Taste of Travel: San Diego : Scaling back? : From Ensenada Food Stands to White-Tablecloth Old Town Restaurants, the Fish Tacos Here Are Original, Deliciously Varied and Cheap

This city can’t compete with the big boys on the culinary front, but one food item has swept over town like a tsunami: fresh fish tacos.

Throughout San Diego County--from the port of Oceanside to the heart of Old Town San Diego--this Mexican-style fast-food has been transformed from simple fare of batter-fried fish into tacos filled with grilled salmon or scallops, and even a pan-Pacific version of seared ahi tuna. The establishments that serve them are as varied and eclectic as the food, ranging from elegant restaurants to fish markets that vend carryout as sort of an afterthought.

Fish tacos probably originated among the fishermen of San Felipe, a Mexican town on the Gulf of California, where the local people roll up freshly caught fish inside their daily tacos, rather than using expensive cuts of meat. The idea swept across the Baja Peninsula like an incoming tide, and fish tacos are seen in towns along the Pacific Coast, as well.

Indeed, for many visitors, myself among them, no trip to the bustling port of Ensenada would be complete without a fresh taco de pescado prepared at one of the stands framing the entrance to the Mercado Negro, the city’s waterfront fish market. My alfresco snack usually turns into a seafood binge, as I savor the first, then a second and sometimes even a third warm corn tortilla stuffed with flaky chunks of the day’s selection of fish that has been batter-fried and topped with shredded cabbage, mayonnaise and homemade salsa. On other occasions, I opt for a more elaborate shrimp or squid taco smothered under a thick layer of picante homemade salsa and a squeeze of fresh lime. Luckily, these tasty fish tacos soon jumped the border, and I can now duplicate the experience in San Diego.

After a recent fish taco tour of the county, here are a few suggestions for some of the best around:

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In North County, the Oceanside Harbor provides a lovely seaside stop off busy Interstate 5. Barely a few hundred yards off the freeway, diners seated outside the Rockin’ Baja Lobster Bar and Grill are entertained by graceful brown pelicans that make dramatic swoops over the picturesque marina. Since its opening in 1992, Rockin’ Baja Lobster has been a magnet for airborne, as well as landlocked, seafood fanciers. As its name implies, the restaurant built its reputation on lobster served Mexican-style. Owner Rick DiRienzo took his inspiration from numerous trips to the fishing village of Puerto Nuevo south of Tijuana, where a profusion of family restaurants specialize in locally caught lobster accompanied by warm tortillas, rice and refried beans. In 1983, DiRienzo and his brother introduced the same concept at their first restaurant, The Old Bonita Store in San Diego’s South Bay.

The idea proved an instant success, and they replicated the menu at the Rockin’ Baja Lobster Bar and Grill, in the shadow of the Oceanside lighthouse. At the harbor-side restaurant, which is embraced by a lively, hip, denim-clad crowd (although families are a presence, too, because the prices are so good), a Tacos de Pescado dinner ($7.95) is large enough to feed two people, with two flour tortillas bulging with chunks of marinated and grilled mahi-mahi, as many refried beans as you can handle, a tasty helping of Mexican rice and a crisp and fresh Caesar-style salad. Warm flour tortillas and a spicy honey-chili butter complete the meal. The restaurant’s signature Tacos del Patron ($8.95), a trio of oversize tacos, are equally as mouthwatering.

The challenge here is to bring an appetite hearty enough to consume the large lobster taco, the shrimp taco and the grilled carne asada taco with all the trimmings, all at one sitting. Shrimp tacos ($5.95), three to an order and bursting with small gulf shrimp, shredded cabbage and a light creamy sauce, are suited to lighter eaters. The salsa bar features six different fresh salsas, an unusual jicama-papaya combination among them, ranging in intensity from mild to explosive. The Rockin’ Baja Lobster Bar and Grill concept is so successful in San Diego County that a second Rockin’ Baja Lobster opened in Newport Beach in December.

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In Vista, a short drive inland from Oceanside, fish tacos are a popular item on the menu at La Paloma, a lively restaurant specializing in unusual Mexican dishes. Owner Bob Cherry prepares his lightly pan-fried fish tacos with farm-raised tilapia, and smothers them in a light yogurt sauce and shredded cabbage ($6.95). La Paloma’s reputation extends far beyond Vista thanks to the Shrimp and Lobster Fajitas ($14.95), served as meat fajitas would be, sizzling hot on their metal platter. For this memorable specialty, Cherry, who uses only olive oil in his cooking, stir-fries strips of red and green bell peppers, sliced onion, large chunks of lobster and medium-size gulf shrimp, then seasons them with his own 14-spice blend. Fresh tortilla chips with a chunky salsa, a large stack of warm flour tortillas and a small bowl of superbly seasoned black beans are all part of the flavorful package. (An equally good reason to place Vista on your “gourmet” itinerary is the bountiful Saturday morning farmer’s market located on the block adjoining La Paloma.)

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Off Poinsettia Drive in Carlsbad, Pelly’s Fish Market and Cafe has earned high ratings locally for its wide selection of fresh seafood, and also for its terrific fish tacos. Throughout the day, tables outside the market and cafe are covered with paper plates, mounded with tacos of grilled mahi-mahi, mako shark, sea bass or halibut, depending upon the catch of the day. I’m enamored of Pelly’s, where each piece of fish is dredged in seasoned bread crumbs, then seared on a hot griddle before joining Pelly’s excellent vinegar-accented cabbage slaw, chunky salsa fresca and spicy yogurt sauce inside a warm corn tortilla (a la carte fish taco, $2.75, or shrimp taco, $3.50).

Further south, Las Olas Mexican Restaurant, in the community of Cardiff by the Sea, offers a beautiful view of the Pacific--certainly worth the price of the food in and of itself--but the tacos are great, too. The tiled takeout counter lined with bar stools provides a good vantage point for observing the lively crowd of beach habitues, as well as for viewing the waves crashing on the sliver of beach across U.S. 101. The menu at Las Olas (Spanish for “the waves”) features a large fish burrito of deliciously moist, charbroiled mahi-mahi ($4.25) hidden under a mound of shredded cabbage and topped with a flavorful yogurt salsa, an exciting salsa picante and globs of fresh guacamole. The Baja-style fish taco, here made with batter-dipped cod fried to a golden crispness, proved equally as flavorful ($2.25).

Cast aside paper wrappers and beach gear, and make room for fresh linen napkins and an upscale dress code (business dress is common) at Cafe Pacifica in San Diego’s Old Town. The hip eatery, sandwiched between a massage therapist and Old Town’s historic El Camino Santo cemetery, is known for its imaginative menu featuring a blend of California and Pacific Rim cuisines. As an added attraction, patrons enjoying a business lunch on the upper level of the dining room can sometimes watch archeologists dust off newly discovered relics.

Listed under “Cafe Specialties,” the Mexican Corona Beer and Chili Marinated Swordfish Tacos with jicama salsa ($6.40) have come a long way from the taco’s batter-fried debut in Baja California. Here, the artfully arranged plate includes two large pieces of grilled swordfish inside warm corn tortillas with the obligatory topping of shredded lettuce, a helping of expertly prepared black beans and a small container of delectable tomatillo sauce. The Cafe’s palate-tingling salsa combines diced tomatoes with crunchy pieces of jicama, serrano chiles and fresh cilantro. (The tacos are only served at lunch.)

The same owners have stretched the concept even further at the Pacifica Del Mar restaurant in the seaside community of Del Mar. The Takoshimi of Peppered Hawaiian Ahi, a Pacific Rim creation, has been a signature dish at that location since the restaurant opened. Chic diners gather on a beautiful terrace to dine on this California-style combination of Asian and Mexican ingredients featuring seared ahi tuna rubbed with Oriental seasonings wedged inside two miniature taco shells standing upright in a small mound of sticky rice. Thin ribbons of carrots and beets complete the East/West tableau ($9.80 on the dinner menu).

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Midway between Sea World and the Cabrillo National Monument, two of San Diego’s most popular tourist attractions, Point Loma Seafoods perches on the edge of Shelter Island. “We started out in 1963 as a smokehouse for the fishermen who came off the fishing boats with their catch,” explains John Christianson, who owns the popular store with his brother Jack. Thirty years later, Point Loma Seafoods is still the place to frequent for hickory-smoked fish. In addition, the market’s takeout facility offers a wide selection of seafood specialties, from chowder to ceviche. For a delicious meal on the run, however, nothing beats the Taquito Plate ($4.59). Indeed, the three crunchy, cigar-shaped taquitos filled with flaky Alaskan cod and sprinkled with finely shredded Jack and Cheddar cheeses could easily turn into an addiction. The accompanying salsa, chunky with fresh tomatoes, lingers deliciously on the palate, and like the crisp cabbage slaw, is a treasured family recipe.

The first chain to stake its reputation solely on fish tacos was Rubio’s Home of the Fish Taco, widely acknowledged as the local originator of this Mexican-inspired fast-food. Ralph Rubio and his siblings Richard, Robert and Gloria, started the company in 1983 with help from their Mexican-born father Ray--an idea inspired by visits to San Felipe. Rubio and his relatives pooled their resources and opened in a failing hamburger stand in Pacific Beach. “Business was slow because no one had a clue what a fish taco was,” Rubio said. The big break came when the second Rubio’s opened near San Diego State University. “Fish tacos were a college fad at first, but soon we attracted families and senior citizens. That was the beginning of the Rubio’s Home of the Fish Taco chain,” Rubio said. The taco’s origins are still obvious throughout each of the 14 Rubio’s restaurants, which makes a nod to its Baja origins by writing menu items in English and in Spanish, and with festive and soulfully authentic Mexican music.

Until recently, Rubio’s stuck strictly to tradition when it came to fish tacos. And that tradition dictated, Ralph Rubio said, fish fried in batter, as it’s done at Mexican taco stands--not sauteed or steamed--and wrapped in a soft corn tortilla and topped with a mayonnaise-based sauce, shredded cabbage, fresh salsa and a squeeze of lime. But the chain now offers a HealthMex menu, which includes as an alternative, low-fat specialties such as a Grilled Mahi Fish Taco ($2.30) topped with Rubio’s fresh cilantro-flavored salsa. On the regular menu, Rubio’s No. 5 combination includes a hefty fish burrito topped with globs of fresh guacamole and salsa wrapped in a flour tortilla, as well as an authentic Baja-style fish taco, a handful of hot tortilla chips and traditional-style refried beans ($3.95).

In recent years, the proliferation of the La Salsa chain’s cheery fast-food spots testifies to the increasing popularity of fish tacos. What started out as a small, neighborhood taco shop in Los Angeles in 1979 has grown to 34 La Salsas stretching from San Diego to Montreal. La Salsa serves up several varieties of tacos--among them a delightful mahi-mahi taco ($1.25), which makes a great and inexpensive snack for eating on the run, especially when topped with one of the pungent salsas from the self-service salsa bar.

Although two establishments don’t really make a chain, anyone riding the wave of San Diego’s fish taco scene seems to slide into Fins sooner or later. Tacos and a liberal touch of humor characterize the menu of these small, funky eateries.

The menu at Fins is liberally sprinkled with surf-speak and references to K-38, a popular surfing spot south of Ensenada. Shrimp burritos and shrimp tacos don’t get much better than they do at Fins. The La Jolla combination ($5) pairs a small fish taco with what is referred to as an “awesome” burrito bulging with no less than four whole batter-fried shrimp, along with finely shredded cabbage, black beans, fresh cilantro and chopped onion, bound with a tangy yogurt-and-mayonnaise concoction and Fins’ tasty salsa. Crisp tortilla chips, hot out of the fryer, round off the tempting combination. The Pescado Mas Fina ($1.84), listed as “the Nirvana of Fish tacos,” is chock-full of batter-fried Alaskan pollock, guacamole and shredded cheese. The “bar” salsa, which patrons are invited to sample on the side, is worthy of note for the exquisitely fiery blend of four types of roasted chiles enhanced with fresh cilantro and spices.

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The fish taco craze is even catching the attention of long-established restaurants. Several branches of Anthony’s have long graced the San Diego dining scene. Craig Ghio, a third-generation restaurateur, presides over seven restaurants, including the formal Anthony’s Star of the Sea (at several locations) and the latest spinoff, Senor Pesca, which shares an entrance with Anthony’s in La Jolla.

At Senor Pesca, amusing fake palm trees, rock music and the dried palm fronds that fringe the open kitchen imbue the restaurant with a touch of beach-resort whimsy. So do the upscale tacos of fresh salmon, ahi, swordfish and even scallops, which are all seasoned with a secret blend of Mexican spices, then broiled or grilled, rather than deep-fried. Senor Pesca’s extensive seafood listing features daily specials and at least two dozen different kinds of tacos with fillings as varied as lightly grilled yet deliciously moist salmon ($2.25) to tacos of tender, lightly browned scallops ($1.95) served with a generous dollop of fresh guacamole and, if desired, a small container of fresh salsa from the self-service salsa bar.

GUIDEBOOK

Fishing for Tacos

Along the coast: Las Olas Mexican Restaurant, 2655 Highway 101, Cardiff by the Sea; (619) 942-1860. Pacifica Del Mar, Del Mar Plaza, 15th Street and Highway 101, Del Mar; (619) 792-0476. Pelly’s Fish Market and Cafe, 7110 Avenida Encinas, Suite 101, Carlsbad (next to Ralph’s supermarket); (619) 431-8454. Rockin’ Baja Lobster Bar and Grill, at the Lighthouse, Oceanside Harbor; (619) 754-2252. Senor Pesca, corner of La Jolla Village Drive and Regents Road, La Jolla; (619) 457-5008.

Inland: Fins, 15817 Bernardo Center Drive, Rancho Bernardo; (619) 451-3055. Also at 9460 Mira Mesa Blvd., San Diego; (619) 549-3467. La Paloma, 116 Escondido Ave., Vista; (619) 758-7140.

Downtown: Cafe Pacifica, 2414 San Diego Ave., Old Town, San Diego; (619) 291-6666. Point Loma Seafoods, 2805 Emerson St., San Diego; (619) 223-1109.

South Bay: Bonita Store Restaurant and Night Club, 4014 Bonita Road, Bonita; (619) 479-3537.

Chains: La Salsa, 1290 Auto Park Way, Escondido; (619) 739-9817; also in other locations. Rubio’s Home of the Fish Taco, 763 Center Drive (next to Price Club), San Marcos; (619) 745-2962; also in other locations.