La Finca: Thoughtfully Stocked Meximart [Oakland]
Went to La Finca in Fruitvale to check out their tortillas, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is a small but thoughtfully stocked market in the same vein as SF's La Palma, but without the prepared foods. Some buys:
- Jamaica/dried hibiscus flowers, $4.99/lb
- Large variety of dried chiles, $2.99 - 3.99/lb. We bought some incredible smelling dried chipotles.
- A bagged drink called La Lechiguilla, which I was curious to try to see if it was the same flavor as the lechiguilla (a rough, precursor tequila) we drank in the dry towns in Mexico
- An interesting sweet that was at the counter. It came in three different flavors. The one we got was candied sweet potato with a thin sugar shell. Very sweet, like Indian sweets, but also tasted deeply of sweet potato.
- We were tempted by a large handmade cazuela ($22) from Mexico, which could be placed directly on the flame for mole and other cookery
- Fresh tortillas, of course, The corn ones were still warm in their bags. Flour ones and corn chips too.
- Meat counter and small veggie section. Dairy section with crema and cheeses. Dried beans. Lots of canned goods. Also, basic grocery items for one-stop shopping.
All in all, a fun place to poke around on your way to a taco lunch.
La Finca Tortilleria
3801 Foothill Boulevard Oakland, CA 94601
(510) 536-1200
