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Most visitors to Tijuana's famed Zona Norte, home of North America's largest red light district, aren't aware that there's more to the zone than strip joints, hookers 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. I have to admit that I love to hike around Zona Norte and check out the sights, and I do it with my wife's blessing, as I only look, I don't touch, and I never have participated. Aside from the tawdry scenery that the zone offers, 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.
Photo: Parking is scarce along Articulo 123, but if you're walking in the neighborhood, Mariscos Quina is a sure bet for a delicious meal of seafood. 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: Inside Mariscos Quina's dining room shows 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 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: A peek inside the kitchen at Mariscos Quinta. I can't resist a kitchen photo when I visit a restaurant in Tijuana. 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: My delicious lunch arrives to my table. 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, on corn tortillas, topped with fresh salsa, how does it get better? 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 delicous, 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: My complete meal of a Pacifico beer, fish soup, tacos, chips, and condiments, for only MEX $37.00! Such a delicious lunch at a bargain price! 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 still in a state of shock how a restaurant, such as Restaurant Mariscos Quina can serve such a quality product, at a price that is many light leagues below the basement. Restaurant Mariscos Quina, delicious seafood tacos at unbelievable prices! Highly recommended by the author of this web site. Restaurant
Mariscos Quina Copyright(c) 2007 eRench Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. This site has been on the web since December 22, 2002. Web page design has been created by eRench Productions, Inc., custon photography for any occasion...
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