Best Use of a Tortilla

By now the whole world seems to know that the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market  is the showplace of foods to visit. What many marketgoers and non-locals don't know is that one of the best single breakfasts to be had in the City is at Cocina Primavera.

Owned by Karen Taylor, the canopied stand with the big yellow umbrella in front is your signal to yield for good traditional Mexican flavors. And the foundation of many of these breakfasts entrees--pork punuchos, juevos rancheros, shrimp toastados de ceviche, chilaquiles--are thick, homemade, and organic corn tortillas. These tortillas are the essence of freshness, tradition and downright great eats. 

A line begins to build around 10:15 and the wait is worthwhile.  The tortillas are not pre-made. There's someone working with a bin of fresh masa, pinching out small balls of dough and patting out the tortillas and then cooking on the electric griddle. So yes while it would certainly save time for all to have a make-ahead reserve the owner has decided that flavor and quality is first. 

Last week I had an order of pork punuchos ($8). The breakfast was made up of two lightly fried tortillas stuffed with chorizo, beans and a sliced hard-boiled egg, all topped with a citrus spiced marinated pork, onions and chopped avocado. I also grabbed a freshly made jamaica (hibiscus flower) agua fresca.  The portions are generous, the flavors bright, and overall it's a meal that would make your grandmother smile.

The Sonoma-based Primavera offers tamales on the menu that are equally remarkable in quality ranging in selection from chicken mole poblano, Oaxacan chicken red mole and roasted pumpkin with white chedar.

You can take home some tortillas, as they are also sold pre-packaged for about $4.00 with about a dozen per package for the small taco-sized ones.  There's assorted flavored ones, such as cotija cheese and green chile, too.

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Comments

[Lenn]

Those look GOOD...have her bring a stand to the EAST COAST :)

I think I'd get addicted to those breakfasts real quickly...maybe I'm better off so far away!

[Sam]

I'll have to try it out!
thanks for the tip Jeanne

[Jennifer]

WOW. Now this looks like street food I can get on board with! How impressive that a vendor actually takes the time and makes the effort to make the tortillas fresh right there in front of you. Oh, that's it. I'm drooling. And now starving...thanks, Jeanne!

[lisa]

I love Primavera's tamales! I used to buy them all the time from the farmers' market when I lived in Berkeley. I particularly liked one with corn and another one with pinto beans and chipotles.

[keiko]

Hi Jeanne - this looks so delicious! There must be so many nice food in San Francisco, I'd love to visit one day...

[McAuliflower]

I'm drooling and feeling slightly weepy... fresh tortillas with chorizo and pork! Thanks for the reminder to add to my "must visit" list for SF.