A very rare occasion for me to be dining out since the pandemic has drifted into winter. Now every time I venture out to a restaurant, I find myself thoroughly reveling in the dining experience. From the designed atmosphere, to the choice of plating, I take it all in as if I may not see another restaurant again. Rather than leaving a critique, I think of myself as a cheerleader offering each dish words of encouragement. So for my first “review,” I want to emphasize that my purpose is to merely help recommend places to visit and foods to try. The scale system is just so that I can remember exactly what I thought upon my first visit when I am able to return in the future.

Anyhow, I had the most lovely surprise when I tasted Cocina De Barrio’s cuisine for my friend’s birthday dinner.

For my SoCal readers, this is one of the few restaurants we were able to find that offered reservations and outdoor seating.

Here are some photos of our first course.

Note: I forgot to take pictures of drinks but my friend loved the Paloma and would definitely recommend!

Quesadillas de huitlacoche: 5/5

What a fabulous rendition of vegetarian quesadillas! The depth of the flavors continue to amaze me. Dollops of sauces sometimes seem to appear just for decoration but I found myself wanting to lick this plate clean. And I should share that I am typically not a fan of mushrooms in Hispanic or Latin influenced dishes, but this was well done.

Mango Habanero Augachile (Shrimp Ceviche): 5/5

WOW! Honestly, this could’ve been dessert too. I was just that happy with the tasty mango flavor. From the menu, I give this the award of a MUST TRY (sorry for all caps). (;

Second course photos —

Salmon En Adobo: 4/5

I have eaten a lot of salmon in my life, being a pescatarian and all. The salmon was well cooked and the sauce was unique!

Pollo En Mole Coloradito: ranked by friends 5/5

I don’t eat meat but I felt jealous watching my friends devour this chicken. I will say that I tried the accompanied veggies/pickled cactus and I was taken away.

And of course, dessert —

Crème Brûlée: 3.5/5

This was rich in layers with the overall taste reminding me of fruity pebbles. The texture was more of a creamy pudding than the normal custard of a traditional crème brûlée. The torched sugar was done perfectly and the berries were fresh. Would recommend for fans of fruit tarts!

Corn Cake with Ice Cream: 3.5/5

The cake itself was very dense, more so than a pound cake. In flavor, this dessert is not overly sweet. I do believe that the more plain nature of the cake and vanilla ice cream is why there are so many toppings on the dish — crushed Oreos, caramel, and strawberries. I’m not usually someone who would order an ice cream sundae so this was a lot of fun on one plate for me. Would recommend for fans of plain frozen yogurt with lots of toppings!

Address: 3707 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92104

Please let me know if you get the chance to go to this wonderful restaurant and leave a comment of what you ordered!