Taco Shops – Page 5

Mexico City – Taqueria Orinoco and Morning in La Condesa

July 12, 2019 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Mexico City, Taco Shops, Travel

As we were finishing up dinner at Maximo Bistrot; I asked the Missus if She wanted dessert. She said "yes", but not from Maximo. The Missus had something else in mind for "dessert". As we walked out of the restaurant, She told me, "I want tacos for dessert"! Tacos? Well, ok then, I had a place just a few blocks away that was still open in mind. Taqueria Orinoco.

There was already a line forming when we arrived at the taco shop right on busy Avenida Insurgentes.

The line moved fairly quickly and we got up to the counter to order in like 15 minutes or so.

From here, you place your order, are given a number if you are eating in, and if the place is buzzing like on this evening, you wait until a table is ready.

And the place was definitely hopping on this evening.

The tacos here are Monterrey style; that would be Northern….so "trompo" is similar to Al Pastor. We ordered one each of the three on the menu. I think what the Missus enjoyed the most were the salsas; ranging from mild to a really nice and tangy cilantro, to a totally scalding Piquin, which I first ran into during my trip to Paredoncito. The Missus really loved it; but paid the price!

The tres tacos came on a metal tray with griddled onions and really good "smashed" potatoes, basically cooked twice…..my favorite part of the meal.

Our favorite taco was the chicharron, slightly crunchy outside, really fatty, though perhaps a bit on the dry side. The res was dry, chewy, and pretty bland. The trompo, was like Al Pastor, but not nearly as sweet. The tortillas were really good, pliable, but up to the task of enrobing the fillings without breaking. The corn flavor was good and straight-forward.

And while these are considered to be on the expensive side, with water this still came out to just over five bucks US.

As we left there was a line to the end of the block…….

Taqueria Orinoco
Avenida Insurgentes Sur 253, Roma Norte
06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Hours
Sun – Wed Noon – 1am
Thurs Noon – 3am
Fri – Sat Noon – 5am

Needless to say; we were pretty stuffed, and we rolled on back to where we were staying. I slept like a baby, at least until the birds started chirping in the morning. Still, we both fell back asleep after that.

There really wasn't any reason to get up early, the Missus had only one thing on the agenda for the day. We finally rose around 8 and left the hotel soon thereafter.

La Condesa is quite charming. I wish I took more photos. The area is known for murals; like this one across the street from where we were staying.

The neighborhood is quite charming.

And along with "people watching"; there were two things we especially loved checking out.

The squirrels doing the "tightrope walk" on powerlines to get from tree to tree.

And the dogs…..and some of the dog walkers who did a pretty amazing job.

We were really enjoying ourselves…….

Thanks for stopping by!

TJ Oyster Bar (again)

November 21, 2018 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

Here you are reading mmm-yoso!!! on Thanksgiving Eve…or Thanksgiving Day. Cathy is writing a short post about another regular stop. Kirk is busy, elsewhere, with His Missus.

There are two locations of TJ Oyster Bar in Bonita with the third in Chula Vista- all East of the 805. The Mister and I have been to all three, but we keep returning to the original location, even though it is the smallest.
There are five two top tables and about 12 bar stools of seating inside and two-four seat tables out in front. The cash register is right in front when you walk in: order, pay, find a seat.
On this visit, we decided to share a fried calamari appetizer ($9). It was nice that they did give us two forks . The batter is thin/light and the fry is correct. The squid is tender and the dipping sauce has a light amount of spice; a complimentary flavor. I did add salt at the end.
We had to get the fish tacos ($1.25 each) which are in a beer batter (slightly thicker; good crunch). The fish pieces are large, the cabbage and salsa and white sauce are just enough (not overpowering). The corn tortillas have nice light corn flavor and because they were warmed, a good chew.
The grilled fish salad ($9)is exceptional. The fish is (as you can see) lightly grilled and the salad served with an avocado half. The salad was a bed of Romaine (which had not yet been recalled; we were here last Friday) which had a great housemade salad dressing mixed in-in perfect proportions (creamy but not overpowering in any one flavor; not much garlic).

Just a nice place to stop in for quality Mexican seafood.

TJ Oyster Bar 4246 Bonita Road Bonita, 92002 (619) 267-4577 Mon-Th 11:30-9, Fri 11:30-10, Sat noon-9, Sun noon-8

Tako Factory (San Diego near La Mesa) OMG (Original Mexican Gourmet)

November 13, 2018 Cathy Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

Tako Factory has closed. It will be missed.

mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Today, Cathy is writing; Kirk is enjoying some time off from work and from blogging.

El Cajon Blvd at 73rd. The signal light. SouthWest corner. Since 2013. Not your average Taco Shop. A bit fancier of a menu. Much more quality. A lot of people told me about it. I should have visited sooner.

Walk up, order, pay, find a seat and your food will be brought out to your table, inside or outside.
You'll get some fresh, crispy, thin, salted chips along with three salsas in a cut bag. The green salsa- mild and lime/tomatillo based. The center is a hot salsa-a habanero finish. The salsa on the right is this traditional recipe I saw on Pati's Mexican Kitchen; Chipotle (smoked jalapeño) with sesame seeds and peanuts. Yes, the salsas-each unique, each fresh made, each wonderful.
Our shared light lunch.
The shrimp tako ($4) is very good. Four large grilled shrimp along with grilled bell pepper and onion and topped with cheese and sour cream on a fresh, warm corn tortilla.
The adovada tako ($4) is served with onions, cilantro, tomato and topped with roasted jalapeño sour cream. The marinated pork is lightly grilled and has crispy bits. The marinade has garlic in it as well as a great red chile. The flavor is a new craving.
The asada tako ($4) is served with guacamole and pico on two tortillas. Quite a lot of food. The meat is wonderful- moist with a great marinade.
All day Tuesday, the chicken, asada and adobada takos are $2 each. The chicken is grilled white meat (moist and flavorful) with onions, bell peppers, topped with cheese, pico and sour cream. {These same three choices are available during 'Happy Hour' (3-5) each weekday, also $2 each. This isn't advertised anywhere.}
The asada alambre ($10) traditionally skewered meat and vegetables (alambre means 'wire'), this version is grilled asada, bacon, green peppers and onions…along with cheese and is served with four corn tortillas. Sort of a fajita (with bacon!), sort of just wonderful, quite enough food to share for another light meal.

Way above average; quality and service.

Tako Factory 7287 El Cajon Blvd San Diego 92115 (619)741-4502 Website Open Daily 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., Closed Sunday

Al Pastor Authentic Mexican Grill

June 18, 2018 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

**** Al Pastor has changed back to Aqui es Texcoco

I happened to notice this shop in one of those empty strip malls on the corner of H Street and Broadway on our way to breakfast at Talavera Azul.

I’m usually not swayed by the myriad of “Mexican Grills” and truly not by most places who use the word “authentic” in their name. Call me a cynic…..guilty as charged. But for some reason, this place hung around in my “grey matter” as we ate breakfast. I’m not sure what it was; the strange location, my love for al pastor, or whatever.

So later the same day, I headed back down to Chula Vista to see if the place was even open. And they were. Rather empty at 11 am on a Saturday, but still open.

Al Pastor Grill 02

The two women working were very friendly. The menu huge! With everything from Alambres to Tortas. And there was a strange familiar ring to several of the items on the menu.

That’s when I saw him; the owner of Aqui es Texcoco in the kitchen talking to staff. Strange. So I sent my good buddy Candice a text asking if he had opened up a new restaurant. The answer? Yes. I then asked the Server who smiled and said “yes”. Apparently, the place had just opened.

Still rather full from breakfast, I decided to get a couple of tacos which are all priced between $2.50 and $2.75.

The salsas are similar to what is served at Aqui es Texcoco; straight forward and nice and spicy.

My tres tacos.

Let’s go from right to left. The Costilla (rib meat) was fairly chewy, but not bad, but in need of a bit more seasoning. The arrachera; skirt steak, was fairly tough, but had been seasoned simply and perfectly with a nice grilled-smokey flavor. The winner was without a doubt the al pastor as it had the wonderful slightly sweet flavor along with a nice porkiness that reminds me of Char Siu. Nice crispy bits along with meatier bits were provided. I thought the toritllas were just average; they held up okay, but for some reason lacked the nice corn fragrance and flavor.

A mixed bag overall, but that al pastor was pretty good. I returned the following weekend.

I had seen a couple of items I was interested in on the menu. I started with the Huitlacoche Quesadilla and the Taco de Al Pastor (of course).

The al pastor was a bit tougher than on my previous visit; but the flavors were still good. I didn’t care too much for the quesadilla; it was quiet fragrant; the wild mushroom smell tickled my nose, but it was quite bland. But it wasn’t griddled right and the tortillas were really hard to cut and I still think it was missing something.

I also ordered the Tostada de pata de res (cow foot tostada)

This was an interesting mixed bag. The tendon had been diced quite finely….I’d have preferred a larger dice so I could enjoy and appreciate the texture a bit more. It was also a bit too acidic and sour for my taste. The beans were lovely; nutty and rich. Loved what the cotija cheese brought to the dish; a light salty-milkiness. A bit too much lettuce for my taste though. Lot’s of crisp, crunchy textures, had me wishing for something a bit more toothsome.

As I mentioned a few paragraphs up. A mixed bag, nice service, priced reasonably. I did enjoy the al pastor.

The menu is huge and I’m looking forward to trying other items like the Caldo Tlapeno or Chuleda Ahumada (smoked pork) tacos….or perhaps even Cazuelitas (sopes) Chicharron en Salsa Verde.

I’ll give them a bit of time to get settled in before revisiting though.

Al Pastor Authentic Mexican Grill
520 Broadway
Chula Vista, CA 91910

Ta’cul

May 2, 2018 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

**** Ta'Cul has closed

Because I like to make more than one visit before doing a post, I sometimes take too long. As was the case with El Trebol, a taco shop that a couple of folks had recommended to me at what I call the "gateway to PB". By the time I went to make my second visit, a shop by the name of Ta'cul had taken its place.

The configuration has been changed around a bit and the place is looking kind of rustic. But the young lady and the guy working the kitchen are quite nice.

I liked the menu; both mariscos and what I consider a bit different for this part of town, tacos guisados are available.

Your guisados can be ordered as "street tacos" or larger tacos and run at $2.25 a pop for the smaller sizes. The prices for tacos de mariscos are four bucks and up.

Well, since I was here and fascinated by the menu, I ordered Al Pastor and Cochinita Pibil street tacos, and in typical form for me when it comes to tacos de mariscos, a Gobernador ($4.95).

Service was rather "laid back" as some of the containers on the tables were missing napkin and such. It also took a while to get my tacos.

Even though I saw the trompo in the kitchen, it was not in use. The "al pastor" was heated on the plancha and laid to rest in a mild tasting corn tortilla. It had a very strong, earthy, lightly peppery achiote flavor which kind of overwhelmed everything. It was also quite dry and tough; lacking the different textures of something off the vertical spit. The guacamole helped a bit, as did the onions, but still this really lacked the mild sweetness and balanced flavor I enjoy in a tacos al pastor.

I was quite excited to be able to try the Cochinita Pibil, which I rarely see on menus here in San Diego.

While this was also on the dry side and the achiote flavor was also quite pronounced, there was a mild porkiness to the meat, and the time on the flat top helped add some textural contrast to it. The flavor really reminded me of a milder version of my carne guisada. I did expect a bit more complexity; citrus, cinnamon, garlic, and cloves……but this was better than the previous taco.

The Gobernador looked a bit skimpy, but at least the tortilla was nicely coated with melted cheese to preserve the integrity of the taco.

Not enough onions…peppers….and the shrimp was over cooked. This was the best of the three tacos, but it's hard to get super excited about this……since I usually expect this when I order a Gobernador.

And this for an Al Pastor.

But this is PB and all……

I really did like the friendly service and this time I returned rather quickly.

And ordered the Fried Shrimp ($5.00), Pulpo ($5.95), and a Birria (de res) street taco.

The fried shrimp taco, while being a bit on the greasy side was the better of the two. The shrimp had a nice oceany-briney flavor, the onions and lime helped to cut the greasiness a bit; the batter had a lacquer like crunchiness and the shrimp were moist this time around. The octopus had a nice texture, not too chewy, but really had no flavor and was over shadowed by the peppers and even the queso.

The best was saved for last. It took a while for my taco de birria to arrive. But it was worth the wait.

While this won't make me forget Fernandez or any number of places; most of them are in the South Bay. While the meat was on the stringy side; this had a nice beefiness to it with a decent richness. Definitely the best item I'd had on my two visits.

Due to the nice, friendly atmosphere, I may return for a some more birria and perhaps something else from the menu. Though it's not very high on my list. Also, all they had on my two visits were bottled salsas.

Ta’cul
2015 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109
Hours
Open Daily 11am – 10pm

I wonder if this pooch was waiting for some tacos?

Circling Back to The Mariscos el Pescador Truck

January 4, 2018 mmm-yoso Food Trucks, Mexican Restaurants, Seafood, Taco Shops

I needed to get my New Year Wagashi from Hogetsu Bakery. So I headed down to Chula Vista. As I went past the H Street offramp on the I-5, I had a sudden craving for tacos from the Mariscos el Pescador truck. I got off at L street and headed on over. Man, had it really been a year-and-a-half since I last visited?

It was just a few ticks after 10am so there were no crowds. I noticed two semi's parked in the lot. Both drivers were eating in their rigs.

Since I hadn't been back in a while; I decided to see how my old standbys here were. I ordered a Tacos Gobernador and Marlyn. It actually looked even better than what I had on my last visit. Though I was offered no consommé…..I guess I could have asked, but I figured what I ordered would be enough.

The Gobernador was better than what I had here on my last visit. Nice balance of peppers to onions and the shrimp was moist, tasty, and plump. The one detail that I noticed was that there wasn't much cheese melted on the tortilla. The melted cheese, along with adding milky goodness to the taco acts like a "barrier", allowing the tortilla to stay whole during the eating process. The taco fell apart after two bites. I also noticed the tortillas aren't as good as they were as well. Don't get me wrong. This is still good; but not great.

The smoked fish taco was really nice; smoky, the essence of the sea, and more moist than I recalled. Lime really helps to cut the oiliness of the fish. This was very good.

I really need to return more often.

Mariscos El Pescador (In the parking lot of Toys R Us)
1008 Industrial Blvd
Chula Vista, CA 91911

Yuma – Tacos Mi Rancho and Los Manjares de Pepe

September 24, 2017 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Mexican Restaurants, Road Trip, Taco Shops, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

A few weeks back, I headed on over to Yuma, to visit my good friend and fellow mmm-yoso contributor, "Ed from Yuma". I'm sure, based on the previous post you know the reason. Sadly, it had been almost a dozen years since I'd visited Yuma. I never meant for it to be that way; after all, I had a great time during that all-too-short visit, which was capped off with a wonderful dinner. But time just seems to get away from us.

Since I've been doing a good bit of driving recently and the Missus was busy working, I decided to stay the evening. Strangely, it was drizzling during my entire drive east……scattered large drops of rain dribbling about…..I mean, summer didn't officially end in these parts until a few days ago.

While it was great seeing Tina and Ed, I could tell that he was getting very tired, it was time for me to take my leave.

I needed a place for dinner. I could have eaten at "that restaurant" across the parking lot…..

But this is Yuma…..

So, I decided to drive around a bit. I hadn't been around this part of Yuma on my last trip….it's basically the mall….though I had to send the Missus a photo of Dillard's. I haven't seen a Dillard's since I used to work in Arkansas and Georgia back in the 90's.

Tina had mentioned that a branch of Sprouts had recently opened, and there it was on 4th.

For dinner, I decided to head to a place Ed had recommended to me on my first visit to Yuma, Tacos Mi Rancho. Funny thing, Ed never did a post on the place until 2013, but it was obviously a favorite of his as well. On my previous visit, I had stayed right across the street from this reclaimed fast food stand. And there it stood; looking just the same twelve years later.

Just as on my previous visit; I sidled up to the counter. The very friendly young lady asked me if I wanted a table, but I told her he counter would do just fine.

The place was just as I recalled, basically two rooms, news and sports on the televisions…….colorful and cozy.

I went with three tacos; Al Pastor, Lengua, and Chicharon. But first, some chips.

To me, the big winner was the lengua; beefy, buttery, a squeeze of lime took the "edge off". The salsa here is on the milder side, but the tangy flavors helped to cut the richness.

The Chicharon had a nice smokey, spice, though it was a bit too chewy for my liking.

The Adobada kind of threw me off; it lacked the red achiote color; but was nicely flavored.

Overall, three nice tacos.

And very nice service.

Tacos Mi Rancho
188 S 4th Ave
Yuma, AZ 85364

I spent the evening studying for a couple of certifications I needed to renew.

I'm an early riser these days….I think what they say about needing less sleep as you get older might actually be true. I was ready to hit the road and head back to San Diego. It was 630 am and I got into the car and….decided to make one more stop. There was one place that Ed said I should try….he mentioned regretting not being able to take me there. I wanted to have no regrets floating in the air; so I headed off to Los Manjares de Pepe; which Ed has called "the best Mexican restaurant in town" and possibly the "best overall restaurant in town" in two posts over the years; Los Manjares de Pepe.

So I drove on over to West 8th Street and waited a bit in the parking lot of this converted residence until the open sign lit up.

The warm and friendly woman working quickly seated me; handed me a menu, and asked me if I wanted some coffee, which was exactly what I wanted. The morning was already fairly warm and the previous day's moisture had made things a bit muggy. The nice A/C swirling around me really stimulated my appetite.

There was one item from Ed (from Yuma)'s posts that had caught my attention all those years ago. The Pepe's special. Pork stewed in what is described as a tomatillo sauce on the menu.

Man; this was delici-yoso. The pork was moist and tender; that sauce, as Ed noted, wasn't very tangy, but had a nice balance of flavors. The smokiness from whatever pepper was used for it came through nicely. The salsa added a touch of heat, but was still mild, but really helped to cut any richness. The tortillas were excellent; I ate them all….and of course those runny eggs, adding another layer of velvety richness to the dish. The beans were good as were the breakfast potatoes. But it was all about that pork.

I saved that last tortilla to mop up all that sauce.

Ed my friend; I can only imagine how even more enjoyable this meal would have been with you!

Los Manjares De Pepe
2187 W 8th St
Yuma, AZ 85364
Open Daily – 7am – 9pm

For those who want to know a bit more about Ed's life; you can find that here. And a very nice post here. As to how Ed got the moniker "Ed from Yuma"? Well, I think only Ed and I know that one……

Los Palmitos (revisits)

August 31, 2017 Cathy Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog which we (Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy) thank you for stopping by to read some of our sometimes interesting and sometimes mundane posts about meals consumed. Cathy is writing about a typical San Diego Taco shop today.

According to the phone book, San Diego has over 200 'Taco Shops' within its 4200 square miles. I think everyone has a couple of favorite, conveniently located shops-one close to home and one close to work, maybe a handful of others where they stop in for a quick bite or to go meal. Los Palmitos is one of ours, despite only blogging about it twice; in 2008 and again in 2012.

The exterior was upgraded within the past year. New. Old.

It's not air conditioned, but being shaded keeps the eating area a bit cooler than just being under umbrellas.

When you have a 'for here' order, fresh fried corn chips and cups for the salsa bar are provided.
The salads here are refreshing; lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pickled onions and cojita cheese, topped with (in this case) carne asada. ($7)A simple shrimp ceviche tostada ($5) is just perfect on some days; not too large, but definitely not small. My 'usual order here is the whole fried fish ($12.50)Which I enjoy completely. This is a grilled chicken salad ($7), similar to the carne asada one, above. You can see the cilantro-lime dressing on the chicken, which is so refreshing.
Sometimes, I crave fried items and the 'side order' (no rice or beans) of beef flautas ($5) satisfies. On chilly days, the fish soup ($10) is just perfect. Large pieces of fish, plenty of vegetables in a seafood/tomato broth. It really hits the spot.

Stay cool!

Los Palmitos Taco Shop 5145 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard (between Limerick and Longford) San Diego 92117

(858)974-1946 Open 8 a.m.-midnight, daily Website

Why, yes, the first photos are from meals prior to the addition being built. These above photos show the new plates being used as well as the new tabletops.

It's hot, I wanted to post about a favorite place and really, the food is the same…although the slices of orange on that above whole fish plate were painfully thin and dry…

Emily’s Taco Shop & Birrieria (Spring Valley)

July 5, 2017 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

**** Emily's is no longer at this location and does catering only

I've gotten some great recommendations over the years. In fact, I don't think we'd still be around and heading toward 3600 posts of not for all the recommendations I receive. This one, is from "KenB" who always sends me interesting emails a couple of times a year. Last week, he shot me an email after saying: "Excellent food. Birria de chivo was fantastic." Birria de Chivo? Man, there are places I enjoy for Birria de Res; but Birria de Chivo. So, even though I needed to go into the office this past weekend…..I kinda took….the long way…yeah…that's what I did….take the long way….

To this little shop on the corner of Grand, where Jamacha Road becomes Apple Street. Cathy's done a post on the place on that corner, La Sinaloense. This one is named Emily's Taco Shop & Birrieria.

A very humble looking shop, in what looks like an apartment conversion, which shares a tiny parking lot with a laundromat. This is the kind of place you'd miss if you blinked.

And yet, it seems there's a steady flow of regulars, couples, and families. This is a real mom-and-pop operation; the nice young gentleman is named Christian and I'm assuming the very friendly young lady is his wife. I was told by the young lady that Emily is her daughter, who was busy watching a movie on one of the tables.

This is one of those order at the counter and have a seat kind of places. I pretty much knew what I wanted….birria and consommé of course, so ordering was a breeze.

I got a taco de birria de res and de chivo (beef and goat $4.25 each). Which took a while but when it arrived, I knew it was worth the wait.

The wonderful, sturdy, corn-y tortillas, were up to the task, soaked and griddled (dorado), they held up and had so much flavor. The birria de res, was tender, with a decent amount of seasoning, but seemed a bit too mild to stand up to the thick, smokey, salsa….a nice slow back of the throat burn. I think Fernandez does better. But the birria de chivo was excellent….just a perfect balance of that distinctive "flavor of the pasture" and seasonings. The texture was tender. A squeeze of lime and bit of that salsa and I could eat this everyday.

As much as I enjoyed the tacos; it was the consommé de chivo ($2) that really got my attention. First off, it was served in a wonderful cup.

The cup had both form and function as it kept the broth molten hot for the entire meal. I took a couple of sips that burned a path down my esophagus. Deep flavors, nice gamey up front, comforting, very balanced…you know you were drinking broth that came from goat….but it wasn't screaming that fact to your taste buds. Lime did a great job of smoothing out the edges. This was delici-yoso…..

There's and interesting crowd here. An older guy came in and ordered in Spanish and took a seat. I was surprised to see that he ordered Carne Asada Fries! And he looked like he was enjoying them. KenB also recommended the carnitas.

So there you go. You might find it interesting that I'm doing a post on a newer place with one single visit. Well, I know I need to take the Missus here soon or She'll kill me. So, I can't visit again without Her. I'm sure this will be soon enough. Here's hoping that consommé is just as good.

Emily's Taco Shop & Birrieria
1015 Grand Ave
Spring Valley, CA 91977
Hours:
Tues – Sat 10am – 7pm
Sunday 10am – 3pm

Thanks for the recommendation KenB!

Las Morelianas/La Bahia (revisits)

July 3, 2017 Cathy Seafood, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, the food blog is writings by Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy, each of us interspersing anecdotes about food consumed. Cathy is writing today, since Ed (from Yuma) and Kirk are just too busy this holiday eve.

I wrote about Las Morelianas/La Bahia in 2014 and The Mister and I have returned quite a few times; I just haven't posted.
In the interim, the exterior and interior have had a few improvements while the food has remained the same. (The parking lot has been paved, also!) The above seafood menu (La Bahia) is reflected in a table menu- the seafood kitchen is at the back of the restaurant.
The large shrimp coctele ($14) has more than enough plump shrimp(20 at least) in a lime/catsup sauce with cucumbers topped with avocado. Always refreshing on a hot day. The tabletop array of hot sauces to add is extensive. Similarly, the fish ceviche tostada ($5) is freshly made with lime juice, onion, tomato, cilantro and avocado and served with crunchy, dry tostada shells, separately (no sogginess).

The plates of fish (whole or filets) ($13) are served with rice, beans, fresh made tortillas (there's a lady on the patio making those around 11 a.m. daily) and, of course, a cup of seafood consommé. This was a simple garlic butter filet plate; didn't want to deal with bones.
At the front of the restaurant is the carnitas kitchen (Las Morelianas) and menu above. The paper menu prices (eat in) are in a few cases less than the wall menu (to go).
The choices of sauce here always overwhelm me and asking for both red and green is usually the only way I can order.
When I am not that hungry, the surtido (mixed carnitas) taco ($3) is always a good choice- all the parts of the animal, even a bit of liver is in here.
In the last year, a juice bar area has been added. A medium simple juice (spinach/cucumber/pineapple, which does not photograph well) is $3.

Las Morelianas/La Bahia 2121 Imperial Avenue San Diego (619)239-6284 websiteOpen Daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m.