San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Bay Area’s best catches for fish tacos
Crunchy, airy and golden brown, these beer-battered dishes are worth a special trip
My ideal afterlife must serve golden brown, beerbattered fish tacos, preferably near an Ensenada beach in Mexico. The dish is a podium for crunch, a result from the chemical reaction that occurs when a carbonated batter meets scalding hot oil.
I’ve never had to search hard for excellent seafood in the Bay Area but finding a good Baja fish taco was a challenge. For a while, it felt like I had a better chance of spotting Sasquatch … until I actually started researching. Boy, was I wrong! The region has a respectable number of spots that do the dish justice.
Each taco varied, as if they came from a room of artists tasked with creating the same dish. I judged the execution of the fry, testing its structure and texture — ideally, I wanted to find an airy fried chrysalis sheathing tender, white fish. I considered the quality of tortillas; most stuck to corn while a few preferred flour. I also paid special attention to toppings, giving additional points to those that went beyond cabbage and chipotle crema. It’s worth noting that only a few places offer the tacos a la carte. Most sell them in pairs (which I don’t love), averaging $6-$9 each.
Worthwhile fish tacos can be found in San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose and Wine Country. These are the 10 best, ranked.
10. Woodhouse Fish Co.
Found in San Francisco’s Japantown area, Woodhouse Fish Co. devotes itself to all things oceanic, a theme also reflected in its decor. The fish tacos (two for $15) are served in pairs on flour tortillas, with a drizzle of chipotle crema and avocado slices. The fry of the fish is excellent, possessing a delicate shell like that of a taro puff from a dim sum joint. Underneath the fried coat lies buttery cod that’s steaming hot. The restaurant could use better tortillas and a hotter salsa, though. Bottled salsas are available too, if you prefer.
1914 Fillmore St., San Francisco. 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Monday, Wednesday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday, Friday-Saturday.
9. Las Cabañas Mexican Grill & Taqueria
This taqueria mostly flies under the radar, but it is a highly dependable spot for Mexican food in downtown Berkeley. It, too, reaches for flour tortillas for its doublesize Baja fish tacos ($7.50), which are available a la carte. Instead of the usual plump baton shape, the fish come in juicy, crispy nugget form. The salsa bar is what takes it over the edge, with options like smoky chipotle, creamy avocado and bright verde.
1916 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley. 8 a.m.-midnight daily. lascabanasmexicangrill.com
8. Tacos La Esperanza
Tacos La Esperanza is one of the many food trucks that dot Soscol Avenue in Napa. The lonchera has a reputation for its birria, but the Ensenada-style fish tacos ($4.50) are the real standout. Pan-fried in a shallow layer of fat, the fish fingers are pale in complexion with a tempura-like texture. The food truck dresses the
tacos with onions, cilantro, cabbage and a flavorful, tangy salsa. Nibble on the housemade escabeche (pickled peppers and carrots) for extra acidity.
1551 Soscol Ave., Napa. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. 707-2464908.
7. La Vaca Birria
La Vaca Birria excels at charcoal-grilled beef and hefty burritos, but the Mission District taqueria also makes killer fish tacos ($8). Blocks of fried mahi mahi rest over avocado-smeared blue corn tortillas. The tortilla’s sharp taste bleeds through, adding subtle earthiness. Cabbage, chipotle crema and cherry tomato pico de gallo bring freshness, while salsas, made with flame-roasted ingredients, contribute more
spice and smoke.
2962 24th St., San Francisco. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. lavacabirria.com
6. Al Carajo
Located in San Francisco’s Mission District, Al Carajo primarily serves Yucatecan dishes but also dabbles in the art of fish tacos. Chef and owner Javier León deviates from the form with the Valencia fish tacos (two for $14), featuring a batter seasoned with achiote powder, a nod to his home state of Yucatan, and ube tortillas, made inhouse by mixing masa with ube puree. Notably crispy and meaty, the fish is crowned with Sriracha-infused crema, turning the flavor dial toward tangy and faintly sweet. If you need more spice, dab your tacos with habanero salsa.
32241⁄2 22nd St., San Francisco. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. WednesdaySunday. alcarajosf.com
5. El Molino Central
A Sonoma institution for Mexican food, El Molino Central has long been spreading the fried gospel of beerbattered fish tacos (two for $14). The juicy fish wears a dark brown coat, made from a batter using Mexican lager Bohemia, that’s dressed with a nest of cabbage and radish coins. Avocado-lime mayo becomes a source of brightness and a chile de arbol salsa brings earthy heat. Molino is easily the Bay Area’s standard-bearer for the dish, which tastes best on a sunny day, seated on the restaurant’s patio.
11 Central Ave., Sonoma. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. elmolinocentral.com
4. La Calenda
You can find the delights of Ensenada’s cuisine deep in Napa Valley at Yountville’s La Calenda, which is part of Thomas Keller’s restaurant group. The restaurant’s tortillas, made from in-house nixtamalized corn, might change colors depending on the week — one day it’s denim blue, another it’s bright yellow. These tortillas serve as a rhythm section for the fish tacos (three for $15), adding a baseline note of fresh popcorn that props up the puffy beerbattered fish. Garnished with a zigzag of smoky chipotle salsa, the fish has a satisfying crunch. Ask for a side of avocado salsa, which is laced with the heat of serrano peppers.
6518 Washington St., Yountville. 4-9 p.m Wednesday; noon-9 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. lacalendamex.com
3. ABVE the Basics
Once a food truck based in San Jose, ABVE the Basics has since moved its operation to a sports bar. The taqueria takes a maximalist approach to taco-making; each one comes with a charred cheese skirt. The fully loaded fish tacos ($7) are no different, consisting of fried cod filets, guacamole and cross-hatches of cream and chipotle aioli. The latter addition packs more flavor than its competitors, thanks to the addition of garlic and a higher ratio of adobo. While not traditional, the dairy works well to create a memorable texture.
2705 Union Ave., San Jose. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. abvethebasics.com
2. Dos Raíces
Operating out of a pocketsized truck, Dos Raices makes one-of-a-kind Baja fish tacos (three for $14). Fish filets are fried until golden and crackly, but the real distinguishing trait is the truck’s signature baja crema, infused with charred scallions and habaneros. The ash-infused sour cream works to cool the dish while delivering considerable flavor. For even more chileinduce pinpricks, ask for a side of tangy salsa verde. The truck can be found regularly at Gilman Brewing in Berkeley.
Check online for the exact truck location.
1. Hook Fish Co.
The off-menu fish tacos (two for $18) at Hook Fish Co., a fish market and counterservice seafood restaurant in S.F., are utterly fabulous. Plucked straight from skinmelting hot oil, the fish has a rewarding crackle, like the sensation of stepping on dried autumn leaves. Underneath its fried garments lies melty rockfish. On the salsa front, the uniquely powerful carrot habanero hot sauce has enough acidity and sweetness to scale down the chile’s embers. After trying these tacos, I now count myself among Hook Fish’s fervent fanbase.
4542 Irving St., San Francisco. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. hookfishco.com