Smorgasbord

Spicing up the Neighborhoods

    Gregorio Pelayo paid his burrito and fajitas dues before opening El Agavero Mexican Cuisine and Bar in Montclair Village. The food-loving entrepreneur launched his first cooking and catering venture in Oakland 22 years ago with a taco truck. “I was 9 years old and my two brothers and I would help out,” says daughter Maria Pelayo, who waits tables and helps manage the cavernous new restaurant with its well-stocked tequila bar. Between the taco truck and El Agavero came Guadalajara (1001 Fruitvale Ave., 510-533-7194). The restaurant opened six years ago and remains popular.
    The Pelayo family extensively remodeled what was formerly Paradise Pizza before opening on Mountain Boulevard. The revamp included raising the ceiling and adding the sizeable bar. While the hamburger brigade is catered to, the Pelayos are most proud of their traditional specials. These include chilaquiles rojos o verdes ($8.95) on the breakfast menu (eggs scrambled with tortillas, cheese and red or green sauce), and carnitas (slow-cooked pork), pollo en mole and steak ranchero on the “specialities” menu—all $12.95 including rice, beans and tortillas. The Pelayos, by the way, make their own tortillas, tortilla chips and salsa. The full bar has 11 margarita choices. El Agavero Mexican Cuisine and Bar, 2071 Mountain Blvd., (510) 339-3000, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 10 a.m.–10 p.m. daily.

    Whether or not you are gluten sensitive, you might want to stop in for coffee and a yummy at Café Mariposa in the Temescal neighborhood. Patti Furey Crane began making her artisan-crafted gluten-free (and in some cases dairy-free) biscotti, brownies, coconut lemons squares, muffins and other delights after she was diagnosed with a gluten allergy. She launched her Mariposa Baking Company in 2004, and recently built upon that with her eco-friendly retail café. Her products contain no preservatives or additives, and instead of wheat flour, Crane uses combinations of organic brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, potato starch and tapioca flour. She plans to add savory items soon. Café Mariposa, 5427 Telegraph Ave., Unit D3, (510) 595-0955, www.mariposabaking.com, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sat.