Yap Zone: A First Look at Cenaduria Elvira in Oakland

The texture maximalist will find a lot to like about Cenaduria Elvira, which formally opened this month in Oakland’s Jack London Square. At the center of its concise menu of Jalisco-style specialties is the tostada raspada ($18), an extra-crunchy and thin oval of masa that the owners regularly import — via checked luggage — from their family’s hometown of Zapotlanejo, Mexico. These freshly fried tostadas, made from masa scraped across a pockmarked metate, have the appearance of a big fragment of popcorn ceiling. The cooks treat the tostadas like a model train enthusiast treats a blank piece of green foam, artfully and evenly decorating each piece with a thin layer of beans, wisps of shredded cabbage and meat, tomato salsa for color, and a final flurry of queso fresco. 

You can add more crunch and piquancy with the table garnishes, of which the punchy and crisp pickled red onions and spicy salsa are the most impactful. The dynamic DIY-ness of this dish is reminiscent of Vietnamese phở or bánh xèo, where each bite can and should be garnished exactly to the eater’s liking.