New Grocer Adds A Little Bit Of Everything
In this week’s newsletter, we cover the opening of a new specialty grocer selling unique items on Ocean Avenue and more.
The Ingleside bar and grill changes its menu completely just one Tuesday a month to serve up artisanal tacos and craft cocktails.
What started as a pandemic hobby has become a monthly margarita and taco takeover at Ingleside’s Ocean Ale House.
Looking to spice up its calendar and impress industry fellows, Ocean Ale House co-owner Daniel Silberman along with friends Viento Nieto and Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant’s Greidy Balam banded together to transform their once-a-week pandemic barbeque sessions into a once-a-month Taco Fiesta Tuesday. With no plans to stop, they are serving up house-made specialty tacos and signature tequila or mezcal-based drinks every last Tuesday of the month.
And patrons are saying yes, please.
“We love coming here,” longtime customer Chris Reade said. “It’s great to have another day of the week to stop by for something special.”
Setting them apart from other establishments is their presentation of a classic margarita. They use the San Francisco-famous Tommy’s Margarita recipe: tequila, lime juice and agave syrup instead of triple sec. Glasses start at $15 and pitchers start at $50 with the option to swap out the blanco tequila or mezcal with reposado for $1, añejo for $3 or Fortaleza brand for $6.
Since Tuesdays are usually school nights, customers can also get fruit-flavored margaritas off the specials menu for $15 or non-alcoholic agua frescas for $7. Flavors will alternate depending on which abundance of fresh produce is available from their citrus suppliers at the Alemany Farmers Market. July's rendition uses fresh peaches.
“We just want people to come and experience it,” Silberman said. “We think it’s a really awesome event. You’re not going to find it anywhere else in the city. You’re going to find tequila like that at Tommy’s but just the caliber of food and drink execution is going to be beyond what people normally expect going anywhere in the city.”
If the drinks are well-considered, the food is well crafted.
Silberman offers five options to leave no one going hungry. There’s pollo asado, baja-style fish with Pacific Rock cod, ongo that uses Farwest fungi and Silberman’s signature brisket — all $10 each. Beyond tacos, they offer two ceviche tostadas for $16, chips and ceviche for $14 and chips and guacamole for $12. For dessert, there’s a creamy flan for $10.
While the bar and restaurant’s staff are busy making drinks and assembling tacos with roja or verde salsas and various toppings, patrons can enjoy live music.
“I hope they keep doing this because it’s really fun,” patron Anabelle Garay, who also took tacos to go, said. “The music’s great. It had everybody dancing.”
Editor's note: The post was updated to fix an editing error.
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