El Faro has closed.
Welcome back the the blog called mmm-yoso!!! Today, Kirk and ed (from Yuma) are researching places so they can write posts. Cathy is finished researching and this is the rough draft.
Hi. The other day, The Mister and I were (yes, again) taking a little "stay-cation" in San Diego, Balboa Park, to be precise. Here is the Sculpture Garden, near the Old Globe Theater.
The parking lot near the Aerospace Museum was pretty crowded, as were the restaurants in the park, so after about two miles, we drove on the side streets looking for a place to have lunch.
Somehow, we got to Imperial Avenue -looking for the Farmers Market Building (it's for sale)- and a block later we saw street signs welcoming us to both Sherman and Logan Heights…and then saw the word "Family" on this building. I stopped and parked.
El Faro, Spanish for "the lighthouse" . Of course, they serve seafood. Thing is, we saw a mariscos truck and a small mariscos restaurant on the same block…never considered this part of town to have mariscos. But what do we know…
Lunch Specials…
and for future reference, Happy Hour. We walked in.
Five booths, seven tables and the kitchen in the middle. Like eating in Mexico. I asked and found out these owners have been here 13 years, and before they bought this place, it was a seafood restaurant.
Lime wedges, fresh (light and very good) corn chips and a mildly hot salsa were brought to the table (after ordering, a group of appropriate hot sauces were brought out, however, I used this salsa for everything- no vinegar or sugar and a good heat to it).
We decided to try a fish ceviche tostada ($2.25) as an appetizer. Really, really nice. The fish was fresh, flaky, tasty and the lime juice, tomatoes, onion and cilantro were complimentary and not overwhelming. The tostada was placed on top of lettuce and that cucumber slice, so it didn't get soggy. 
The Mister's meal came with this large cup filled with a seafood soup. Excellent, fresh, very nice amount of seafood in the not too tomato flavored broth (it was more of a seafood stock base) .
After a long discussion with myself, I had decided on the camarones (shrimp) salad because of the description. Plain (home made) mayonnaise was the dressing and it complimented the very large (in size and number-24) shrimp. Lettuce, shredded carrot and chopped cucumber were the only salad ingredients. The topping of avocado, two slices of cucumber and the tomato added enough variety so that I could enjoy those shrimp in the dressing. This was filling, refreshing and worth the lunch price ($8.95). 
The Mister's Pescado Entero ($8.95). A whole fried tilapia. Very fresh, firm fleshed, not muddy, fried perfectly (I ate the fins; so crispy).
The Mister ate just about everything else…
El Faro Family Restaurant 2249 Imperial Avenue San Diego 92102 (619)2311388
I wish I could have cilantro, tastes terrible and soapy to me 🙁
Oh yum, that tilapia looks delicious. And the salad looks huge
Ceviche (and cocteles) are always made to order at Mariscos restaurants, Dylan. Many people think cilantro tastes soapy and ask for it to not be used in preparations. Welcome to the comment side of our blog.
The fish was extremely good as was the salad, Kirbie…that shell shaped bowl is deceptively large.
hi cathy – wow, they have really good prices for their tacos! mmmm, pulpo and marlin!!!! and that salad is calling to me!
Hi Cathy! Wow that tilapia looks huge. That seems like a really good price for all that with the seafood soup.
Hi, cc. We were torn about what to order as a first time meal…and the tacos were tempting (and I do love marlin(and smoked fish in general)) The salad description (and my craving that day) got me. Next time, a coctele!
Hi Carol! The fish was quite large and meaty, fried just right and the soup was a bonus we were not expecting. There was both a seafood and a shrimp soup on the lunch menu, and those would be a consideration if the days actually stay foggy and cold past 10 a.m.
Love whole fried fish myself but prefer flounder more since the fins are tastier and have more fat on it.
I don’t think I’ve ever ordered a shrimp salad anywhere, but this photo is making me think I should! I love fried fish and that tilapia looks so good. It reminds me of family dinners as a kid when my mom would get a couple whole fishes fried at 99 Ranch.
Fried whole flounder is very good, nhb. I’ve only had it at Asian restaurants here. Other than tilapia being at most $2.50/lb, I don’t know why other fish choices aren’t offered for frying…
Hi Alyssa. Glad to give you some good memories. I think I wanted to try this version of shrimp salad, because it’s similar to a recipe I threw in near the bottom of my second post here. /2006/10/02/episode_twoweek/
Looks great. San Diego is full of little gems and you and kirk keep tantalizing me. More tasty looking food than I will ever get to.
You have found some gems too, ed. It’s good we have this place on the interweb to share our finds.