Chef Javier Plascencia Brings Fine Dining to Tijuana, Mexico
Tracy Wallace — April 2, 2011 — Lifestyle
References: streetgourmetla & nytimes
Restaurateur and chef Javier Plascencia is a native of Tijuana, Mexico, which is located just outside the U.S. border south of San Diego. He's proud of his home city and his new restaurant, Mision 19, also located in bustling Tijuana. The chef's vision goes beyond just daily restaurant duties: his heart is set on using Mision 19 not just to revitalize the food scene in Tijuana but also the city itself.
Border towns aren't generally known for their attractive, fine-dining restaurants, but Mision 19 may change that with its wood and floor-to ceiling glass design. Tijuana is known for its street food like smaller street tacos, fresh seafood and birra, or roasted goat; people who enjoy delicious food from nearby cities and the U.S. come to Tijuana to drink and sample food from their favorite vendors and make merry.
Mision 19 is now just one of 10 Tijuana restaurants owned by Plascencia and his family's restaurant group. Each restaurant carries a gastronomic theme; Mision 19 only serves local wines and food. The abundant agricultural area offers prime pickings and choices are brought in within a 120-mile radius to demonstrate the great-quality local food from Baja farms and the wineries of Guadalupe Valley.
Border towns aren't generally known for their attractive, fine-dining restaurants, but Mision 19 may change that with its wood and floor-to ceiling glass design. Tijuana is known for its street food like smaller street tacos, fresh seafood and birra, or roasted goat; people who enjoy delicious food from nearby cities and the U.S. come to Tijuana to drink and sample food from their favorite vendors and make merry.
Mision 19 is now just one of 10 Tijuana restaurants owned by Plascencia and his family's restaurant group. Each restaurant carries a gastronomic theme; Mision 19 only serves local wines and food. The abundant agricultural area offers prime pickings and choices are brought in within a 120-mile radius to demonstrate the great-quality local food from Baja farms and the wineries of Guadalupe Valley.
Trend Themes
1. Upscale Border Town Restaurants - As more world-renowned chefs open restaurants in border towns, there is an opportunity to bring upscale dining experiences to areas that have traditionally been known for street food and casual dining options.
2. Revitalizing City Through Fine Dining - By creating upscale dining experiences with a locally-focused menu, restaurants like Mision 19 have the potential to revitalize cities and change perceptions about border towns.
3. Gastronomic Theme Restaurants - As consumers become more interested in food culture and local sourcing, there is a trend towards creating restaurants with a specific gastronomic theme and locally-sourced menu offerings.
Industry Implications
1. Restaurants - Restaurants who focus on creating upscale dining experiences in border towns can disrupt the traditional perception of these areas and capture a new market of customers looking for fine dining options.
2. Tourism - By creating upscale dining options in border towns, there is an opportunity to attract new tourism and change perceptions of these areas as only catering to casual dining and street food options.
3. Agriculture - Restaurants that focus on locally-sourced ingredients can create new opportunities for small and local farmers to sell their products and bring attention to the agriculture industry in these regions.
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