|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most visitors to Tijuana's famed Zona Norte, aren't aware that there's more to the zone than strip joints, and working girls, as the zone lies just north of downtown Tijuana, where real people come to shop at real stores, that cater to the needs of real people. In Zona Norte, there are many outstanding street vendors, small restaurants and loncherias in the area, and if your tastes cater to mariscos, than you won't find a better place to eat than Restaurant Mariscos Quina. As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: Parking is scarce along Calle Articulo 123, but if you're walking in the neighborhood, Mariscos Quina is a sure bet for a delicious meal of seafood. Unlike many restaurants in Tijuana, this diner isn't open to the street. Saturday, October 27, 2007, in the early afternoon, I was walking down Articulo 123, about halfway between Av. Niños Heros and Av. Consitución, wondering where I was going to eat next, when I spotted Restaurant Mariscos Quina, as the facade of the building is bright teal green, and it's adorned with a large sign that reads MARISCOS, and the window facing the street is painted with the name of the restaurant, and its plastered with hand-written signs advertising their menu and their specials. One sign pasted to the window facing the street read "3 Tacos Pescados Y Consome $25.00" which really caught my attention, as I was in the mood for something other than a carne asada taco. Downtown Tijuana is quite congested, and most of the businesses have a relatively small facade, and could be best be described as "narrow and deep." That's the first thing that you notice as you enter Restaurant Mariscos Quina, as the dining room is very narrow, but it extends way, way back, as the photo illustrates. Mariscos Quina is quite different from many small loncherias in Tijuana, as it has closed windows and a real door that opens and closes, so you don't get serenaded by the sounds of Tijuana's relentless traffic, and you don't get to dine with the flies. Inside, the restaurant is painted various shades of blue, in keeping with their seafood format, the linoleum floor is blue, and there are lots of plastic fish suspended from the ceiling or tacked on to the walls. You know that you're inside a restaurant that specializes in seafood entrées when you walk inside Restaurant Mariscos Quina, as the decor leaves little doubt in your mind.
Photo: As you enter the dining room, you'll see the faux ocean decor and the girl who can't take her eyes of the television, which was playing Mexican soap operas at the time of my visit. I think every television in Tijuana is tuned to soap operas, all afternoon. Nothing like a beer and a soap opera! There is a long, narrow dining room to the right, outside the photo.
Photo: There are no printed menus at the restaurant, and the specials are posted in the front window, and the walls inside. If you have something your mind that isn't posted, just ask the staff, and if they have the ingredients on hand, they'll prepare it for you. Keep in mind that you're not in the "tourist zone" and a knowledge of at least a little Spanish will be greatly helpful, and the staff will love you for it. Also, if you're ordering off the menu, make sure you understand what the menu includes, and what the price will be. Take this simple advice, and your Tijuana dining experience will be amazing! I walked in and sat down at a table, not far from a girl seated at a table near the television, who's eyes were glued to the screen, as she was watching a Mexican soap opera, which are extremely popular in Mexico. As per the normal, in many small restaurants and loncherias in Mexico, I was the only patron; I always wonder how these places can stay in business? ... Anyway, the girl took her eyes off the television for a fleeting moment to look at me, and yelled "Rosa!" then immediately focused her attention back to the soap opera in was in progress on the TV. The double doors to the kitchen opened, and Rosa, wearing a blue waitress top, rushed to take my order. My order was simple, as I ordered the "3 Tacos Pescados Y Consome" for the price of MEX $25.00 that I had seen advertised in the window. Rosa asked me what I wanted to drink, and without hesitation I replied "Pacifico," as I'd probably hiked 10 miles and a beer sounded good.
Photo: Today's special was posted on the wall, and there is simply NO WAY that I can resist fish tacos, and fish soup is an added bonus. Although the menu doesn't mention it, chips, saltine crackers and fresh salsa were included with the meal.
Photo: The long, narrow, main dining room sports a nautical theme. Like the small dining room where you enter the restaurant, this dining room also has a television tuned to Mexican soap operas.
Photo: A peek inside the kitchen at Restaurant Mariscos Quina shows the busy chef preparing my lunch. I can't resist a kitchen photo when the opportunity arises. Note the television in the kitchen, and it's tuned to Mexican soap operas. My beer was brought to me within 2 minutes of ordering it, followed by a basket of fresh, warm tortilla chips, a couple of packages of saltine crackers, AND freshly made salsa cruda, diced onions, cilantro and a bowl of quartered key limes. If that wasn't enough, the encore performance consisted of a bowl of delicious, in-house made fish soup, made using real fish broth, that had pieces of fish and shrimp floating in. The appetisers are delicious, beautifully prepared, and simply amazing. How was I going to be able to eat three fish taco, after eating all of these delicious appetisers?
Photo: The Pacifico beer is optional, but the lunch includes appetizers of fish soup, fried corn tortilla chips, crackers, lime wedges, along with a bowl of fresh, in-house made salsa. The tortilla chips were fresh, and exactly what you'd expect at any restaurant or diner in Tijuana. There were also three small packages of Mexican saltine crackers, which taste like... saltine crackers. The salsa cruda was made, in-house, and was fresh tomato, onion, cilantro and diced pepper. Lime wedges were included to squeeze juice on the salsa, and it that didn't work, there were a couple bottles of Mexican hot sauce to kick the salsa up a notch or two. The small bowl of fish soup was delicious, and really helped to round out the "nautical" meal. It was actually more of a fish broth, with small pieces of green onion and fish in the soup. I'm a "sucker" for soup of any kind, and I really enjoyed this bowl of consome as an appetizer.
Photo: My delicious lunch arrives to my table, thanks to Rosa. She seemed a little surprised when I snapped her photo. It is interesting to note that fresh salsa was included with the soup and chips, and more was included with the main meal. You'll get your share of fresh salsa when you dine at Restaurant Mariscos Quina, in Tijuana. I was only getting started on my appetisers when Rosa brought the main course of three fish tacos, with salsa cruda, skillfully presented on a platter. Each fish taco consists of a large piece of breaded fish, which is deep fried, and placed on a bed of two corn tortillas. The tacos are placed on the platter, next to the salsa and crema, so all you have to do is open the tacos, spoon on the salsa and crema, and enjoy. Oh yes, what is crema? Basically, it's mayonnaise with lime juice added, and it's a de facto standard for fish tacos in Baja California. Forget everything you've discovered or heard about a Tijuana fish taco restaurant, as the fish tacos served at Restaurant Mariscos Quina are fresh, delicious, and served indoors, in a restaurant that isn't open to the elements, the traffic, or the flies. Restaurant Mariscos Quina caters to local residents, so if you're looking for tourist cuisine, you'd better take a two-block hike over to Ave. Revelución, where you'll feel more at home. At Restaurant Mariscos Quina, your English stays at the door, as this restaurant is a pure example of an authentic Mexican seafood restaurant, and Spanish is the spoken language. Photo: Fried fish, each is placed on a bed of two lightly toasted corn tortillas, topped with fresh salsa, how does it get better? I've already added fresh salsa to the tacos, and I'm ready to spoon on a small amount of the crema, included with my lunch. This deep fried fish is simply amazing! I actually managed to finish my HUGE meal, but I was stuffed and I more than got my money's worth from the restaurant. The service was fast and friendly, the food was delicious, the portions were huge, and the value was OUTSTANDING. I pigged-out and enjoyed a delicious meal, that was light-years ahead of a north-of-the-border fast food lunch, at about the same price. Absolutely, there is no comparison...
Photo: From the "Special on the Wall" menu, I ordered "Three Tacos Pescados y Consome," which works out to three fish tacos, along with a bowl of fish soup. Not advertised on the menu, but my lunch also included a dollop of crema, along with a helping of fresh, in-house made salsa, which arrived in a separate bowl, so you could garnish your tacos to your liking. Of course the meal also included appetizers of chips, crackers and lime wedges. My lunch included three large pieces of fish - most likely dorado - battered, and deep fried to a crispy golden brown on the outside, and tender juicy inside. Each bite of the delicious fish was a taste sensation, and when you're talking fish tacos, with each piece of fish wrapped around toasted corn tortillas, with fresh salsa, along with a little crema, you have a delicious fish taco! This fine meal include THREE fish tacos, and I enjoyed every bite! For the price of MEX $37.00, I enjoyed a Pacifico beer, plus the described seafood lunch that left me so full, that I skipped on dinner later that night. If I hadn't ordered the beer, my delicious lunch would have only cost MEX $25.00, which is less than the price of a fast food burger in the U.S. As I write this article, I'm amazed how a restaurant, such as Restaurant Mariscos Quina can serve such a quality product, at a reasonable price. Restaurant Mariscos Quina,serves delicious seafood tacos at unbelievable prices! Highly recommended! Restaurant Mariscos Quina Copyright(c) 2007 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
|
