Like the CWE's Tortillaria? Check out Milagro in Webster Groves!

Having already been sold on Tortillaria's fish tacos, I next headed to Milagro Modern Mexican in Webster Groves with some friends. Brought to you by the same owner/chef Adam Tilford, Milagro is a higher-end version of the CWE eatery and features a full bar and a more elaborate, upscale menu. The place is all about fresh ingredients and lighter cooking techniques.

There are two fishy options on the menu. The Baja fish tacos - three for $12.95 - come with your choice of grilled or beer battered tilapia, a chipotle lime aioli, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo and fresh Mexican cheeses. Or you can go for the Shrimp Diablo tacos - the shrimp is sauteed in a chile de arbol sauce and is topped with micro greens and fresh mango pico de gallo. Both entrees are served on the same handmade corn tortillas found at the Tortillaria and come with your choice of rice (a traditional Mexican rice cooked in tomato broth or a cilantro rice pilaf with great cumin flavors) and beans (pinto beans stewed with house made chorizo, bacon, tomato, onion, garlic, and chile poblano or black beans simmered with epazote, onion, cumin and chile serrano, and topped with fresh Mexican cheese).

Needing some comfort food, we went for the beer battered fish option. The batter was nice, but could have used a bit more crunch. The fish had a spicy kick to it. But what really stood out was the aioli sauce. It was light and creamy and flavorful. Next, we tried the Shrimp Diablo tacos. Although the seasoning was nice, it certainly was no Diablo. The mango was fresh, juicy and lovely in the pico de gallo, but the tacos seemed to be missing something. We all felt a bit of cheese topping might have helped pull it all together. The presentation of both entrees was great - metal stands hold your tacos upright like three little soldiers. That, and the fact that the corn tortillas did not disintegrate as is often the case in the Lou, made the tacos quite a bit less messy to eat. The fish taco was clearly the winner of the two; just as clearly as the pinto beans were the winner of the sides. I don't even like beans, but the smoky flavors were awesome. Or maybe it was all the chorizo and bacon that finally made me devour a plate of beans.

Be sure to grab a margarita while here. Even the cheapest one on the menu contains real limonata and 100% agave tequila. Not bad for $6!

20 Allen Ave.
Webster Groves, MO 63119
(314) 962-4300

http://milagromodernmexican.com/

3.5 out of 5 fishies.

This fish taco blogger braves suburbia - Salina's Mexican Cafe

Since the beginning of this little fish taco blog I've been hearing great things about a place way out in the county. It is called Salina's Mexican Cafe and it's located in a strip mall way out in Chesterfield. We tried to make it out there a few months back, but city slickers that we are, we completely neglected to realize that for people in the county Sunday means Closed. We left feeling foolish and hungry, and the really bad fish tacos we eventually found nearby (in county terms) were little consolation. This time we ventured out on a Friday expecting some excellent grub. For $10.50 you get your choice of either two tilapia or two fried cod fish tacos. Now I say either, because when I first asked to have one of each I was told that was not a possibility. Even though my fishy friend asked for the same (bringing the combined order to two of each fish) so that all we needed was a little switcharoo between our plates. Not a difficult concept, right? Eventually, they were able to figure that out and accommodate us. But if it's just you eating fish tacos, be prepared to choose one kind of fish. The tacos come in house made flour tortillas and are topped with cabbage, carrots, a house made tart ranch dressing mixed with a bit of spicy house made salsa and sprinkled with a little bit of cheese. On the side is a healthy serving of rice and your choice of refried or black beans. This is what I would call a pretty traditional fish taco, outside of the pinkish tone to the sauce. The tilapia was nice but could have used some seasoning, so I would definitely suggest going with the fried cod, which had a nice and crisp batter, with a lovely touch of saltiness to it. The addition of carrots to the cabbage was a welcome touch. The sauce was good and had some tang and spice to it, but it certainly did not make the fish tacos as outstanding as advertised. My watered down simple syrup saccharine sweet margarita did not help matters. Nor did the service, between the difficulty of being served both kinds of fish tacos and the weird sensation of eating in someone's kitchen. So all in all, these fish tacos were good - but certainly not so good that you should brave however many miles of suburbia to give them a try.

Salina's Mexican Café
20 Clarkson-Wilson Centre
Chesterfield, Mo
(636) 530-9010

3.5 out of 5 fishies.

 

Las Palmas - come for the tacos, stay for the karaoke

Las Palmas is located on Maplewood's Manchester strip. This little hole in the wall place has a colorful and lively decor which was much appreciated on what was yet another gray day in the Lou. Also charming was the friendly staff, which was quick to bring out a basket of complimentary chips and salsa (that had an interesting creamy texture) and take our drink orders. The fish tacos here are a steal - $10.50 for three tacos plated up with a generous heap of cilantro rice and baked beans. Each taco comes with two pieces of battered and fried tilapia, topped with iceberg lettuce, pico de gallo, a spicy chipotle mayonnaise sauce and an assortment of cheeses sprinkled on top. All of this goodness is barely contained in the flour tortilla, which makes for quite a mess once you take that first bite. The perfect flavor and texture of the fish and the spicy kick of the sauce make the mess all worth it though. The tasty margaritas are as big as my head and the tequila selection is quite impressive for a little place. Be sure to check Las Palmas out on a Wednesday night when the PBR clock on the wall sets the rhythm and the locale fills up with hipsters in search of karaoke.

7356 Manchester Rd.
Maplewood, MO
(314) 645-3359

4.5 out of 5 fishies.

This fish taco blogger heads to the burbs.

The word on the street is that the best fish tacos around these parts are actually found out somewhere deep in the county - a scary concept for this city girl. But when my original fish taco compatriot rolled into town, we knew we had to sample the fabled suburban tacos. We however failed to realize that in the county places are usually closed on Sundays. After some aimless driving around we finally stumbled upon another fish taco serving establishment - Mi Lupita in Ballwin, MO. Located in a strip mall - is there anything else in the county? - the interior is surprisingly inviting. The fish tacos, however, are as bland as the burbs themselves. Some random frozen breaded fish topped with iceberg lettuce, yellow cheese and tomato (no sauce!) and served on a flour tortilla. Comes with rice and beans. Reminded us of middle school cafeteria food. Just look at the photo, I have nothing further to write. It will be a while before I brave the county again...

15307 Manchester Road
Ballwin, MO 63011
(636) 394-8686

http://www.milupita.net/

1.5 out of 5 fishies.

Canyon Cafe at the La-Di-Du Mall

Being a proper gourmand, I headed to Plaza Frontenac's Sur La Table to stock up on kitchen goodies (don't tell a foodie that an herb keeper is not a necessity!). Since I rarely venture out to West County, I thought I'd take advantage of the situation and try the fish tacos at the mall's Canyon Cafe. Serving up Southwestern cuisine, they had two fishy menu options to taste (good thing I brought along a friend!).

The blackened fish tacos come in two colorful crisp taco shells and are topped with chipotle mayonnaise; a crisp Margarita slaw, pico de gallo and fresh limes come on the side. The tacos are served with southwest rice and black beans and are priced at two for $10.95. The fish was excellently prepared and had a lot of flavor. The sauce was tangy and wonderful, but the tacos could have used more of it. I might be a purist, but I was not crazy about the hard taco shells; they did not leave a lot of room for the pico de gallo and slaw. The pico de gallo was tasty but light on the jalapeño. And although we appreciated that the slaw was vinegar-based, it could have used more of it. The beans were decent but unimpressive, and the rice was disappointingly crunchy and undercooked.

The Shrimp Margarita Soft Tacos come in colorful warm tortillas (one corn and one flour). As with the fish tacos, you get two for $10.95. The lightly battered shrimp is topped with a Baja sauce and a crisp Margarita slaw; southwest rice and black beans come on the side. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The tacos were garnished with a firm and crumbly cotija cheese. Here too, the sauce was great but short on quantity.

Overall, the presentation of both was really nice. The blue, yellow, and orange tortillas added a bit of festivity. The same colors and variety were also present in the complimentary basket of chips, which came with a mild salsa. The service was a little lacking, as we had to hunt someone down for a salsa refill. The atmosphere had a suburban feel to it, but it was comfy. At the end of your meal, they bring you homemade white chocolate wrapped in tamale, very refreshing. So the next time you're at the La-Di-Du mall, give these fishy delights a try!

Plaza Frontenac
1707 S. Lindbergh Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63131
(314) 872-3443

http://www.canyoncafe.com/missouri.htm

3.5 out of 5 fishies.