by Terrance Mc Arthur

It’s June, and Kings River Life has been saluting Pride month in many ways—organizations, activities, artists, and literature. How could The Great Food Search honor Pride Month? By exploring LGBTQ+-owned eateries in the Fresno area. The Great Food Search tried a trio of them, and they seemed to fall into interesting categories—The New, The Old, & the Upscale. Take a look.

The New

BB’s Gelateria—2017 Tuolumne St., Fresno(KRL wrote an article about BB’s earlier this year)—In a time of personal upheaval, when Stacy Williams found that the Gelateria Del Centro shop in the Warnor’s Theatre building was available, she jumped on the opportunity, rechristened it to honor her grandmother and her future mother-in-law, and opened BB’s Gelateria last January. The old-fashioned ambiance of the theatre building gives the shop an ice cream parlor feel, and the gelato is something else.

Gelato is the Italian version of ice cream, made with milk, cream, and sugar. It has less fat, and it has less air because of slower churning. BB’s offers a variety of flavors that rotate in availability, including Caramel, Mango, Pistachio Poet, and Forestiere Limoncello. Mango had a deep color that looked a lot like sweet potato, but it definitely contained the fruity qualities of mango. The quaintly-named Pistachio Poet held a strong nuttiness. A gelato Limoncello had a light flavor that didn’t overwhelm. There are seating areas inside and on the sidewalk. It’s a family-friendly place, and a terrific spot to get a refreshing treat on a hot Fresno day.

The Old

Tacos Marquitos—1772 E. Barstow Ave., Fresno—Where Cedar and Barstow Avenues meet, north of Valley Children’s Stadium, home of Fresno State Bulldog football, is a lively little shopping center/strip mall with a great little place where workingmen eat alongside students and office workers—Tacos Marquitos. They serve breakfasts and lunches from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday. It’s been around for 22 years, and I wish I’d been there a lot sooner than this month.

We started with their creamy rice-based drink—horchata—which proves that “rice is nice.” To prove that saying even more, the oh-so-good rice that comes with the refried beans has little bits of onion in it. The Chile Relleno/Enchilada platter featured the largest relleno I’ve ever seen, stuffed with cheese, and the chicken-filled enchilada was sauced to the nines. (Oh, let’s make it to the tens!) My wife’s Chile Verde loaded potatoes in with the pork, to her surprise. The accompanying flour tortillas were thin, homemade, and perfect for sopping up the sauces. Since we had decided to go crazy, we finished our meal with caramel-soaked pieces of flan. This place belongs in Fresno, and it belongs to Fresno.

The Upscale

Sabor Cocina Latina & Bar—7845 N. Palm Ave., Ste. 104, Fresno—Park Place in Fresno, at Palm and Nees, is a place for fitness, fashion, and food. Nine places for food and drink make it a giant food court with a view. Tucked into the north wing is Sabor Cocina Latina & Bar. “Sabor” is Spanish for “taste” or “flavor,” and you will find both here. Walk through the doors and find a tropical rainforest, a full bar (the drinks listings take up a whole side of the legal-sized menu), basket lighting, glowing walls, and bathrooms that could qualify as a tourist destination. The booths, benches, and chairs are prime seating. Owners Santos and Alberto have definitely created an upscale ambience to their establishment.

There are brunch, lunch, and dinner menus, each with its own specialties. I find it hard to resist salmon on a dinner menu, and the Salmon a la Parrilla brought grilled salmon, chimichurri roasted baby potatoes, and a verde sauce to my table. The fish was crispy on the outside without being dry inside. The half-moons of the potatoes rose like little creatures from a verde sauce that soaked extra flavor into the dish. Once again, we went all out, throwing our food budget to the wind, and ordered two desserts. Her flan was guarded by a squad of blueberries, a sliced strawberry, and a leaf of mint. My bread pudding had the same set of fruit sentinels, and a crown of ice cream drizzled with horchata syrup. I knew it was too much, but I kept eating until I finished it all. The prices are in what I used to think of as the upper range, but these prices are becoming more mid-priced. At any rate, the food is worth every cent.

The Verdict—Each location on this gourmet journey is star-worthy. Marquitos has a down-home feel that delivers solid fare with a Michoacan flair. Sabor offers elegance and fine dining that makes for special memories. BB’s is that hidden treasure you’ll find tucked into a well-known landmark. Each is special, but the top of the chart for the month is Sabor Cocina Latina & Bar.

Happy eating!

You can find all of the Great Food Search columns here.

Check out more food articles and more of Terrance’s Great Food Search column in our Food Fun section. And check out a KRL staff profile this week on Terrance!

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.