During its 10-year run, Dominica Rice-Cisneros’ Old Oakland cafe, Cosecha, was an epicenter for seasonal, California-inspired Mexican food. Some of us living in the East Bay had never tasted a fresh tortilla or known what nixtamalization was before visiting Swan’s Market, which Cisneros helped establish as a dining destination.
With its celebration of women — bombera means female firefighter — and wood-fired cooking, the restaurant was an instant hit. Rice-Cisneros’ niece, designer Nora Yokoubian, transformed the firehouse into a colorful space with warehouse-style windows, leather-backed bar stools and paper fan streamers. A mural in the back by artist Jessica Sabogal depicts two female figures that are a nod to Salomon’s Pima roots and a reminder, Rice-Cisneros says, that we are on native peoples’ land.
“Bombera is Cosecha’s big sister,” Rice-Cisneros says. “The heart of it is still California, but there is more variety. I’m really proud of the menu and this big, open kitchen that we have. People can see how much work goes into everything. “ She moved to the Bay Area in 1993 and worked in restaurants throughout the region, eventually landing at Berkeley’s Chez Panisse, where she worked as a chef for six years. She loves Oakland fiercely, and despite offers to expand her reach, plans to stay there, serving the regulars she’s known for more than a decade.
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