Buffalo BBQ was one of my favorite restaurants in Baja California Sur during my 2012 culinary tour. Since then, Chef Carlos Valdez moved his flagship Mexican restaurant and grill from the center of La Paz to La Posada Hotel, overlooking the pool and shimmering aqua Sea of Cortez. His food is just as creative. For instance, consider the Paceño Taco.

Paceño is the name for a person from La Paz, and Chef Valdez captures the sense of place in a taco (95 pesos ~ $6.25). The base is a sturdy house-made corn tortilla made with nopales (cactus paddles) that are ubiquitous in Southern Baja. He layers a crispy sheet of asadero cheese. Next, Valdez beautifully melds working class with luxury. Sweet lobster meat and crispy ribeye cracklings join peppers, clipped scallions, and dollops of guacamole dusted with crumbled chapulines (crickets). This is a statement about La Paz cuisine, and I’m all ears.