If you had the chance to try Elvira Varela’s cooking while she was still serving it from her home kitchen in East Oakland, consider yourself lucky. Now that her restaurant, Cenaduria Elvira, is a permanent space just north of Jack London Square, the rest of us finally
have a chance to catch up. Central to the menu are the tostadas raspadas. In Zapotlanejo, a town widely considered the ingredient’s birthplace, these hand-scraped and sun-dried masa tiles are light as air. Varela does something akin to moving mountains and jumping through hoops to get such a rare regional item up to Oakland at such a high level of quality.
What to order
- The tostada raspada is a must-order, no matter what you choose to have on top, be it cueritos — crunchy, pickled pork rinds — or tender, stewed chicken. Each tostada is distinctly oversized, cantilevering over the edge of the plate, yet light and crispy enough to be enjoyed in one sitting. Mine was topped with shredded pork ($19), shredded cabbage, queso fresco, and saucy refried beans that pooled in the tostada’s nooks and crannies. From there, I spooned on a bit of the house-made salsa macha, making sure to scoop up the delicious crunchy bits from the bottom of the jar.
- Cenaduria Elvira’s tacos dorados are also a master class in frying, albeit a very different kind. You can choose what stuffs them — picadillo, requeson, or ricotta cheese, potato, and more ($3.50 each) — and it may seem like a boring pick, but something ethereal happens when these textures meet. Don’t overlook it. And make sure to splash on some of the house-made hot sauce, but take it from me, do so with restraint.
- A small pozole with boneless pork, tongue, snout, ear, or feet will run you $13. It is heaped with finely shredded cabbage. The hominy kernels are gigantic — tender and toothsome. I almost wished I had a hangover, as it would’ve done the trick instantly.
What to drink
Speaking of, the micheladas here are S-tier. They’re massive. Just as you can choose what meat (or not) to top your tostada with, you get a choice of beer in your michelada. I opted for Modelo Negro, and quenched my thirst with each gulp from the Tajin-rimmed, chilled mug as if my life depended on it.
Insider tip
After lunch at Elvira’s place, my brother and I hit an Oakland Ballers game not ten minutes down the road. I highly recommend this bang bang before the season ends.
