Eat, Drink + Be Merry. Travel + Food Photography. Los Angeles and Beyond.

On the eastside of Los Angeles, it really isn’t difficult finding good latino food. There you’ll find Mexican tacos vendors and marisco restaurants (seafood), Salvadorean restaurants and iglesias (churches) dispensing the delicious pupusa and my favorite of them all, fish tacos. What’s not to be loved when you have a beautifully fried piece of fish, topped with crisp cabbage and pico de gallo, your choice of salsa and sweet, Mexican cream or mayonnaise held by a warm slightly-toasted corn tortilla. It’s the ultimate hot and cool snack.

Fish tacos have always been a favorite of Angelenos and if you ask them, they will each have their go-to joint for fish tacos. In East LA, there’s Tacos Baja Ensenada which serves huge battered pieces of fish worth every bit of your money. In La Puente and Baldwin Park, there’s also El Taco Nazo which I’ve never tried but heard great things about. In Los Feliz, there’s Joseph Cordova’s Best Fish Taco in Ensenada which serves some tasty fish and shrimp tacos along with funky salsas made with fruit. In Silver Lake there are three spots: El Siete Mares, Tacos Delta and of course, Ricky Piña’s fish tacos. At El Siete Mares (The Seven Seas), you can get really tasty fish tacos for only $1 on Tuesdays. Tacos Delta is known for their chilaquiles but since the Jaliscan family started offering fish/shrimp tacos, I’ve been seeing more and more people eating them. Ricky Piña started as a one-man-taco-stand and was an overnight success through the help of social media. He really changed the game in the Eastside as far as serving authentic Ensenada-style tacos and gained a huge following. And the fish taco scene only gets better again. I’d like to introduce a new addition to the Ensenada-style fish taco scene, Pescaderos de Ensenada of the Atwater Village farmer’s market.

Atwater Village is a neighborhood located just north of Silver Lake, east of Los Feliz and south of Glendale. It has been said to be the area where people from Silver Lake or Echo Park move to raise their family since it’s mainly neighborhood homes versus apartments. Also because Lo$ Feli$ is too expen$ive. With the addition of a farmer’s market and the amazing Proof Bakery, this area has become part of my morning routine on Sundays. Though the farmer’s market is quaint and miniscule compared to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market, I always find what I need and have a reduced chance of being trampled by the Stroller Mafia usually present in Hollywood. Food-wise, you’ll actually find enough to eat. I’ve been here enough times to know exactly what food odors will be present in the air. There’s Big Mista’s BBQ, where you’ll find smokey ribs and brisket. There’s a Salvadorean lady offering a wide variety of pupusas and refreshing jugos (juices). And there’s an Asian guy offering up some marinated grilled chicken. But on one of the Sundays, I smelled something new. Something being fried, but not like fried chicken. That distinct, light smell of hot oil and beer that could only be from one thing: fish tacos.

I walked up and was immediately greeted by this amiable gentleman named Pedro Montes. Before I could start asking him questions about his fish tacos he asked, “Would you like to try a sample of our Ensenada-style fish tacos?”  Who me?  Do I look skinny to you? Of course I’ll take a sample Mr. Costco!  He cut up a fish fillet and handed it to me on a napkin. “Go ahead and add some cream and salsa,” he said. I took a bite of the fish which was crispy and well-seasoned. I could tell he used my favorite fish used for fish tacos – basa. Basa is a farm-raised catfish native to the Mekong Delta area in Southeast Asia. This fish is also used by Best Fish Taco in Ensenada and Ricky’s Fish Tacos. It doesn’t have that sandy and gritty taste like most catfish and has a subtle sweetness to it that can only be tasted when the batter is light. I don’t like it when you can’t taste the fish in a fish taco (*ahem Rubio’s) or fish & chips.

I then asked Pedro, “Can you get angelito fish from Ensenada?” He smiled and right then he knew I was serious about fish tacos. “You know about angelito fish?” Though I’ve never tried it, I learned from Ricky Piña and Bill Esparza of Street Gourmet LA that the traditional fish in fish tacos is actually not a fish, but a type of shark native to the Baja waters called angelito. And I’ve been dying to try it. When I was in Ensenada years ago, I was too young to care that I was eating not a fish but a shark for breakfast. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard of any fish taco vendors driving down to Ensenada just to get that particular fish. But I thought I’d ask Pedro anyway.

I was reeled in by the samples. “Two fish tacos please!” Seeing that there were already a few pieces of already-fried fish, I asked for some cooked to order because I like maximum heat and crunch. I took the opportunity to hear Pedro Montes’ story. Pedro was born in Ensenada but his parents were originally from the Tequila region of Jalisco (about an hour drive outside of Guadalajara). He was raised on fish tacos and tells me all about the fish taco scene in Ensenada. Everyday, fisherman (pescadores) bring in their daily catch to sell at the Mercado Negro. The competition is fierce with over 25 different fish taco vendors selling fish tacos made with exactly the same fish and traditional frying-in-lard technique (manteca). I asked him then, how do vendors differentiate themselves. Do they do anything unique to the fish tacos? He declined and said, “No, when you’ve got fierce competition, you’ve got to split hairs and it all comes down to customer service.” He said many vendors will lure you in with free samples, throw in some free drinks or even offer you the “you don’t like, you don’t buy” deal. He said to me, “I believe in offering the best customer service and healthier options.”

Beautiful basa. Pedro does not use the traditional method of frying in manteca lard, but rather grapeseed oil which is healthier, more flavorful than Canola/vegetable oil and has a higher smoking point.

At Pescadores de Ensenada, you’ve got many toppings you can add to your fish taco. Though a traditional fish taco is angelito fish, cabbage, pico de gallo, salsa and mayonnaise, Montes offers a lot more for extra customer service points. In addition to the mayonnaise, you’ve got the slightly sweeter crema mexicana (Mexican sour cream), chipotle mayo, guacamole, red/green salsas and pickled habanero/red onions. The corn tortilla he uses is a brand called Diana’s which I think has great flavor for a tortilla. Pedro makes an excellent fish taco even though it is not fried in delicious, porky lard. Jeni and I could have easily eaten a third one.

But what I actually liked more than Pedro’s fried fish taco was what he calls his “naked fish tacos” (tacos encuerados). I really enjoy steamed meat tacos (tacos al vapor) and had to try these. Pedro takes the raw basa fillets, adds some Mexican seasoning (sazonador) and a few thin slices of habanero chile. He wraps them tightly in foil and his cooks heat them in a pan over the griddle for about ten minutes. The result is a nicely seasoned, fillet with all of its natural juices retained and it’s really delicious. Nice habanero kick too!

“Naked fish tacos” (tacos encuerados), awesome. Even more awesome if you yourself are eating it naked.

I’m really hoping one day Pedro will bring some angelito to fry up. Come say hello to this gentleman!

Pescadores de Ensenada
Owner: Pedro Montes
3250 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Sundays 9 am – 2 pm
Saturday 9 am – 2 pm (Downey Farmer’s Market on 2nd Street/Paramount Blvd.)

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At the end of the day, fish tacos are something I enjoy eating. Rather than bashing a restaurateur’s hard work, time and money saved up, I’ll point out the good things about each fish taco joint mentioned earlier. I believe in helping out those that deserve recogntion. We all have different tastes and you’ll just have to find the one you like best without putting a place out of a business. Right, Yelp? Just enjoy.

Ricky’s Fish Tacos, Silver Lake. Ricky is originally from Ensenada and one of the nicest guys and has been doing this for nearly 3 years. His fish tacos have a nice crunch and it’s always nice spending a weekend afternoon in his driveway location. Try his combo fish taco which contains both fish and shrimp. His crema mexicana is sweet and not too thick.

Pescadores de Ensenada, Atwater Village. Pedro’s best tacos are his fried and steamed fish. If you’re shopping at the farmer’s market, you’re in for a great snack. Grab a Mexican soda to go with this or one of the jugos from the pupusa lady right next to them.

Best Fish Tacos in Ensenada, Los Feliz. I like Joseph’s shrimp tacos more than his fish tacos. He also offers potato tacos now. He offers the sweetest crema mexicana for those that like that. When I make fish tacos at home, I make it slightly sweet like his.

El Siete Mares, Silver Lake. If you’re hungry and happen to only have four quarters in your pocket on a Tuesday, it is your lucky day.  Fish tacos for $1 is unheard of just try not to think about why it’s so cheap.  They are very good here.

Tacos Delta, Silver Lake. If you’re eating their chilaquiles here, make it a happy meal with a fish taco. The family that runs TD is super nice and they serve a good sized fish taco. The shrimp taco is worth trying too.

Tacos Baja Ensenada, East LA. If size matters to you, you come to TBE. The fillets are large, heavily-battered and tasty. They’ve been here for decades and are not going anywhere anytime soon.

Via Mar Seafood, Highland Park. On Wednesdays, you can get TWO fish tacos for $2.25 and they are tasty.

La Estrella Tacos #3, Highland Park. Just up the street from Via Mar is this place which is most famous for their al pastor tacos served out of a truck on York Blvd. But their fish tacos are huge and messy – in a good way.

La Cevicheria, Mid-City. Though not an official Ensenada fish taco, this Guatemalan family knows how to make a tasty fish taco using haddock. I like it here a lot.

Ceviche is one of the most popular dishes in all of Latin America. In its most basic form, is raw seafood and lime juice and aided by the magical denaturation powers of citric acid on proteins. A sea creature that was once alive and kicking, is converted into an edible form simply through a few minutes of exposure to citric acid. Although modern historians commonly agree that ceviche was originated in Peru possibly by the indigenous civilizations, this whole debate gets Latin American countries a bit riled up. Depending on where the ceviche is from, spellings include cebiche or seviche. The Spanish as if they really needed more evidence of their impact on the Americas, claim that limes and lemons were brought over by the Moors, which they had taken along with them during war. Prior to their “contribution” to the Americas, the indigenous civilizations were using other types of acidic fruit – not limes or lemons. The word cebiche is also very similar to the Spanish word escabeche, which means pickling. A funny and unbelievable theory for the derivation of the word ceviche comes from a Peruvian scholar who says that the English seamen that arrived on the Peruvian coast were ridden with cankered mouths and scurvy-like diseases. They saw the indigenous eating “raw fish cooked with fruit juices” and tried it themselves. Upon eating the delicious ceviche, they reacted with a loud “son of a bitch”, due to the hot peppers and ample usage of citric juices that caused their diseased mouth sores to burn. Though unintelligible to the Indians, they remembered the sound uttered by the English. “Would you like a seviche (son of a bitch)?”, they began to ask. I don’t buy it though. Some even say this is a South Pacific/Polynesian-influenced dish (i.e. Hawaii’s poké).

Each of the Latin American countries have claimed their own ceviche by adding their own touches with herbs, chiles and various types of seafood proteins. In Peru, you’re likely to eat a lime-based ceviche with aji pepper, served with cold sweet potatoes and corn. In Mexico, ceviche is served with tomatoes, cilantro, onions and sometimes with ketchup/hot sauce over crunchy tostadas. In Colombia, the ceviche we ate was very similar to Peruvian-style but with the addition of light cream and honey for a sweet, delectable version. A former Ecuadorian coworker explains to me that tomatoes are used heavily in Ecuador with their ceviches and served with crispy plantain chips.  In the Caribbean islands, you’re likely to have a version of ceviche not with fish nor shrimp, but with conch (la concha) or clams. To me it’s what makes ceviche an even more interesting and appetizing dish – that a country can call it its own. The truth is, regardless of the origin, ceviche is going to be good and I find it quite difficult to get bored with such a refreshing dish.

After eating Mexican, Peruvian, Panamanian (by the end of this week!) and Colombian-style ceviches, I thought I had a general understanding of the various types of ceviche that exist. But I would be further educated and enlightened upon stepping into La Cevicheria in Mid-City. But don’t mistaken the turquoise-colored building for any ordinary Latino seafood restaurants. Through the black security door, it’s a Guatemalan seafood paradise.

I’ve been here four times already and besides the food, what brings me back is the service and treatment you get from the owners, Julio and Carolina Orellana of Guatemala City, Guatemala. Carolina is the head chef, with her funny, energetic husband running the front of the house. Get used to Julio because he’s a true character, and will continue checking up on you to make sure everything you’re eating is delicious and toss out a few here-and-there jokes. I’ve seen him spend a good 5-7 minutes with newcomers, finding out what exactly they were in the mood for. Spotting a few dishes that had some Mexican (Veracruz, Campeche) and Caribbean influence, I asked the Orellanas if everything on the menu was considered “Guatemalan”. They replied that they consider their restaurant more of an international restaurant, celebrating their favorite Latin American foods from. When I asked Julio about his ethnicity initially, he said, “I am 100% Guatemalan, but I look like a white guy. I am a cup of Guatemalan coffee with way too much milk and cream.”  That yellow sauce you see is mustard mixed with a lot of habanero chiles and attitude – I call it “yellow Sriracha” (Sriracha amarilla). Whether or not it is a common Guatemalan condiment, I love it on everything I eat here.

“Chapin” ceviche.
The dish you’ll inevitably see on every table is the ceviche. There will be a few diners eating a whole fried fish, some eating tacos and burritos. But there’s always a goblet of goodness known as ceviche. Although La Cevicheria offersAnd what makes Guatemalan ceviche different than its Latin American counterparts is the use of mint and Worcestershire Sauce (spanish: salsa Inglesa, English sauce).  Pictured above is the chapin, which is shrimp, octopus and imitation crab. Though to this day, I’m puzzled by the ample usage of imitation crab in Latino cuisine when they have access to the WHOLE SEA, this is a beautiful blend of seafood, mint, avocado and Worcestershire. Served on crunchy tostadas that Julio buys specifically from a vendor in East Los Angeles, you’ll be asking for more edible plates to scoop up the rest of your goblet. Try crumbling the Saltine crackers in your ceviche too.

“Bloody Clam” ceviche.
Despite the name and look of it, this is what I highly recommend over the chapin. When the bloody clams (concha negra/pata de mula, which means “mule’s foot”) are chopped, the heavy amount of dark-colored hemoglobin is released, giving it its appearance. According to this great posting on La Cevicheria, Chef Orellana uses a type of blood cockle called anadara granosa. Mixed with the lime juice, Worcestershire, mint and tomatoes, this is one concoction you’d likely see Marilyn Manson walking around cemeteries with. But it’s good… The earthiness of the clams really balances out the acids. But the best part of this dish is the leche de tigre (tiger’s milk) – the remaining liquid from the clams, lime juice and Worcestershire. It is strong enough to revive the hungover, awaken the dead and provide hours of fun with your significant other.

Fish Taco and Caldo de Camaron (Shrimp Soup).
If there’s a fish taco on the menu, I’m going to get it. How can one resist a piece of nicely fried Pollack fish wrapped with cabbage and a tortilla. But you can’t even begin eating this until you’ve added the “yellow Sriracha”, which takes this your standard fish taco to another level, in my opinion. I have approached the Orellanas about the possibility of bottling and selling the Sriracha amarilla. Hopefully Huy Fong isn’t reading this right now. Another thing I love to eat is caldo de camaron. I’ve eaten delicious versions in Ensenada, Tulum and Mexico City, but I can’t figure out why a lot of places in Los Angeles overcook the shrimp. But Chef Carolina puts some major care and this – I really enjoyed this here.

Mariscada Caribeña (Caribbean-style Seafood Stew with Rice)
Just when I thought I had eaten the best of what La Cevicheria had to offer, Julio insists that I try this out. As I was talking to him about this, my eyes focused on the wall with Jonathan Gold’s review of this restaurant, with a large photo of the mariscada caribeña. By now, my friend and I were about to tap out but I’m glad we didn’t. The seafood stew reminds me of a soupier version of seafood risotto. The shrimp, mussels and calimari are cooked beautifully, and the sauce is simply amazing. If you want a comforting dish that will make you miss your mother, order this.

Aguachiles (Mexican Shrimp in Chile & Cucumber Sauce)
Like I said, it’s a never-ending parade of food here at La Cevicheria. This dish comes with a dozen shrimp but Julio was nice enough to sell 1/2 a dozen to us. Aguachiles is a Sinaoloan-Nayarit dish that consists of butterflied shrimp cooked in lime juice for a short time and drenched in a bright, green sauce made of chiles, cucumbers and cilantro. I was first introduced to this dish by Chef Sergio Eduardo Penuelas of Mariscos Chente and since then, look for it every time I’m eating at a mariscos restaurant. At first, you’ll see a mound of green salsa and red onions, but a closer look, reveals the shrimp completely buried in the blended sauce. This dish isn’t for everyone especially if you’re not in to the texture of raw shrimp. But this dish is beautiful, very naked and sexy. Love Chef Carolina’s version a little bit more than Marisco Chente’s.

Come say hello to Julio and Carolina Orellana. Hope you enjoy this place as much as I do. Thanks for reading.

La Cevicheria
3809 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 732-1253
Closed mondays, cash only.