Vegetarian Tacos at Rubio's

Rubio's, Rubio's, Rubio's.  I <3 Rubio's.  And I realize how ridiculous this is.  I don't really like Mexican cuisine.  I'm kinda a snob so "fast casual" concepts rarely impress.  Yet, I love Rubio's.  I reviewed the place so many times, I added label to my blog for it.  If you somehow haven't discovered the magic of Rubio's and have no idea what I'm talking about, go read my other posts first.  I'm skipping all the generic details this time around.

This visit was inspired in the same way as my first visit to Rubio's: a freebie.  I'm a member of Rubio's "Beach Club", so, for my birthday, I get a free taco.  I couldn't wait to go redeem my coupon.

I decided to really mix things up this time, and get a non-seafood taco, the veggie version of the Grilled Gourmet Taco.  My choice was not a reflection on Rubio's seafood in any way; I genuinely enjoy most of their seafood (basically, everything but the salmon), but, I was really desiring vegetables.  Plus, I'd had the roasted veggies on the salad before, so I knew how good the roasted veggies are.

Grilled Gourmet Taco with Veggies, no avocado, plus bacon.

"Grilled sweet peppers, onions, zucchini and squash served on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla with toasted cheese and topped with buttery Hass Avocado slices, our roasted chipotle salsa, our creamy chipotle sauce and cilantro/onion mix."

I was not disappointed by my choice, although, at a first glance, it looked pretty horrible.  My heart sank when it was delivered to my table.  The tortilla was glistening, it looked crazy oily and soggy, and the bacon seemed to have been thrown on top at last minute, and it too was all flabby and soggy looking.  My memories of past Grilled Gourmet Tacos were of a slightly grilled corn tortilla, coated in perfectly melty crispy cheese, with the bacon mixed in and crisp too.

A bit heartbroken, I picked it up, and took a bite.  My fears were instantly erased.  Execution flaws aside, it was delicious.

The mix of veggies was red, yellow, and green peppers, all diced, along with onions, and bigger batons of zucchini.  The veggies were all soft and tender, really well seasoned (I believe they marinate in garlic and lemon), and had a decent grilled flavor to them.  There was tons of veggies inside, my taco was a bit hard to fold up and eat without veggies spilling out everywhere.

Although it wasn't listed in the description, I also found some of their fire-roasted corn inside, which was a bonus surprise that I was happy to find, as I've always liked the corn.

The roasted chipotle salsa and creamy chipotle sauce were flavorful as always, and, even though I wanted to load my taco up with stuff from the toppings bar, it was perfect as it was.  I loved how the creamy sauce complimented the spicy salsa.  I really adore the sauces at Rubio's.

Since I'm allergic I left out the avocado, and, since I'm not actually vegetarian, I had the bacon added back in (bacon is included on all the other Grilled Gourmet tacos, just, not the veggie one).  I think this may have confused someone, because I know that the bacon is usually baked on to the tortilla with the cheese, and mine was just thrown on top.  I *almost* said something, but, decided to not be a pain.  Still, the flabby bacon on top was not great, and I'd leave it off in the future.

The final element was a little bit of the onion/cilantro mix, really, a meager amount, but the salsa bar has more if you want it, but I didn't feel the need.

Overall, was it perfect?  No.  The tortilla *was* soggy and oily, the bacon *was* flabby and thrown on top, and the cheese, while melted, wasn't crunchy like I wanted.  But, the great flavors and textures made up for all of these shortcomings, and I really enjoyed it anyway.

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Langostino Lobster Burrito from Rubio's!

Since I've reviewed Rubio's so many times now, I'm going to spare you the intro.  It was the same as always friendly staff, fast efficient service.

My most recent visit to Rubio's to try the latest limited addition offering, the always exciting Langostino Lobster, available only for a short time every year starting in October.  It was also my first time having a burrito at Rubio's, as I'm normally more of a taco girl.

I liked my lobster burrito quite a bit, and after my last couple Rubio's experiences that were slightly disappointing, this helped me remember why I became such a fan in the first place.  I'll be going back!

Half a Langostino Lobster Burrito. Full size: $9.29.

"Tender Langostino Lobster, our new citrus rice, fresh guacamole, black beans, chipotle white sauce, crisp lettuce and salsa fresca drizzled with warm basil butter then wrapped in a warm flour tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime."

To start, I'm not normally a burrito person, since I don't tend to care for rice and beans.  But ... this was a very tasty burrito!

The flour tortilla was warm and fresh tasting.  Not gummy, not soggy, good.

The "new citrus rice" surprised me.  Again, I'm not normally a rice fan, but this was fluffy, moist, and flavorful.  It really didn't seem like it had been sitting around for ages.

The black beans were as I expected, just not my thing.  They were tender, well cooked, but I don't care for beans.  I would normally ask to have these left out, but I wanted to try their full recipe to give it a chance (well, except I had to leave out the guacamole, since I'm allergic).

The langostino lobster really surprised me.  First, there was tons of it.  Such a generous serving.  The pieces were tender, seemed almost grilled?  Slightly sweet, not fishy, good flavor and perfect texture, not too chewy.  Much better than when I had it last year in the taco.

The lettuce and salsa fresca were also very good.  Both were incredibly fresh.  The lettuce was indeed crisp, as described.  How often does lettuce inside a burrito stay crisp?  And the tomato was far, far better than any tomato I've had at a fast-casual restaurant (well, besides Rubio's!).  It also had some corn.  Amazingly fresh ingredients.

The star for me was the chipotle white sauce.  It had a bit of kick, and was really creamy.  It went perfectly with the lobster and the salsa fresca.  I didn't detect the warm basil butter as a distinct ingredient, but I'm guessing it was mostly mixed with the other sauce.

The burrito was well constructed.  Tightly wrapped, ingredients very evenly distributed throughout.  Far better than pretty much any burrito shop I've been to.

So, overall, I liked this.  I probably wouldn't get the burrito again though, just because I'm not a huge fan of burritos.  Or if I did, I'd leave out the beans.  I'd certainly go for the taco, or, I think what I'd really like is just a salad, topped with the langostino, salsa fresca, and the delicious sauce as a dressing.

This ranks up there as one of my favorite Rubio's dishes, and re-affirms why I first really started liking Rubio's: fresh, flavorful, and really well prepared.

The price is $9.29 for a full size burrito, which is one of the most expensive items you can buy at Rubio's, but it is because of the very generous amount of langostino.  I think the price is pretty justified.

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Salads from Rubio's

By now, you surely know about my not-so-secret love of Rubio's, a fast casual Mexican chain restaurant that I discovered a few years ago in San Francisco.  No, I don't really like Mexican cuisine, and no I don't really like fast casual, but, uh, Rubio's is delicious.  I've reviewed basically every single type of taco that they make, and the new enchiladas, and the burritos, plus all the seasonal seafood specials, like the signature langostino lobster, as they come out.  Since I have an entire label devoted to Rubios, I suggest you start there for background, and then return here to read about my new adventures - with the salad.

Yes, go ahead and suspend even further disbelief.  I'm now telling you I love a fast casual Mexican chain for their ... salad.  The vegetarian version no less (inspired by my recent trying of the roasted vegetable grilled gourmet tacos, to great success).

Let's start in October 2015.  I was speaking at an event in SoCal, the real home of Rubio's.  And ... the event was catered by Rubio's!  They had a huge spread, including burritos, chips & salsa, and, huge salads.  I didn't know it was going to be catered, so I ate beforehand.  But, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get my Rubio's fix!  Trying to eat light, I opted to try the salads.

Since I had them at an event, there was not an option to add a protein on top, but you can normally top the salads with any of the seafood or chicken options.

I started with the Balsamic and Roasted Veggie Salad, described as:

"A blend of fresh butter and spring lettuce with roasted veggies and light balsamic vinaigrette. Fire-roasted corn, roasted sweet peppers, onions, zucchini and squash, sweet buttery Hass avocado slices, and a cilantro/onion mix on a butter and spring lettuce mix. Drizzled with light balsamic vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil.

I really liked the salad.  The base was just lettuce (spring mix), but it was fresh enough, although not particularly exciting.  The veggies on top were shockingly good.  Roasted corn, sweet peppers, onions, zucchini, and squash.  The veggies were flavorful, fresh, and marinated in something tasty before being roasted.

I didn't care for the balsamic dressing, but the veggies went great with the dressing from the other salad ...

Next up, the Chopped Salad, described as:

"Chopped salad with salsa fresca and a creamy chipotle dressing.  Romaine lettuce and cabbage, a blend of cheeses, tortilla chips, our salsa fresca and mild salsa drizzled with a creamy chipotle dressing."

I really liked this salad.  The base was just romaine lettuce, again, a bit boring, but it also had crunchy fresh cabbage mixed in.  The winning element however was the creamy chipotle dressing.  I love creamy dressings, and this was very flavorful, with lots of garlic and just a bit of kick.  The salsa fresca was a surprise in a salad, but I liked it more than just regular tomatoes, it reminded me of a marinated tomato mix I used to always add to my Caesar salad at my favorite restaurant in my hometown.  The chip bits gave it some crunch, and the cheese helped complete that almost Caesar-like feel to it.

So, both successful salads, but I quickly realized that my idea salad was a combination of the two - the chopped salad topped with roasted veggies.  And luckily for me, since it was an event with big bowls of each, I could do just that.

Chopped Salad with Roasted Vegetables, Takeout.

"Chopped salad with salsa fresca and a creamy chipotle dressing.  Romaine lettuce and cabbage, a blend of cheeses, tortilla chips, our salsa fresca and mild salsa drizzled with a creamy chipotle dressing."

Fast forward to my recent trip to Rubio's.  I was really craving vegetables, so a salad seemed in order, and I decided to try to order my custom salad.  I ordered the chopped salad, and was immediately asked what topping I'd like, grilled chicken, blackened or grilled salmon, shrimp, etc.  I asked for the roasted veggies instead, and told it was no problem.  They really do a great job with customization at Rubio's.

So, as when I had it at the event, the base was a mix of fresh, crispy, romaine, in just the right bite sized chunks.  Mixed in was shredded green cabbage, even crunchier.  I was, as before, impressed with the freshness of the lettuce mix.  The salsa fresca was again a nicer touch than standard tomatoes, as it had a bit more flavor.  Sprinkled on was a mix of shredded cheese, not too much, and it melted slightly from the warm veggies.

The veggies were exactly as I remembered from both the roasted veggie salad and the veggie taco I ordered before.  Mostly a mix of colorful bell peppers (red, yellow, and green) and red onions, all soft but not mushy, and nicely seasoned (it turns out they marinate the veggies in garlic and lemon first).  The veggies had visible grill marks, and an amazing smoky flavor.  My salad had a nice sized scoop of veggies, but, I was a bit sad to receive only one spear of zucchini.  The veggie mix never includes mushrooms, but I think they would make a wonderful addition as well.

The creamy chioptle dressing was again fabulous, it has some serious kick, and, the unhealthy person I am, I do adore creamy dressings.  The creamy dressing and shredded cheese in particular go together fabulously.

But there was something missing from this salad.  The crunch.  Which is supposed to come in the form of tortilla strips.  They were there when I had the salad at the event, this was clearly just an accidental omission.

Overall, I was very satisfied with my salad.  It was a huge serving, enough to fill me up for lunch and then have a little side salad for later.  I really liked the roasted veggie mix, the dressing, the fresh greens.  But, if I were to refine it further ... I'd also add on a scoop of the fire-roasted corn and fresno chiles, that I loved so much in the chimichurri taco. I'd also consider trying the chipotle ranch salad, but it uses a base of spring lettuce, which seems less exciting.  Maybe ... chopped salad, plus roasted veggies, plus fire roasted corn, sub chipotle ranch for the chipotle white sauce?

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New Rubio's Enchiladas

I know, I know, I have reviewed Rubio's a bunch of times already.  But Rubio's is one of the only casual dining establishments within a mile or so of my house that is open on weekends, at a good price point, and actually tastes good.  Besides high end dining, my only other choices are McDonald's or Panera.

When I want something simple, fast, and tasty, I go to Rubio's.  I won't claim it is the best Mexican place in the city.  I won't say it is authentic.  But, it is reliable.  And, they regularly add items to the menu, so there are frequently new things for me to try out, like the chimichuri that was added last May.  I like that they are willing to experiment with new items, although the chimichuri is no longer on the menu, so I guess I was not alone in my dislike for it.  There are also seasonal offerings, like the langostino lobster, available only during a short period in early winter, as a burrito, or a taco.

Thus, I keep returning.  This time, it was for another new menu option, enchiladas.  Not something I'd normally order, but I was invited in for a free tasting, so I decided to give it a go.

Shrimp Enchilada with Verde Sauce.

There was only one seafood option available: shrimp.  Since I'm a seafood girl, I went for it, described as "sustainable, pan-seared shrimp, a blend of three melted cheeses and cilantro/onion wrapped in toasted corn tortillas. Topped with verde enchilada sauce, salsa fresca and a drizzle of white sauce."

It sounded a lot like the enchilada version of the salsa verde shrimp taco, which I've had twice before, made from the same shrimp, cheeses, and cilantro/onion mix, although the taco has the zestier creamy chipotle sauce rather than the simple white sauce, cabbage instead of salsa fresca, and added avocado.

I really wasn't sure how Rubio's would do enchiladas.  Not that I'm an expert, but I thought they are usually baked, not exactly the format for a fast-casual restaurant.  And indeed, these didn't seem baked.  I'm also used to enchiladas smothered in sauce, and topped with melted cheese.  While the Rubio's version was topped with sauce, it certainly wasn't smothered in it, and while it had cheese inside, there was none melted on top.  So, just based on looks, this didn't quite seem like an enchilada to me.

It was rolled like an enchilada however, in a corn tortilla.  I'm not sure if these are the exact same tortillas they use for the tacos, but it seemed like it, although, are the taco tortillas really this big?  The tortilla was moist and unremarkable.

Inside was the shrimp and cheese.  I remember when I had the salsa verde shrimp tacos, I never really tasted the cheese.  That was not the case here.  All I could taste was cheese.  There was tons of it, and it completely overpowered the shrimp.  And, unfortunately for me, I'm pretty sure the three cheese blend contained jack, my absolute least favorite cheese.  I really didn't like the cheese.

So I pulled out the shrimp.  Like all Rubio's shrimp preparations, they are "marinated in ancho chiles, garlic, cilantro and a touch of olive oil and pan-seared on an authentic comal."  And like always, I was impressed by the shrimp.  They somehow never come out rubbery or fishy, and the marinate really imparts a lot of flavor.  But, inside the enchilada with all that cheese, you certainly couldn't taste the shrimp.

The description said there was also cilantro/onion inside, which I never found.

There are two areas that Rubio's always impresses me with: the quality and execution of the seafood, and, the flavorful sauces.  As usual, I was looking forward to the sauces.

On top was the verde enchilada sauce, which unfortunately reminded me of the tomatillo salsa from the salsa bar, flavorless, far too mild, and watery.  It offered nothing to the enchilada, and I had to add Roasted Chipotle Salsa from the salsa bar to give the enchilada any kick.  I'm not sure why they use the verde sauce here, rather than the traditional enchilada sauce used on the others.  I'm sure I could ask for it that way instead, if I wanted an enchilada again.

There was also the white sauce, which I appreciated for the creamy factor as always, but, given how mild the other flavors were, I would have preferred the creamy chipotle sauce, like they use for the tacos, which again, I'm sure I could ask for instead.

And finally, the salsa fresca, "made fresh daily and features diced Roma tomatoes, diced white onions, freshly chopped cilantro, jalapeño and Serrano chiles, lime zest, oregano and a pinch of salt."  The salsa fresca was fresh and flavorful, and as always, I was impressed by the quality of the tomatoes.  I appreciated having the chunky and fresh component to the enchilada, although, I wouldn't normally put this on my enchilada.

So, as you can tell, it was not a winner for me, and I don't think it is just because I don't normally order enchiladas.  While I liked the shrimp, there was little else here that was successful: too much cheese overwhelmed the entire thing, the sauces were not flavorful enough, and, it really wasn't a traditional enchilada.  I wouldn't get one again.

Grilled Steak Enchilada with Fire Roasted Sauce.

The non-seafood enchilada choices are chicken, steak, or plain cheese.

Ojan's picked the steak, "made with grilled steak, a blend of three melted cheeses and cilantro/onion wrapped in toasted corn tortillas. Topped with fire-roasted enchilada sauce, salsa fresca and a drizzle of white sauce."

So, basically the same as my shrimp version, except using the same grilled steak that they use for burritos and tacos, and topped with a more classic enchilada sauce instead of verde sauce.

I did not taste the steak, but it is advertised as "marinated with garlic, savory spices and cilantro and grilled over an open flame", and Ojan said it was better than he expected, and, better than the steak we have in our cafe at our office.

I did try the "fire-roasted enchilada sauce".  While I didn't really grasp the fire-roasted nature of it, it seemed like traditional enchilada sauce, and I greatly preferred it to my verde sauce.  If I were to order another enchilada, I'd get this sauce.

This was far more of a classic enchilada, but it was still not baked, and although the sauce was more standard, it was not smothered like I'm accustomed to.  Not something I'd order again.

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New Chimichurri from Rubio's

Well, Rubio's has done it again.  They introduced another new concept to their menu: grilled chimichurri salmon.  Available as a taco, burrito, or salad.  All three offerings include the grilled salmon, topped with their housemade chimichurri sauce: "a savory blend of basil, parsley, chives, garlic and olive oil", along with fire-roasted corn, fresno chiles, and crema.  For the salad, these components are served atop a bed of mixed greens, along with avocado slices.  For the burrito, rice and beans are added.  And for the taco, some mixed greens, and a warm flour tortilla.

Since I'm kinda in love with Rubio's, I obviously had to rush in to try out the newest item.  I really like that they regularly introduce new items to their menu, whether it be a new seafood choice, or just new sauces or tweaks to other recipes.  The menu continues to feature their classics, like the original fish taco, which I can't imagine going anywhere, but other items rotate through.  Of course, this means there are some losses, like my absolute favorite, the sesame soy fish taco, which is no longer available.  And there are items that come and go seasonally, like the langostino lobster.  But still, I really appreciate that they aren't afraid to mix it up.

Since I've reviewed Rubio's a zillion times, I'll skip the general details about the place, and just focus on this visit.  On my other visits, I've mostly gone in evenings, or on Saturdays, when it is never very crowded.  This time, I went at 12:15pm, on a weekday.  It was such a different environment!  It was packed.  Every table was taken.  Strangers were asking to share tables.  Wow!  I was able to find a single stool at the bar along the window.

Even though it was packed, service didn't falter.  I still can't get over how friendly the staff always are, genuinely greeting me with enthusiasm when I order.  My food was ready quickly, I had just enough time to claim my seat, fill up my salsa containers at the salsa bar, and settle in, when my pager went off.  Since it was so busy, they were actually using the pagers this time, rather than doing table service.

As I say each time, I'll certainly be returning, although I won't get the salmon again.  It might be time to go back to my favorites, the assorted shrimp tacos.  Or maybe the mango habanero mahi mahi?  Or, I've still never gotten a salad or burrito there ...

Chimichurri Salmon Taco.  $3.99.

"Sustainable Atlantic salmon grilled and topped with chimichurri sauce - a savory blend of basil, parsley, chives, garlic and olive oil, fire-roasted corn, crema, fresno chiles and spring mix. Served on a warm flour tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime."

I've gone back and forth many times on which of the Rubio's tortillas I prefer.  At first, I appreciated the corn flavor in the corn ones, but thought they were too gummy.  Then one time, I had a corn one that was really crisp, and loved it.  So when the woman taking my order said, "now, that comes on a flour tortilla, did you want corn instead?", I was a bit paralyzed.  I wasn't going to suggest the switch, but she brought it up, totally unprompted.  Fondly remembering the really good corn tortilla I had that one time, I bravely went for it.  I wish I hadn't.  It wasn't crispy like that time.  It also wasn't strangely soggy like I've had before, but I think that is because it wasn't even warm.  The tortilla was really disappointing.

The spring mix was clearly fresh and crisp.  I've seen it before in their other tacos, but I was still surprised at the quality of the spring mix, and the assortment of various lettuces included.  I do prefer the slaws instead though, as they give a better crunch.

I've had their salmon once before, when I stole a bite of Ojan's blackened salmon taco.  Back then, I really didn't care for the salmon, and found it to be way too fishy for my taste.  Unfortunately, I felt similar this time as well.  I had two seemingly different pieces in my taco.  One was, like Ojan's, fairly fishy.  The other wasn't at all.  I've always be impressed with the quality of the seafood at Rubio's, so I was saddened to have a repeat experience of the less fresh tasting salmon.  It was also strange that one piece was so fishy, and the other wasn't. Very disappointing, but both pieces were well cooked, nicely grilled.

The fire-roasted corn and fresno chiles I'd seen before, and I again really liked them.  The corn was perfectly roasted and the chiles brought a delightful level of heat.

The star of this taco was the new chimichurri sauce.  Like all of their sauces, it was delicious!  So flavorful and fresh tasting.  I did think it was too oily however.  The taco turned out to be a huge mess to eat, just dripping in oil.  The flavor was all there though, they just need to cut down the oil a bit, and this will be a hit.  The creamy crema complimented it perfectly.  No other salsas were needed, although their extensive salsa bar provides many choices.

Given two negative salmon experiences at Rubio's now, I won't be getting the salmon again.  Which is fine, because there are so many other amazing choices, but I don't really understand how they can have such high quality with everything except the featured catch!  The chimichurri was good, and if they rein in on that oil, I'd like try to get it added to a different fish option.

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Yes, More Rubio's

A few months ago, I discovered Rubio's, rather by accident, while on a ridiculous mission to try random places that had birthday specials.  Unlike most of my birthday adventures, Rubio's was a success, and I've been back many times since.

This time, I brought Ojan with me, as he hadn't yet experienced it, despite all of my praise.

Since I've reviewed it so many times before, I'll leave out all the general details in this review, and focus on the specifics from this meal.  But like all other times, I was impressed with the friendliness of the staff, and particularly the quality of the food for the price point and location.  Yes, it is possible to get a large chunk of fish, in a dish full of flavor, for <$5, near the Ferry Building.

The staff were even more impressive than usual this time.  As on all my other visits, even though we were given a pager, the food was delivered to us at our table.  But more surprising was the fact that one of the staff members was circulating the room, checking in on every table, and even bussing them as people finished food.  It was almost like full table service, but in a fast casual restaurant.  Totally crazy.

The two tacos we got on this visit were actually my least favorites, which was disappointing  but I'll definitely still be going back.

Blackened Mango Habanero Mahi Mahi Taco, Blackened Salmon Taco, No Fried Pinto Beans, Chips.  $8.39.

Ojan picked the salmon taco, blackened style.  Described as "Sustainable Atlantic salmon, grilled or house blackened on an authentic comal with a special garlic marinade. Topped with fire-roasted corn with a pinch of ancho chile, our creamy chipotle sauce, cilantro/onion and red and green cabbage. Served on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime."

Since the salmon was the one type of seafood I hadn't yet tried at Rubio's, I of course demanded a bite. The salmon was tender, a large piece, but it was fishy.  I can't stand fishy salmon.  A big disappointment  as all of the other seafood I've had at Rubio's has always been surprisingly fresh tasting, and never fishy.

For my taco, I picked the one I remembered most fondly from all my previous visits: the Mango Habanero Mahi Mahi Taco.  Described as "Pacific mahi mahi, a mild, white fish, seasoned in olive oil and garlic or house blackened then grilled on an authentic comal and topped with mango pineapple salsa, a smoky red chile sauce made with guajillo, ancho and red jalapeño chiles, along with crema and serrano cabbage slaw. Served on a warm flour tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime."

On my previous visit, I got it regular, but this time, I went for the blackened, since I'd loved the blackened seasoning when I had it on a talapia taco on another visit.  Like before, the mahi was nicely prepared, a large chunk.  But the blackening seasoning completely took over and overwhelmed the taco.  I didn't get to taste any of the amazing serrano cabbage slaw that I'd loved so much the last time.  The mango and pineapple salsa was still sweet and tasty, and I loved the size of the chunks of the fruit, but overall, this was one of the least successful tacos I've had there.  It was also really watery, dripping with something, I'm not entirely sure what.  I wouldn't get it this way again.

The pinto beans were hot, fresh, and creamy.  I'm not a bean lover, but I could appreciate the quality.

The chips were pretty generic, but I enjoyed them a few with salsas from the salsa bar.

Churro.  $1.50.

The one part of the menu I hadn't yet explored at Rubio's was the dessert.  They have a single option: a churro.  Described as: "Cinnamon-sugar pastry, served warm."

I was excited to try it, as I love sweets, and I've been craving a donut quite a bit lately, and thought this would satisfy me.

It wasn't very good.  It seemed far too fried, the entire thing incredibly crispy.  It had tons of cinnamon and sugar on it, which, I love cinnamon and sugar, but it was just too much.  But it was easily banged off.  But, nothing could save it from being just a crispy stick of fry.  Would not order again.

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Yes, more Rubio's.

It has been exactly one year since I discovered Rubio's, as part of my epic birthday freebie quest.  I've returned many times since, and have always been fairly impressed, particularly for the price point.

Since I've reviewed Rubio's a zillion times, I'll skip all the general comments this time, and focus only on the meal I had this time.

Pacific Mahi Mahi Taco, No-fried Pinto Beans, Chips.  $5.46.

I've basically tried all of Rubio's seafood tacos at this point.  I had a really hard time deciding what to get this time.  I knew I didn't want salmon, as that is the only seafood I've had there that didn't seem very high quality.  I have really liked the shrimp tacos before, but I just wasn't in the mood for shrimp.  I almost ordered the mango habanero mahi mahi, but since I've had that two times before, I decided to try the more simple pacific mahi taco, the only one I hadn't yet tried (because the mango habanero version always sounds so much better!)

Described as "Pacific mahi mahi, a mild, white fish, seasoned in olive oil and garlic or house blackened with a mix of spices, grilled on an authentic comal, and topped with fire-roasted corn with a hint of chile, our creamy chipotle sauce, a cilantro/onion mix and red and green cabbage. Served on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime."

The taco contained a huge filet of mahi mahi and was loaded up with other ingredients.  It was easily the fullest taco I've received at Rubio's.

Since I liked the blackened seasoning when I had it with the tilapia, I went for it again.  However, just like last time when I had it with the mango habanero mahi, the blackening totally overwhelmed the fish, and all other flavors in the taco.  It worked with the tilapia, but I won't be trying it again with the mahi.  The fish was nicely cooked, tender, flaky, although just a bit fishy.

The tortilla was unremarkable, their standard corn tortilla, with a nice corn flavor, warm, but not as toasted and nice as on several other visits.

The fire-roasted corn, which I really liked when it was included in other tacos, didn't have the same great roasted flavor this time around, and I didn't detect any of the chile.  The cabbage, cilantro, and onion mix helped round out the taco, provided some crunch, but weren't as memorable as the other slaws.  I saw some of the creamy chipotle sauce, but didn't taste it, likely due to the blackening.

I realized once I got my receipt the the person taking my order entered this as a single taco plate, with beans and chips.  I wasn't planning to get those, as I haven't ever cared for them in the past, but since this was a freebie, I didn't bother correcting it.

The beans were just the same as always, hot, fresh, creamy, topped with a little queso fresco.  I'm sure if I liked beans, they would have been good, but they just aren't my thing.  I tried a few bites, but brought the rest to Ojan.

The chips were also the same as always, not hot, barely salted, just not remarkable.  I had a few, along with all the salsas from the salsa bar, but just wasn't into any of it.  I felt the same about the salsas as my previous visits: tomatillo is just watery and blah, mild is not flavorful enough and tastes just like tomato, the picante tastes burnt, and the roasted chipotle was my favorite, but still not great.  Thus, Ojan also received some chips and salsa.

Overall, there wasn't anything all that wrong with this taco, but it just didn't come together well, and the blackening was too much.  I won't get it again.

Churro.  $1.50.

Since I hadn't used my full $7 birthday credit, I decided to throw on a churro as well.  I've only tried the churro at Rubio's once before, and I really didn't like it, but I wanted to give them another chance.

It was the same as the previous time: really crispy, oily, loaded up with cinnamon and sugar, and just not very good.  I gave it to a co-worker, who seemed to enjoy it though.

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Langostino Lobster @ Rubio's

Yes, I've got a thing for Rubio's.  Yes, it is out of character, as it is cheap, casual, Mexican food.  But not entirely out of character, as what I love is the sauces and the seafood.

Anyway, around this time of year every year, they have a limited time special: the Langostino Lobster taco (or burrito).  Since only discovered Rubio's a few months ago, I hadn't ever experienced it before, but had heard about it.  So when it came back on the menu, I had to try it out.

The first thing I noticed was the branding.  Everywhere it clearly said "Langostino Lobster".  I just figured it was a special type of lobster, but looked it up online to be sure.  Turns out ... not lobster at all.  They are tiny little crustaceans more closely related to hermit crabs.  And, Rubio's had a class action lawsuit filed against them a few years ago for marketing them as "lobster", hence, the excessive labeling now.

I didn't really care if it was real lobster or not, as I actually don't love lobster.  I greatly prefer local crab.  Or even shrimp or prawns if well prepared.  But ... it wasn't that great.

Since I've reviewed Rubio's so many times before, I'm skipping all the details on the establishment, and just reviewing this single dish.

Langostino Lobster Taco, Chips, "No Fried" Pinto Beans.  $4.29.

The langostino lobster taco is described as "Tender Langostino Lobster served with handmade guacamole, creamy chipotle sauce, salsa fresca, red and green cabbage, and a cilantro/onion mix.  Served on a warm stone-ground corn torilla and garnished with a slice of lime."

Of course, since I am allergic to avocado, I had to leave a major component out: the guacamole   When I asked to have it left out, the woman taking my order asked what I'd like instead.  She suggested cheese or sour cream.  I didn't really want to add cheese to my lobster (seafood and cheese don't seem to be a great pairing most of the time), and since there was already the creamy chipotle sauce I didn't want to add the sour cream.  So I said that it was fine to just leave it out and not substitute anything.  She then suggested rice.  I said sure.  In retrospect  this was not a good idea, since I don't really like rice, but I was caught off guard and just went along with it.  When she brought me my order, she also added on a side of the beans and chips, since they felt bad that I didn't have the guacamole, which is normally an expensive component (apparently, you can always add rice in for free).

Anyway.  The tortilla was the same corn tortilla shell I've had on previous visits, but this time, it was much crispier.  It had the same great corn flavor, and at first I didn't like the crispness as I thought it was stale, but it grew on me, and I ended up liking this crunchier version.  Not really sure why it was so different this time, normally it is soft and moist, seemingly steamed rather than grilled.  I enjoyed the tortilla, and used the extra pieces to dunk into salsa.

The "lobster" came in little pieces.  They were tender, well cooked, with a slightly grilled flavor. One or two of them seemed a little fishy.  Of all of the proteins I've tried at Rubio's, this was the least remarkable.  I greatly preferred the shrimp, the talapia, the mahi, even the fried pollock.  I think part of the problem was that the lobster was lost in all of the rice.  The rice was moist, flavorful, but there was a lot of it, and it doesn't normally belong in a taco.  It turned it more into a burrito.  But even without the rice, the lobster just wasn't anything special.

The creamy chipotle sauce, like every other time I've tried it, was amazing.  Creamy, with a nice kick.  It again made the entire thing delicious.  The salsa fresca was not as good as in past visits, the tomato cubes seemed less ripe, less flavorful.  This makes sense, as it is no longer tomato season.  The cabbages, cilantro, and onion filled out the taco, were fresh and crisp, but not remarkable.  I've been spoiled from trying some of their other tacos that have the serrano slaw instead, which is far more flavorful.

It was garnished with a juicy lime, which added a nice acidity and citrus note.  Additional limes were available in the condiments bar.  This time, I also tried some of the pickled carrots from the bar.  They were crunchy and insanely spicy.  I'd definitely add these in again.

This is their most expensive taco, at $4.29.  I'm assuming this is due to the guacamole and the lobster.  It didn't really seem worth that, but again, I didn't have the guac.  It was my least favorite of all of the tacos I've tried so far, and I wouldn't get it again.

As I mentioned, I also received a side of beans.  Not something I'd normally order, and I'd tried them on my first visit and wasn't all that impressed, but I tried them again.  Described as "made fresh daily from scratch, seasoned with a dash of garlic and black pepper, and topped with cotija cheese."  They were creamy, mostly mushy beans, with a few whole beans remaining.  There just wasn't much flavor to them, I didn't taste garlic at all.  Like before, I liked the cheese on top.

I also received some chips.  I hadn't yet tried these out, and I was excited to, mostly because I really like their chipotle salsa, and wanted something to dip into it.  The chips are also prepared fresh daily.  They were a thin style, slightly salty, not really remarkable.  Better than store bought chips, but not as good as  Tropisueño.

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Even more Rubio's!

As you may have realized by now, I have a thing for Rubio's, ever since I discovered it on my first visit when I was inspired by a free birthday taco coupon.  Seriously, the most successful freebie ever!

I've really enjoyed everything I have had there, and the quality for the price point just can't be beat.  It is completely amusing to me that I have gotten so into Rubio's, given that I first visited at a time when I was eating at high end restaurants about 5 nights a week!  I am so glad I have found this place, and will continue to return many more times.  I still have a number of menu items I can't wait to try out!

Since I've reviewed the restaurant so many times at this point, I'll skip the basics and just focus on the new taco I tried this time.  And since I've reviewed it so many times, I'm going to go ahead and give it the status that only one other restaurant on my blog has ... its own label (I hope Alexander's isn't offended by this!).

This time, I visited on a Tuesday evening, which is when they have their special Taco Tuesdays, and offer their signature fish taco for only $1.50.  I think the value is already amazing, and the $1.50 taco is just mind blowing to me.  Anyway, presumably due to Taco Tuesday, the restaurant was much busier this time, with almost every table occupied.  On previous visits my food was brought to me at my table, but this time they used the pagers, and I had to pick it up at the counter when it was ready.  Otherwise, service was about the same, and my taco was ready just about as soon as I had filled up my little salsa containers, gotten utensils, and settled into a seat.  Fast food, but clearly being freshly prepared.

Mango Habanero Pacific Mahi Mahi Taco.  $3.99.

This time, I decided to try out the mahi mahi, one of the only seafood choices I hadn't yet explored.  It was offered in three forms; like the salmon or tilapia you could have it grilled or blackened, but they also had a special mango habanero version.  The later seemed the most interesting, as the blackened version was basically the same as the blackened tilapia I had on my last visit, albeit with a slightly different fish


The menu describes it as "Pacific mahi mahi seasoned in olive oil and garlic then grilled on an authentic comal and topped with mango pineapple salsa, a smoky red chile sauce made with guajillo, ancho and red jalapeño chiles, along with crema and serrano cabbage slaw. Served on a warm flour tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime."

I'd seen most of these components before, in different combinations in my previous visits.

The flour tortilla was again warm and soft, but it was a little bit mushy and gummy.  I didn't care for it this time, but I'd really enjoyed it on my previous visits.

When the taco arrived, I smelt a fishy aroma.  I was immediately concerned, and my seafood snob radar went off.  But, the moment I tasted it, my fears went away.  It wasn't fishy at all.  The mahi was a generous sized piece.  It was cooked nicely, resulting in a firm but still soft texture.  The filet seemed thicker on this than the tilapia, and the fish was a little bit more "meaty".  I liked it more than the tilapia.  It was well seasoned.

The serrano cabbage slaw I'd seen on my tilapia taco as well, and it was again fantastic.  Fresh, crispy, with some zing to it.  Best filler I've seen in any tacos thus far.

But what really made this taco was the mango pineapple salsa.  Like everything else Rubio's serves, it seemed fresh.  The mango and pineapple were ripe, sweet, delicious.  Cut into the perfect size pieces so that they were full of flavor, but not overwhelming.  The red chili sauce added some serious heat to it, just enough that I really felt like I was eating Mexican food, but the sweetness of the fruit salsa and the creaminess of the crema balanced it out nicely.  A bit of heat when you took a bite, but it never lingered.

The lime garnish was a nice touch, to add a little more zing to the taco, although they have limes (and lemons) in the salsa bar, so it is easy to enhance any taco this way.

Everything in this taco just came together perfectly.  Like the other tacos I've really enjoyed at Rubio's, the salsas and sauces made all the difference, just amping things up a lot.  I think this may have been my favorite taco so far, but I can still dream of a better one: everything from this one - the mango pineapple salsa, the sauces, the serrano slaw, but with shrimp instead of the mahi.  I wonder if I could order it?  "I'll have the Mango Habenero Mahi Mahi Taco, with uh, shrimp instead of mahi" ...

This was one of their most expensive tacos, at a whopping $3.99.  It was well worth the price, and I am still somewhat shocked at how cheap it is, given the quality of the ingredients.  A large piece of fish and ripe fresh fruit?  I don't understand.  I'm so glad I found this place!

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More Fish Tacos from Rubio's

I discovered Rubio's a month or so ago, when I went to redeem my free birthday dinner coupon.  I was impressed then by the quality of the food, the flavors, and the price point.  Casual dining hadn't exactly been my style for quite a while, and it far exceeded my expectations, and reminded me that I can really enjoy more casual venues.

Last week, I was invited to try out their new menu offering: tilapia tacos.  Since I'd enjoyed my previous tacos, I was happy to go and try another one, even if I'm not crazy about tilapia.

Like last time, the restaurant was not busy.  I went at 5:30pm, and there was only one other customer.  They had nice music playing, the space was clean, the staff friendly.

In general, Rubio's seems very consistent.  Even though this was a totally different taco, I had the same basic feeling when I left, that it was good, and I'll likely return.  Like all of my other Rubio's tacos, it was served hot and fresh.  The ingredients again all seemed pretty high quality.  The flavors popped, particularly the sauces and seasonings.

 Regal Springs® Blackened Tilapia Taco. $3.59.

I had the choice of a grilled tilapia or blackened tilapia taco.  I asked the person taking my order for her recommendation, and she said the blackened one, no contest.  I was already leading towards that one, so I went with her suggestion.

It was described as "topped with creamy chipotle sauce, salsa fresca and serrano slaw. Served on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime."  Since I discovered in my previous visits that I greatly prefer their flour tortillas to the corn tortillas, I substituted the tortilla.  There was no problem in doing so, and they seem pretty used to making substitutions.  I actually somewhat regretted this decision, as it really didn't pair that well with the fish, but I think was probably happier with the substitution.

The fish was a large piece, not at all fishy, very mild, a little flaky.  It was moist and well cooked.  Very decent, particularly for this price point.  The blackening seasoning was the real draw to it, with some great flavor, particularly the salt level.

It was dressed with a generous slather of the same delicious creamy chipotle sauce that I'd enjoyed on my Salsa Verde Pan-Seared Shrimp Taco before, and some salsa fresca, but there wasn't nearly enough of it.  I would have really liked the additional flavor and freshness some more of the tomato based salsa would have brought.  Salsa fresca is also not an option in their salsa bar, so I couldn't just add more on.  I ended up adding some of the other salsas instead.

The serrano slaw was the standout component.  It was fresh and crispy, clearly not prepared hours in advance and just left to sit around.  It had a really nice kick to it.  I liked it a lot more than the plain cabbage or spring greens used in the other tacos.

There was a lime on the side, that seemed like it had already been squeezed, as it had no juice in it, and it was rather mangled.  It seems weird that they would squeeze it for me, and then leave it there like that.  I'm not really sure what was up with that.  The salsa bar also contains limes, so I took a fresh slice from there, and squeezed it on.  The lime went really well with the blackening seasonings.

$3.59 seemed like a fair price.  Free was even better :)

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Catering by Rubio's

I've recently discovered, and really loved, Rubio's.  So far, I've tried a number of their tacos: the classic fish tacos, several different shrimp tacos, and their newest tilapia taco.  I've really liked them all.

So tonight, when I saw the event I was at was catered by Rubio's, I was excited to try out the offerings. Since it was catering, they went for a cold item, one of their new salads.  Unfortunately, it wasn't very good. I'm glad this wasn't my first experience with Rubio's, as I'd never be tempted to visit based on this dish.

Chipotle Orange Shrimp Salad.

The menu describes this as: "Wonderfully tangy pan-seared shrimp, mandarin oranges, fire-roasted corn, fresno chiles, avocado slices and black beans on a blend of spring mix and butter lettuce, topped with tortilla strips and fresh crema. Drizzled with a chipotle orange vinaigrette and garnished with a lime."

Since I absolutely loved the flavor in the shrimp I'd had in my assorted shrimp tacos, I was really looking forward to the shrimp in this.  Unfortunately, they were not the same.  These tasted really fishy, were small, and lacked any real seasoning.  I tried two different salads, and they both had the same poor quality seeming shrimp.

The lettuce blend was some crunchy butter lettuce and spring mix, probably the same as I had in one of my tacos, but it was rather wilted and not fresh tasting here.

The corn was a nice touch, flavorful and added some interesting texture.  The chiles added a nice kick.  The mandarin orange segments seemed like generic canned ones, fairly flavorless and watery.

I had them leave the avocado out of mine since I'm allergic.  They also were not serving it with the black beans, since those are normally hot at the restaurant.

The dressing was a slightly tangy chipotle orange vinaigrette, that was decent, and it wasn't overdressed.  I liked the crema on top, it added a nice creamy component.  The tortilla strips added some crunch, but no real flavor.

This just didn't really come together, and things didn't seem fresh.  But it was catering after all, and I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, since their tacos have been so good.  I'm sure I'll still go back!

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Shrimp Tacos from Rubio's

I know, I know, you don't want to hear more about Rubio's.  You don't understand why I keep going back, particularly when this blog started out as basically only reviews of high end restaurants.  On the surface, it doesn't make sense, I admit it.

But, as I've said before, I really like Rubio's!  It is nearby, it is quick, it is convenient, it is reasonably priced, and most importantly, it is good!

I did do something differently this visit, I went at lunchtime (I usually go in the evening), and I went during the week (I usually go on weekends).  I've never been during weekday lunch there before. It was totally packed, with folks dining in and taking out.  A very different vibe from my other visits.

As always, the staff were ridiculously friendly, and not in a fake way.  The person taking my order even said something like "it is nice to meet you", and it sounded genuine.  I'm always blown away by how nice the service is for a fast casual establishment!

Since I've bored you to death with my general reviews already, I'll skip those details, and focus only on my meal this time.

2-Taco Plate:  Salsa Verde Shrimp Taco, Grilled Gourmet Shrimp Taco,  "No-Fried" Pinto Beans, Chips. $8.XX.

I went with Ojan for lunch, and since neither of us were starving, we decided to split a two taco plate.  I planned to pick one taco for myself, and have him pick the other for himself.  He asked what I was having, and I said I couldn't decide between the two different shrimp tacos I'd enjoyed before.  I was definitely in the mood for smoky, grilled shrimp, but the two tacos were completely different, and I couldn't decide.  I remembered loving the cheesy, bacon goodness of the Grilled Gourmet Shrimp Taco, along with the crispy corn tortilla, but I also liked the fresher flavors of the Salsa Verde Shrimp Taco, filled with crisp cabbage, and a soft flour tortilla.  Totally different, but both memorably delicious.  Ojan saved the day when he quickly said "let's just get those two and share them!".  Thank goodness, no more decision necessary, although, cutting tacos in half is a bit difficult.

Since I'm allergic to avocado, and both of these tacos normally include avocado, I had it on the side (seen on the edge of the photo, they packaged it up into a separate container), so Ojan could add it into his.

Each of the tacos contained 4 shrimp, nicely grilled as before, and not at all rubbery.  They didn't have quite the same smoky flavor that I remembered from my previous trips, but they were well prepared.

We both started with the heavier one, the Grilled Gourmet Shrimp Taco: "Sustainable shrimp grilled on an authentic comal then served on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla with toasted cheese and topped with crisp bacon pieces, buttery Hass Avocado slices, our red tomatillo salsa, our creamy chipotle sauce, a cilantro/onion mix and cotija cheese."  Like last time, I just loved the combination of the melted cheese, the bacon, and the corn tortilla.  So good!  There was far less cheese on this than the one I had last time however.  I may have complained about how much cheese there was last time, but this time I felt it was a bit skimpy.  I think that was due to my expectations however, and without a comparison point, I'm sure I would have found this to be totally sufficient.  And like last time, I felt that the shrimp were kinda lost in the cheesy/bacon/creamy chipotle sauce spectacle, so I ate them separately.  Still, pretty delicious, and I'm glad I ordered it again.

Then we moved on to the Salsa Verde Shrimp Taco: "Sustainable pan-seared shrimp topped with a salsa verde sauce made with tomatillos, poblano chiles and fresh herbs, along with buttery Hass Avocado slices, a melted three-cheese blend, our creamy chipotle sauce, a cilantro/onion mix and cabbage. Served on a warm flour tortilla."  This was a much lighter feeling option, as it didn't have tons of cheese and bacon.  The flour tortilla was warm, soft, and I liked it more than I had in the past.  I loved the freshness and crunch from the cabbage.  There was quite a bit of it, but it really was just the perfect amount.  But the star of the show, as before, was the absolutely delicious creamy chipotle sauce.  Soo soo good.  I didn't taste the cheese that was apparently in there, but I didn't care at all.  It was pretty much perfect as it was.  The winner of the pair, but I'd gladly order either of them again.

The chips were again standard, unremarkable, and something I'd normally skip, except that I totally fell in love with the chipotle salsa from the salsa bar.  I used it to dunk the edges of my tortillas in, and then started in on the chips.  And didn't stop, until I used up all the salsa.  I have no idea why I was so into it this time, it just had a great smokiness to it!

The beans were about the same as all previous visits, creamy, hot, but meh, just beans.  Ojan liked dipping some chips in them.

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Nick's Crispy Tacos

I've been hearing about Nick's Crispy Tacos for ages.  And I've been on a bit of a taco kick lately, after having some pretty good tacos from Rubios on multiple occasions and Tropisueño.   And of course, they are on LevelUp, which finally encouraged me to journey there.

Now, being the LevelUp pro I am, I waited until their famous Taco Tuesdays, where tacos are only $2, which just happens to be how much they seed LevelUp with.  Taco Tuesdays begin at 5pm, and I'd read that it gets crazy there fast, so people recommend going right at 5pm.  So I did.  There was already a line out the door, but it moved pretty quickly, and I was able to get the last table.  I can't imagine what the place is like at 7pm on a Tuesday!

You order at the register, and then they give you a number to take back to your table.  They are cash or LevelUp only, a strange combo, but it was nice to be somewhere where they weren't annoyed that I was using LevelUp, and rather were happy that I wasn't yet another person in line trying to use a credit card.  I've been really shocked by how many places use LevelUp, but act like you are causing the biggest inconvenience ever when you go to pay with it.  Or how many places have dead batteries on their LevelUp phones, or have them turned off, or worse, have just given up and stopped accepting it all together.  I must say, the LevelUp experience usually is pretty rough.  At Nick's, that part went smoothly.

The food came quickly, I had just enough time to use the not so clean bathroom before settling into my seat when a server arrived, snatching up my number and placing my basket of food in front of me, wordlessly.  Well, it is a casual place, so service isn't really part of it.

The majority of the establishment is actually a bar, and apparently a nightclub after 7pm.  I was gone long before the transformation occurred.  The crowd at 5pm was pretty strange; I saw more babies and small children in the 20 minutes or so that I was there than I do in an entire week normally.  I have no idea why people would bring their kids here, perhaps its just an easy dinner option, and 5pm is when families dine?

Anyway.  It wasn't very good.  And not even worth the Taco Tuesday prices.  I won't be going back.

Pollo Taco: Seasoned, simmered chicken in corn tortilla with pico de gallo & pinto beans.  $3.75 ($2 on Taco Tuesday)

For Taco Tuesday, the seafood tacos are not included, and are still full price.  Since I'd normally get a fish or shrimp taco, this meant I had to either pay double or get something I am less into, but I decided to branch out and do that, as it had worked out at Tropisueño, and I do like trying new things.  The selection for tacos isn't large: carne asada, pollo, pollo asado, carnitas, or veggie.  All include pinto beans and salsa fresca.  For $0.95 more,  you can make it "Nick's way", adding cheese and guac, and wrap it in a crispy shell.  Since I'm allergic to avocado and wanted to stick to my "budget", I didn't do it Nick's way, even though the Yelpers all say that is how they are good.  I don't like pork, the veggie one didn't actually contain any extra veggies so is just beans and salsa, and I wasn't in the mood for steak, so I went for chicken.  I asked for a recommendation between the pollo and pollo asado, and the person taking my order said without a single moments hesitation to get the pollo.  So I did.

The taco came in a plastic basket, that wasn't entirely clean.  Oh well, that is why it was lined with paper right?

It was wrapped up in a handy paper as well, different from the way most tacos are served, but really quite convenient and made it much easier to eat.

It was a heafty taco.  The difference in taco sizes everywhere continues to surprise me.  Somewhere like Pancho Villa they are basically bite sized, and it takes three to really make a meal.  At Rubio's or Tropisueño, one is a good snack, but two would be a dinner.  Here, one was incredibly filling.  Although, unlike most places, they do not include chips and salsa with your order, they are an additional $2.

Like Tropisueño, it was double wrapped in corn tortillas.  They were soft, and had a better corn flavor than those at Tropisueño, but not as much flavor as those from Rubio's.

The taco contained a ton of chicken.  Shredded chicken, mostly white meat.  It actually seemed fairly good quality.  It wasn't very flavorful however, not much seasoning.  It tasted very ... chicken-y.  Which is fine, except I just don't really like chicken that much.  Oops.

They only offer whole pinto beans.  Again, not something I like that much, I prefer refried, and not black beans.  These were cooked well, not too mushy nor undercooked, but meh, I don't really like this type of beans.  Double oops.  Although, had I left them out, there wouldn't have been much to this taco.

There was also some pico de gallo.  The tomato was fresh tasting and looked ripe, although not particularly flavorful.  It was the best component of the taco.

Overall, I was impressed with the size and quantity of chicken in here, but I really didn't like it much at all.  Partially my own fault since I don't care for the main ingredients, but also, there just wasn't really any seasoning or flavor to it.  Very unremarkable, even when I added tons of salsa to it.  Meh.

I knew tax would put me over my LevelUp budget, but for some reason I was charged $2.25.  Perhaps Healthy SF was included?  Anyway, this taco didn't really seem worth that price, and I can't imagine paying the regular $3.75 price for it, particularly when you can get a far higher quality and tastier taco from Tropisueño or Rubio's for less.

I wouldn't get this again.

Salsa in squeeze bottles on the table.

Rather than a salsa bar, Nick's has two squeeze bottles of salsa on each table.  They were both sticky, and I felt gross eating with my hands after touching these.  But tacos and chips are finger foods ...

Niether one of these salsas was notable in any way.  The green one didn't have any heat to it, was just a salsa verde.  The red one had a tiny amount of spice, but not much, and not in an interesting way.

Weakest salsas of anywhere I've tried.

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Joe Caribe Bistro & Cafe

Last week, I was back up in Tahoe for a few days.  You may recall that besides the hotel breakfast buffet, I was incredibly disappointed by all of the dining out I did on my last visit, so this time, I didn't even bother trying to go out while I was there, and instead choose to just cook at the lovely cabin we rented.

But, I also researched a bunch of places between San Francisco and Tahoe, as it is more fun to stop for a meal halfway than drive the entire 4 hours in a single stretch.  Last time, we stopped for lunch on the way there at a super cute French bistro in Sacrement, and had good house smoked salmon and absolutely perfect crème brûlée, but I didn't take photos or take notes ... whoops!

Anyway, this time, I was prepared.  I researched all the lunch places in Auburn, Roseville, Davis, Sacramento.  And one place kept catching my attention: Joe Caribe Bistro and Cafe.  A Caribbean restaurant, known for their fish tacos, but they also have a slew of other dishes like burritos and curries.  And I literally wanted every single item from their dessert menu!

It sounded like the perfect fit: casual, so we didn't need a reservation and could show up when we got there, since out timing would be based on traffic.  A full service restaurant, so we could take a real break from the road, but it wouldn't be a really long meal, as we did want to get back.  Lcated directly off of I-80, so we weren't going out of the way.  Since I thought some of our other friends would be stopping with us, it also had a menu that would please everyone, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. 

We left Incline Village around 11am, putting us in Auburn right at 12:30pm for lunch.  Perfect timing!

The restaurant was much larger than I expected, with a bar, regular tables, booths, and several private rooms.  There was even a table in a window with floor cushion seating!  The tables were covered with very bright yellow plastic tablecloths with bright colored fruits and flowers, that sound totally tacky, but really weren't.  The space was all decorated in a similar style, with bamboo accents on the room dividers, strands of colored lights hanging from the ceiling  etc.  Again, I know it sounds like it would look cheap or silly, but it wasn't, and was a really great vibe!  The music matched the overall atmosphere.

The service was very friendly.  Our waitress was enthusiastic and I loved her catch phrase of "you've got it!" as a response to most requests.

The food was good, and I recommend it as a stop for anyone driving to/from Tahoe!

AJ Stephans Jamaican-style Ginger Beer.  $3.

One thing that caught my eye while I was researching Joe Caribe was their selection of ginger beers.  Since Ojan is not able to drink alcohol, he discovered ginger beer, but few places have much selection, and many are often just sugary.  Joe Caribe offered up at least 5 different varieties, only one of which we'd seen before.

He was excited to try one out, so asked for a recommendation for one that wasn't too sweet.  The waitress suggested two that were supposed to be spicier.  One was listed as from the US, and the other, Jamaica.  Wanting to try the most interesting one he could, Ojan went for the Jamaican.

We were a bit surprised when the bottle arrived on the table, proudly proclaiming that it was made in Boston.  Ojan and I are both from the Boston area, so this was far from exotic, but we were still exited to try it.

It was indeed very spicy, almost too spicy.  It complimented the food well, but I think it would have been too much to just drink on its own.  Perhaps over ice on a really hot day it would have been nice.

The strange thing is that we didn't really taste that much ginger.  Upon looking at the ingredients list, we discovered that it was made from water, sugar, and "flavors".  Ginger was not an ingredient!

This was pretty disappointing, and we did feel like we were led a bit astray, as he was specifically looking for one that was more ginger and less sugar, and this was just flavored sugar water.  And uh, it was NOT from Jamaica!

I still give them credit for the great selection of ginger beer, and $3 for a unique bottle was a fair price.

Housemade habanero sauce.

On each table, along with salt and pepper, is their signature habanero sauce.  My entree was so well seasoned and spiced that I didn't need it, but I added it to some rice just to try it.  It was decently spicy, and I could imagine happily adding it to other dishes, but mine really didn't need it.

2 Taco Plate: Fish taco, shrimp taco, black beans, rice, pickled carrots.  $9.95.

When you pull up outside Joe Caribe, there is a sign just as big as the one with their name on it that proclaims "Fish Tacos".  And of course, my research revealed tons of people raving about the fish tacos.  And, as you may have noticed from all my Rubio's posts, I've had a serious thing for fish tacos lately.  Thus, I had to order the fish tacos.


The tacos are available as a pair a la carte, or as a platter for $2 more, with beans, rice, and pickled carrots.  I don't generally care much for rice and beans, but so many reviews raved about the pickled carrots, that I decided to go for the full platter.

Along with the fish tacos, they also offer shrimp, pork, or chicken. Being my indecisive self, I couldn't stand just getting to try one thing, so I ordered one with fish, and one with shrimp, even though the split choice wasn't listed on the menu.  Thank you Joe Caribe for accommodating this!

The pickled carrots were shredded pieces of carrot, not what I was expecting, but the form was perfect for mixing with other things on the plate.  They had a gingery flavor to them, and were very intense.  I found that they posted the recipe here, if you want to make them yourself.

The beans were whole black beans, perfectly cooked, not at all mushy, not too firm.  They were nicely seasoned as well.  As I've mentioned before, I don't care for beans generally, but these were really well prepared.

The rice was equally well executed, moist, not mushy, not crunchy, and again well seasoned.  Another side that I'm not generally a fan of, but I could appreciate the quality preparation.

The beans, the rice, and the carrots really rounded out the platter nicely.

And finally, the tacos.  At first glance, they looked the same, and I thought my mixed order was lost.  Indeed they were very similar, with identical fillings besides the different proteins.

Both were served in warm, slightly toasted, corn tortillas, a double layer.  I liked how they were a bit crispy on the outside, and the corn flavor was good.  Not extraordinary tortillas, but very solid.

The tacos were topped with "island slaw", a crispy, flavorful slaw mixture, that really filled up the large size tacos.  There was a lot of it, but I really liked it, and would gladly have just eaten the slaw as a side too!  The tacos were so overstuffed that a lot of the slaw came spilling out, and I enjoyed it with the rice and beans.  Such good flavor and texture combinations.

They both also contained a lot of rémoulade.  It oozed out all over the place as I bit into the tacos.  I love mayo and creamy sauces on my tacos, so I really liked the rémoulade, but I was a bit surprised to find it on the fish taco.

The fish taco was described on the menu as "fish with allspice and lime".  When I asked for more details, I was told that it was simply grilled Pacific cod, a really light and healthy dish.  So I was surprised when taco arrived with a ton of rémoulade in it.  The rémoulade is included in the menu description of the shrimp taco, so it seemed weird to tout the fish as a light dish, and yet be filled with mayo based dressing.  Perhaps she meant it as opposed to being a breaded and fried fish?

Anyway.  The fish came in small chunks, all with nice grill marks.  But ... the first bite I had was very, very fishy.  I did not like it at all.  I was actually so put off by it, that I picked all the fish out, and just enjoyed my slaw and rémoulade taco (which, was really quite good, and plenty full and big without the fish).  At the end, I did try one more bite of the fish, and that one wasn't fishy, so hopefully I just got one bad chunk?  I liked the other components of the taco, but the fish was ruined for me.  I didn't taste the lime at all, and I think it would have been great with a bit more acid in it.  Joe Caribe isn't the sort of place to have a condiments bar, but if they did, and they had limes or lemons, I'd definitely squeeze some more acid onto the taco.

The shrimp taco was more successful.  Described as "shrimp sautéed with garlic, smoked paprika, and served with rémoulade".  It was the same as the fish taco, except with shrimp in place of the fish.  The shrimp were nicely cooked, not rubbery, and there was a generous amount of them.

This was a very large plate of food, and the $9.95 price was a great value.  I can't help but compare this meal to the last few fish and shrimp taco platters I've had at Rubio's, and although Rubio's was slightly cheaper (~$9 for the platter), these tacos were much bigger, with larger tortillas, double shelled, and far more protein inside, the sides were more than double the size, the quality of ingredients seemed higher, and, it was a full service restaurant.  Sorry Rubio's, but Joe Caribe wins.

Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream.  $5.50.

The dessert menu sounded absolutely incredible, loaded with all of my favorites, including a rich chocolate pot de creme with fresh whipped cream, warm bread pudding with rum sauce, coconut panna cotta with mangos ... seriously, some of my most favorite desserts!  There wasn't a single dessert on the menu that I didn't want.

But in my research, I found very few reviews of the desserts.  And I was absolutely stuffed.  And Ojan, my dining companion, proclaimed that he'd have at most a bite or two of anything.  I was seriously, seriously full, but I couldn't get past the fact that the menu was basically all my dream desserts.

So when the server came back to ask if we wanted any dessert, I hesitated.  She assured me that all the desserts were amazing, all house made.  And she said the magic words, "people love the warm apple crisp, topped with vanilla ice cream".  If you've read my blog much, you know that I am a total and complete sucker for warm pie/crisp/cobbler with ice cream.  Totally my thing.  I still hesitated, and asked how large it was, since the $5.50 price was much lower than I'm accustomed to, so I figured it must be small.  The waitress told me that all the desserts were pretty small.

So, I went for it.  It is hard to see the scale in this photo, but this was most certainly not a small dessert!  It could have easily satisfied 3 people.

The menu described it as "fresh green apples and blueberries with brown sugar oatmeal topping, topped with Häagen-Dazs Vanilla ice cream".

It arrived piping hot.  Mega bonus points.  I hate it when places say they serve warm pie and it is barely lukewarm.  This was not just warm, but hot.  I think Ojan may have burnt himself on his first bite, as he doesn't like ice cream with his crisp, so he had nothing to cool it.  I was thrilled to have it so warm.

The scoop of ice cream on top was large, and when it arrived, had barely started melting, a sign that it was scooped on and promptly delivered to our table.  More bonus points!  It was just generic Häagen-Dazs, so nothing remarkable, but as I've said a million times, I just love cold ice cream with hot desserts, so I loved having it there to mix in with some bites, and I liked how it pooled up as it melted into the dish.  Hot dessert and cold ice cream - they nailed that part!

But, the crisp itself wasn't that great.  First, it wasn't actually crispy in any way.  The topping was an oatmeal crumb topping, that was gummy rather than crispy (and not just where the ice cream touched).  I did like the warm oatmeal crumble with the ice cream and some of the fruit, but, a crisp it was not.

The main fruit component was thinly sliced apples.  The menu said green apples, but I'm not sure they were.  I didn't like them at all.  They were far too mushy for my taste, and I didn't really like the spicing.

There were also some blueberries in the fruit mix, which I did enjoy.

Overall, the dessert was nicely balanced, and not too sweet.  Sometimes crisps can be far too cloyingly sweet, and the ice cream is needed to cut the sweetness, and that was not the case here.

I did enjoy having some spoonfuls of warm oatmeal topping, warm blueberries, and cold ice cream, but I wouldn't get this again, as I didn't like the overall dish.

The price was incredible however - the slice of crisp was really insanely large, and in San Francisco, just a slice of crisp like that would easily by $8+, with another $2-3 added on for the ice cream.  A really great price!

Blackberry Tapioca.  $5. (To-go)

Ok, yes, I'm crazy.  Particularly when it comes to desserts.  Did I mention that I wanted all of the desserts on this menu?  Just picking one ... that is crazytalk.  I was seriously wishing that we had gone with a larger group of people to try more desserts, but our travel buddies all decided they wanted to get back to SF sooner, and didn't stop with us.

When I was pleading with Ojan to eat dessert, he said I should just get dessert to take with me, as we had a cooler in the car, and I could eat it later.  Of course, he meant that I should do that instead of getting it at the restaurant since we were both stuffed, but I obviously couldn't get the hot crisp and ice cream to go, so I had to eat it there.  But he had planted the seed of getting something togo in my head, and although I didn't order another initially, I couldn't resist when the waitress came back to check on us.  I give her credit for not laughing at me, as she asked how the apple crisp was, and my response was to order yet another giant dessert.

I needed to pick one that would hold up to the two hour drive, so the warm desserts and the ones with ice cream were out.  Since I love puddings, I was drawn in by the blackberry tapioca.  The menu described it as "house made tapioca with fresh blackberries, topped with freshly made whipped cream."  I wasn't really sure what that meant.  Was it a pudding?  Or just tapioca balls topped with fruit and whipped cream?  I asked the waitress, and she told me it was large style tapioca pearls.  I asked if it was a pudding, and she said yes.  It seemed like it would have the best luck of surviving the drive and being delicious in the evening, so I asked for it to go.

But do you think I really waited until I got home to eat it?  Ha.  I needed to at least sample it immediately to make sure I could write a proper review, right?

Like the crisp, it was a huge serving.  I have no idea what it is like in the restaurant, but they basically filled a large plastic container with the tapioca.  I think my eyes bulged out of my head a bit when I opened the bag and saw the portion size.  Ok, maybe I didn't need another dessert ...

It was not at all what I was expecting.  Although the waitress told me it was large size tapioca, they were small pearls.  The tapioca and the pudding were about the same consistency, so the pearls were completely lost in the pudding.  I would have preferred them to have more chew, something to distinguish from the rest of the pudding.

The pudding was ... basically a big gelatinous mass. It really didn't look good.  And when I tried a few bites in the car, I really didn't like it.  It didn't have much flavor, and it certainly wasn't remotely creamy.  I'd barely consider it pudding, it was more of ... hmm, I just don't know.  A strangely thick gelatin with some textureless tapioca balls.  Not that great.

Then there were blackberries, all a bit mushy.  I was expecting fresh fruit given the description, but these seemed like perhaps they had been frozen, or at least macerated in some liquid?  There was also some very watery blackberry syrup, that leaked out of the container and all over my cooler.  Whoops.

I didn't get a photo of it, but there was a small container of whipped cream.  The waitress asked if I'd like the whipped cream left off since I was getting it to go, and I asked for it on the side.  I'm guessing if I had ordered it to eat at the restaurant, that there would have been much more whipped cream.  It seemed like far too little for such a massive container of pudding.  The whipped cream deflated a bit when I brought it home, but it had a lovely flavor.  It was sweetened, but not too sweet, and was really creamy.  Very good whipped cream, and it went really well with the pudding.

Which brings me to the review of the dessert as a whole.  I didn't like any element of this dish (besides the whipped cream), on its own.  But, when I got home, put it in a bowl, stirred it up, and plopped the whipped cream on top ... it just worked!  I ate a big bowl full.  And then, when Ojan said he didn't want any, I had another big bowl full.  I loved it.  Sure, the pudding was a really strange texture, and it wasn't remotely creamy.  But, that wasn't necessarily bad.  It was just more like a panna cotta.  And yes, I'd have preferred the tapioca to stand out from the pudding, but there are plenty of desserts without that contrast, and once I stopped wanting or expecting it to be that way, I enjoyed it.  I think the blackberry flavor and sauce soaked into the pudding more over time, and that really increased the flavor of the overall dessert.  And the whipped cream was really just the perfect topping.

And again, an amazing price.  Seriously, $5 for a giant dessert?  Great value.  I'd consider getting this again, although I'd really like to try their actual panna cotta, or perhaps the warm bread pudding.  I really have to go back next time I'm in Auburn!

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