

There have always been Japanese and Chinese flavors in Baja cuisine, mostly in respect to condiments, but Chef Valdez's love for Japanese cuisine and culture goes a step further--he travels there often. His tostada de atun, or tuna tostada is served on a wonton-style toast with algae, tobiko(flying fish roe), black and white sesame, wasabi mayo, and sliced avocado.

La Paz is the perfect Mexican town to visit in B.C.S--all of the necessary tourist comforts, while retaining a Mexican character, and a bold taste of Baja at Buffalo BBQ . Chef Carlos Valdez will be opening a Buffalo BBQ's in Hermosillo later this year, and has future plans to expand his kingdom with branch in the Valle de Guadalupe. Long live the king!

Buffalo BBQ is at Francisco I. Madero No. 1240 E/ 5 de mayo y Constitución, La Paz, Baja California Sur, (52) 612-122-7277; www.buffalolapaz.com.

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Martha Ramos

This is ridiculous! i have been many times to La Paz and Buffalo is not the best in baja sur by a long shot. Buffalo has gone down. The steaks used to be good but quality is not the same recently. It used to be just bad service but good food. Now it's bad food and bad service. I am sharing this with my foodie friends.

flaquita

#buffalobbq is the best restaurant!!! excelent dinner!!

paceña

#buffalobbq ha revolucionado la cocina en BCS y ha hecho de la calle Madero un corredor de restaurantes que hace a La Paz mas atractiva para los turistas, la Pasión por la cocina del Chef Valdez es lo que la hace unica y diferente a todas las demas! hay gusto para todo el mundo pero definitivamente #buffalobbq es la numero 1.

salsipuedes

Buffalo BBQ #1 in Baja sur???? LOL!!!

Bill Esparza

After dining in Cabo, La Paz, Loreto, Todos Santos, Santa Rosalia, Mulege, and a bunch of other small towns in between; and attending events featuring BCS chefs--yes, absolutely . Lot's of great chefs in all those places, but Valdez has embraced the cuisine that's in tune with BC and is killin' it.

There are too many chefs in BCS not doing any Mexican cuisine--too much mediocre farm to table Cal cuisine, and international cooking.

salsipuedes

I agree with your opinion that too many chefs are not doing enough Mex cooking, and if they are, its mostly mainland Mex in style. Baja sur is NOT Baja north, and most people don't understand that, Baja sur has its own style, different from the north, locals know it, but outsiders rarely can. Anyways, Buffalo is very good and a place you have to try, but the king?? top ten for sure IMHO.

Bill Esparza

Well then, I rest my case. No opposition to the throne? The king of the south he is.

foodgps

Tijuana is as far from La Paz as L.A. is from Portland, so there are bound to be differences in terms of ingredients and influences. Still, there was no doubt about how much I enjoyed a recent dinner at Buffalo Bar-B-Q. Excellent, and we barely touched the steaks. If there are nine restaurants as good as that in Baja California Sur, by all means, let us know.

Bill Esparza

I as yourself, understand completely that BCS has it's own cuisine, and unique regional foods. I love the sweet bean empanadas, and so many of its unique foods--amazing. Who are these other 9 you speak of, or is that a random number? Only chef in Mexico to do high Sonoran cuisine--this is important, because Sonoran cuisine is the next logical northern cuisine to take off. Other northern states are more traditional, which is fine by me, but I like the full spectrum of Mexican dining.

Chef Carlos Valdez: El Rey del Baja California Sur

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