Hipster Tacos

With this glorious weather we've been having (not in the least bit wintery!), my housemate and I took an evening stroll to Tower Taco. The restaurant is located a few blocks west of what has come to be known as the Cherokee Street Mexican / hipster artist neighborhood.

Two fishy taco options were found on the à la carte portion of the menu. The fish taco ($2.25 each but for some reason you have to order two) is a sauteed tilapia fillet marinated with pico de gallo and a guajillo sauce. The shrimp taco ($2.75 each) is sauteed shrimp marinated with the same fixings as above. Both are served in housemade corn tortillas and topped with a healthy dose of cilantro. The fish was properly seasoned, but the flavor was not enough to carry the dish, which involved little to no other ingredients. The taco was, however, improved by the addition of the tomatillo salsa (one of two that accompanies the free basket of chips). The shrimp taco proved to be a much tastier choice. It was cooked perfectly, opaque yet tender, and carried quite a spicy and flavorful kick. So I'd suggest sticking to those. And ordering them in any quantity desired, odd or even.

Tower Taco
3147 Cherokee St.
Saint Louis, MO 63118
(314) 256-1141

http://towertaco.com/

3.5 out of 5 fishies.

This fish taco blogger really wanted to love you

Located in the Southampton neighborhood of Saint Louis, Lily's is a family-owned, family-run restaurant that touts itself as serving "home-style" Mexican food. So I wanted to love it. I was ready for a hole-in-the-wall establishment with some quirks, but I was also expecting some great flavors. You walk in and place your order at the counter and get handed a cafeteria tray with empty cups, silverware and a basket of chips. You fill your own drinks and grab salsa from the plastic tubs sitting lopsidedly in ice. The decor in this place includes random Mexican objects, a metal cart against a wall that serves as the bar, an assortment of U.S. Marine paraphernalia and lovely family photos (including ones of the Marine son who looks strikingly like his mother).

There were two fishy options to be had and my friend and I tried them both. The fish taco and shrimp taco plates both come with your choice of corn or flour tortilla (though we ordered corn and got flour instead) and are served with rice, homemade potato chips (odd, I know) and pico de gallo with cabbage. The fish taco had a whole piece of fish on it - I would guess Tilapia. It had some nice flavors to it, although certainly no kick. But it was the only thing on that four tortilla and looked rather sad and lonely. Adding the pico de gallo cabbage helped, but the whole thing was still on the dry side. Next, I tried adding the several available varieties of homemade salsa. The roasted one was especially interesting, but definitely on the watery side, so it too did not really improve matters. The shrimp tacos had much more interesting flavors but were way too salty. So I was underwhelmed with blandness. Sorry Lily's, maybe I should have had one of those famed margaritas of yours.

Lily's Mexican

4601 S. Kingshighway Blvd.

Saint Louis, MO 63109

(314) 352-1894

http://www.lilysfreshmex.com/

2.5 out of 5 fishies.

Fishy Update - The Royale

Important fishy update for one of our favorite fish taco establishments - The Royale. Fear not, fish tacos are still on the newly revamped menu, though with some changes. Now you can get two tacos for $10 instead of $12, but be forewarned that the portions are significantly smaller. The tilapia has been switched out for catfish (a much fishier fish and I mean this in a good way). And the new batter is extra crispy, which makes this fish taco blogger rather happy.

Chimichanga: a Crayola color explosion in South City

Drive way south on Grand until you hit the Carondelet neighborhood and you'll find Chimichanga. Oh trust me, you won't miss it. The exterior palette is bright and bold and the decor is even more festive once you step inside. The service is quick and friendly and as soon as you sit down, you're greeted with complimentary chips and salsa. Although the chips are fresh, they are on the thin and wimpy side. As for the salsa, it has a nice dose of garlic and cilantro, but unfortunately it's completely missing any kick to it. But one can't complain too much about the free stuff. The fish tacos are found off the menu - a bright yellow sign told me to try the Baja Cali tacos today. An irresistible invitation for me! For $7 I got three fried tilapia tacos with lots of lime-spiked cabbage, cilantro, diced tomato and a tomatillo-avocado salsa, all served up on flour tortillas. The fish was crisp and flavorful. The lime notes in the crunchy cabbage were awesome. And although the sauce was delicious, it lacked in tang. But the margaritas made up for that. Here they're as cheap as the food and come in three sizes. I went for the one in the middle ($6) and the portion was just right. These margs are nothing fancy, but they pack a punch. Quality food and strong drinks at a cheap price, with great service to boot. What more can you ask for?

5425 S. Grand Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63111
(314) 352-0202

3.5 out of 5 fishies.

Cha Cha Chow!!

So when my friend Mike told me there's a taco truck in town and that it's actually good, I admit I was a bit dubious. But I immediately added Cha Cha Chow (@whereschacha) to my twitter feed and waited for a good day to check them out. Recently that day finally came. The bright yellow truck is a ray of sunshine on any street corner and cheerily calls you out to sample its goods. This is "street dining" in keeping with the times - everything is freshly made-from-scratch using natural ingredients. You can peek into the window and see them cooking stuff up in that tiny little kitchen. The menu is made up of a number of different tacos (including a fishy one!), as well as some sandwiches and salads. Tacos are reasonably priced at $3 each a la carte, or you can buy them as a platter that includes a side of beans or fiesta corn salad. The fish taco on the menu that day was a grilled tilapia, served on a nicely charred flour tortilla, topped with a crunchy red cabbage cilantro lime slaw and a creamy house cha cha sauce. Everything was simply wonderful and spiced just right (though definitely not on the hot side for those who require that). And the taco was a little drippy and messy to eat - just the way I like them. I also tried their summer preview special - the Baja Chicken Taco with fresh basil and a roasted tomato salsa. It was so good that I asked for another one, this time with fish. They were very accommodating and made me my special ordered taco whereupon I immediately went into a happy food coma. So don't be a luddite - go to twitter (or facebook) and see when the truck is parked near you next.

a moving target

http://chachachow.com

4.5 out of 5 fishies.

And so the pursuit for the ultimate fish taco continues...

Rosalita's Cantina is a relatively new addition to the ever-changing Washington Avenue restaurant scene, and the large neon sign at the corner beckoned to me "give our fish tacos a try". The decor was quite lovely - an upscale traditional Mexican theme, complete with a Virgin Mary statue. The staff was friendly, dropped off some complimentary chips and salsa as soon as we sat down, and the happy hour special with $4 margaritas, $3 wells and $3 off all appetizers was well appreciated. Unfortunately the guacamole we ordered was quite bland and watery - the first time I've ever witnessed any guacamole remaining at the end of the meal.  The fish taco platter comes with three tacos (you can choose between hard corn or soft flour tortillas), served with your choice of fried of grilled fish, shredded lettuce and a blend of cheeses. Rice and beans come on the side, but I was allowed to switch them out for grilled zucchini and squash. All for $11. The kitchen staff must have had food truck experience because the food came out at an alarmingly fast rate. The meal felt rather rushed as a result. And the veggies, as well as the fried fish, could certainly both have used a little more time on the stove. The fish was average at best, and I honestly could not tell the difference between the fried and grilled. The sauce was lacking any kick to it. Which all makes for a few too many meh fish tacos in a row for this fish taco blogger (not counting the pleasant Little Apple surprise).

1235 Washington Ave.
Saint Louis, MO 63103
(314) 621-2700

http://rosalitascantina.com/

2.5 out of 5 fishies.

In the pursuit of greatness, there are no guarantees.

It was the day after Thanksgiving and we decided to lunch at SqWires in Lafayette Square. Amazingly enough I was actually hungry and hours before our lunch plans I was already perusing the menu online. The Gourmet Grilled Cheese with white cheddar, sliced pears, bacon and almond pesto on sourdough was calling my name. But when I sat down at the restaurant and was presented with the specials of the day, there it was, the Friday Fish Taco. How could I say no, right? I had an obligation as a fish taco blogger. A pursuit for greatness to follow! It certainly sounded appealing on the menu - three tempura Alaskan cod tacos wrapped in warm flour tortillas with shredded cabbage, cheddar and chipotle ranch, served with a black bean salsa and corn chips. For a whopping $14. But what I was served was the blandest version of fish tacos I've tasted to date. The tortillas were stale and wrapped like rolled-up crepes. The fish portion was hardly generous and the chipotle ranch, cabbage and cheddar would have needed magnification to spot. The black bean salsa was really the only edible portion of the meal. I kept drooling at the Gourmet Grilled Cheese that my mom had ordered with pangs of remorse. But fear not, my resolve to find the Holy Grail of fish tacos was tested, but has not faltered.

1415 South 18th Street
Saint Louis, MO 63104
(314) 865-3522

http://sqwires.com/restaurant/

2 out of 5 fishies.

La Esquina del Sabor

La Vallesana is my favorite little Mexican joint on Cherokee Street. The food is delicious and the prices can't be beat! But while everything on the menu - the burrito, torta and quesadilla - comes with a "camarones a la diabla" (spicy shrimp) option, the taco for some reason does not. Since the quesadilla is prepared with cheese, mayonaisse and lettuce, it will have to do for this fish taco blogger review. The spicy shrimp quesadilla is served on a wheat-flour tortilla, which is a little bit crisp here and there, so it's not that far removed from a taco. The spicy shrimp is spicy indeed and is cooked up perfectly. And if the spice factor is not high enough, then you can add one of two salsas - a smoky red with a medium kick to it or the green chile spicy salsa. The quesadilla is served with a side of fresh and chunky guacamole and chips (a bit on the bland and stale side unfortunately). They do not have a liquor licence, but be sure to try one of their fresh and homemade agua frescas. The seating is primarily outdoors on their patio, so this is the first place I head to once the temperatures thaw (something I can only be wistful about seeing as it is mid December). They recently opened up a La Vallesana 2 across the street with indoor seating and a more expansive menu... I'll have to check it out and update the review when I do.

2801 Cherokee St.
Saint Louis, MO 63118
(314) 776-4223

4 out of 5 fishies.

El Borracho - meh

A half-assed review for half-assed service. So they have two fried fish tacos on the menu. The "pancho" style comes on a soft corn tortilla and is served with cilantro and onion - $3. The "gringo" style is served on a flour tortilla, with lettuce, cheese, tomato and onion - $3.50. Seeing as we never got the pancho fish taco (even when asking for it again), we have nothing to say about its merits. But it's doubtful that it was less bland than the gringo taco. The serving of guacamole we got on the side was ho hum as well. The ambiance was awesome though; as were the margaritas. And one good thing about the poor service - never got charged for those drinks. We were too annoyed and unimpressed to point it out to them.

2001 Locust St.
Saint Louis, MO 63103
(314) 588-0055

http://www.elborrachostl.com/

2 out of 5 fishies.

Fish Tacos at the Zoo

The Painted Giraffe cafeteria is located at the North Entrance of the Saint Louis Zoo. Aside from serving your standard cafeteria grub, they offer up a daily special, which just so happened to be fish tacos today. The fish was a battered haddock fried until golden brown, topped with lettuce and Pico de Gallo, all wrapped up in a flour tortilla. The tacos came with chipotle aioli, cole slaw and fries on the side. Most of us switched the latter for a side of mac n' cheese, not that it made any more culinary sense. The fish was quite tasty for cafeteria food, and had a nice crispness to it. The sauce was tangy and flavorful; a splash of Tabasco kicked up the hotness ratio. The Painted Giraffe used to serve these with a side of black bean salad, which added an interesting flavor when thrown in the fish tacos.... bringing that back would earn these another fishy for sure!

Saint Louis Zoo
One Government Drive
Saint Louis, MO 63110
(314) 781-0900

2.5 out of 5 fishies.

Atomic Tacos and Fried Pickles

rThe Atomic Cowboy is located in the heart of the Grove neighborhood. The interior has a funky retro feel and the menu is made up of moderately priced spins on Pan-Caribbean and Mexican grub. There are two varieties of Baja-style fish tacos to choose from, either grilled or fried. In both, the tilapia is topped with Mexican cheese, cabbage, pico de gallo, and a chipotle mayo baja sauce, served on awesome corn tortillas that have those all essential little puffs in between the two sides. A red sauce (which has a nice kick to it) is served on the side, as well as rice and a lovely and delicious assortment of sautéed vegetables. We all agreed that the fried was the better choice, although it could stand to be a little more crisp. The baja sauce was tangy, but perhaps a little lacking in sweetness. And definitely lacking in quantity. The tacos were small, but at $8 for two, the price was very reasonable. Be sure to order the fried plantains on the side. And if you trust our palettes, go ahead and order the fried pickles too!

4140 Manchester
Saint Louis, MO 63110
(314) 775-0775

http://www.atomiccowboystl.com/

3.5 out of 5 fishies.

Fried pickles..... mnyum mnyum!

Flaco's Cocina - Home of the Pink Taco

Flaco’s Cocina is located in a University City strip mall and office complex at Delmar and I-170. It may not look like much from the outside, but once inside you'll find it has a South Beach diner feel to it. The name is a tribute to the beloved and long-departed Flaco’s Tacos, which according to local legend first introduced the Lou to the fish taco. Flaco’s has five different fish tacos to sample on their menu – tempura baja, grilled mahi mahi, blackened tilapia, shrimp, and seared tuna – all priced at $3.75. The fish tacos are served with a tart cabbage slaw inside a pink soft flour tortilla. Yes, that's right, pink. Don’t ask me why. They come with a side of pico de gallo, sour cream and ensalada de masa (a lovely corn relish). We tried all five. The tempura and shrimp tacos were awesome. The tempura fish was tender and the batter nice and crisp. The sauce had a pleasant kick to it. The shrimp tacos were especially scrumptious, with a tangy sauce that left a fiery taste in your mouth. The remaining three fish tacos were average. Aside from fish tacos and other Mexican staples, the menu also features a variety of Mediterranean and Caribbean dishes. And the first round of house-made tortilla chips is free. Be sure to order one of the Mexican lagers or a margarita.

8400 Delmar Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63124
(314) 395-4343

http://www.flacoscocina.com/

4 out of 5 fishies.

Loco Tacos

El Burrito Loco, located in South City, is offering fish tacos as part of their Lent Specials menu. And since we were getting take-out from there for Lost night, I had no choice but to try them! El Burrito Loco is the home of the scrumptious El Primo (a vegetarian burrito with spicy potatoes, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and beans), so my expectations were high. But the fish taco was quite disappointing. A bland fish deep-fried in a flour tortilla and served with cabbage, tomatoes, salsa and guacamole on the side. At least they were cheap at $2.50 a pop. Next time I'll stick with the El Primo - probably with a cheese and chorizo dip on the side (as deliciously sinful as it sounds).

3611 Bates St.
St Louis, MO 63116
(314) 457-8600

http://elburritoloco.biz/index.html

2 out of 5 fishies.

Tortillaria - Home of the Salsa Bar

Tortillaria is located in the Central West End. Tortillaria means "tortilla shop," and their homemade tortillas make them worthy of the name. When you arrive, they serve you complimentary chips that are fresh and still warm. If the salsa they come with is a little bland for your taste buds, be sure to check out their salsa bar (just look for the cheesy straw cabana roof). There are six fresh, homemade salsas to choose from, with smoky chipotle being our favorite. The menu has two fish tacos to select from. The Original Fish Tacos come with XX Amber Ale battered tilapia wrapped in a yellow corn tortilla and served with chipotle baja sauce, lettuce, pico de gallo, and queso fresco. Two for $5.95 or three for $8.50. The Baja Fish Tacos have grilled tilapia wrapped in a flour tortilla and come with chipotle baja sauce, avocado (yum!), lettuce, pico de gallo and queso fresco. Two for $7.50 or three for $10.95. Both are quite delightful. The fish is well fried/grilled, not greasy and quite flavorful. They are savory without being over-seasoned. And be sure to check out the Caribbean Shrimp Tacos - definitely our favorites by far. The tempura shrimp is wrapped in a flour tortilla and comes with a mango salsa, avocado and lettuce. Two for $7.50 or three for $10.95. They have both a sweet taste and a little kick to them. For an even better deal, head to Tortillaria during their happy hour (4-6pm Mon-Fri or 3-5pm weekends). Along with drink specials, you can get 1/2 price guacamole, $2.50 Original Fish Tacos and $3 Baja Fish Tacos. Too bad the shrimp tacos are not on the happy hour menu! If there's any weakness to this locale, it lies with the margaritas. They taste like plastic. Now if they tasted like plastic and were strong, that would be fine... but unfortunately they taste like plastic and are weak, which is definitely not ok in our book. The service is inconsistent, but tends to be on the good side. Check them out and let us know what you think. Just be prepared for the place to be crowded with med students stopping by for a bite to eat to and from Barnes-Jewish. Let's just hope they're not indulging in those margaritas pre work shift!

8 1/2 S. Euclid Ave.
Saint Louis, MO 63108
(314) 361-4443

http://www.tortillaria.net/

4 out of 5 fishies.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

For a change of pace, we went to a Mexican Fish Fry at St. Cecilia's Parish in South City. The not so traditional Fish Fry includes a menu of fishy Mexican food, as well as the standard fried fish and sides. It starts up at 4:30 and goes until 8:00pm and takes place every Friday in Lent. And trust me, you want to get there early. The food line winds through the auditorium, all the way outdoors. Easily a few hundred people long. Our wait in line was almost two hours! But you can buy cheap beer ($3 Coronas), get a tamale from a traveling cart ($3), or munch on Chips and Pico de Gallo ($3 small/$5 large) while waiting in line. Not to mention the entertainment - cute little kid dancers in traditional Mexican dress and a Mariachi band. Once you order your food, you sit down with a number and after a short wait the volunteers bring it your way. The $8 dinner comes with two entrees (Jack Salmon, Cod Filet, Shrimp, Chile Relleno, Bean Tostada, or Fried Cheese Quesadilla) and two sides (Mac & Cheese, Fries, Cole Slaw, Rice, Beans), as well as lemonade and a dessert of your choice. Not a bad deal. Especially if you get the family meal package. The Chile Relleno was fab (Poblano peppers, cheese, fried to a crispy golden brown). The quesadillas are made with handcrafted corn tortillas. Our one major complaint was that the food temp was a little on the cool side. But the atmosphere made up for it. I've been told they sometimes have fish tacos on the menu and will have to make a trip back when they do. Oh, be sure to get a church tour from one of the kids from the parish!

906 Eichelberger St.
St Louis, MO 63111
(314) 481-7881

http://www.stceciliaparish.com/sites/default/files/fishfrymenu.pdf

3 out of 5 fishies.