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?

Read More...

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.

Read More...

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.

Read More...

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.

Read More...

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.

Read More...

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.

Read More...

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.

Read More...

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.

Read More...

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.

Read More...

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!

Read More...

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!

Read More...

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 :)

Read More...

Rubio's

I had a little fun this year in celebrating my birthday by getting my birthday freebees at assorted places.  Most are not places I'd normally visit, many I'd never been to before in my life, and it turns out, there was good reason, like Jack In The Box, where I got a truly horrible free slice of birthday cheesecake.

But others are surprisingly good.  Like Rubios.  I've walked by their location in Embarcadero Center a zillion times.  There never seem to be many people inside.  It is basically fast food Mexican.  They are known for their seafood, in particular, their fish tacos.  But I'm little miss snob, and won't even eat seafood at full service restaurants that aren't high end.

But ... the allure of free was there.  There was little cost to me in trying it out, besides walking there, but it wasn't far away, and it was a beautiful day out.  If it was horrible, I'd take a few bites, and throw it out.  No problem.

So I signed up for their e-mail club, and was immediately rewarded with a coupon good for a free taco. Any taco from their extensive taco menu!  And, I also received my birthday coupon, good for a full meal.  I went to use the single taco on the first visit, and figured if it was good, I'd go back to use the full meal.  And ... I did, the very next day.

The food was surprisingly good.  I'm not claiming that Rubio's is fine dining.  It isn't.  You order at a register, are given a pager, and take a seat in the dining room.  You eat off a paper plate, on a plastic tray, with plastic silverware.  The drink options are just a basic soda fountain with a slew of sugary generic sodas, or some iced tea.  But ... the food is good, and the staff were really friendly.

On my first visit, I asked the person taking my order what his favorite taco was, since I really had no idea where to start.  He said he was more of a burrito guy, but my coupon was only good for a taco.  He said if it was my first time I should go for the signature taco, The Original Fish Taco, but it honestly didn't sound that interesting to me.  So I went for his second choice.  He happily explained all of the different tacos to me, in detail, including the cooking techniques used.  And ... he brought me both the one I ordered, and the original, even though I was just there using my free coupon!  He seemed to genuinely want me to get to try out that taco.

On my second visit, the person taking my order was just as friendly.  I haven't been to fast food places in ages, but how often do you get a really friendly greeting when you walk in, that doesn't seem forced or required?  She cheered for me when I showed her my birthday certificate, asked when my birthday was, and made pleasant small talk about what I'd done to celebrate.  So unexpected.

I have an avocado allergy, so had that left off of my tacos, and they seemed really happy to make any modifications or substituions, suggesting alternate things they could add in its place.

After ordering, you are given a pager, but on both occasions, they brought the food out and delivered it to me at my table.  I'm guessing when they are busy they don't do this, but again, an unexpected touch. Food came pretty quickly on both visits, taking long enough that I knew it wasn't entirely pre-made, but certainly not long enough to be doing serious cooking.

I was really pleasantly surprised by both of my visits.  The staff was friendly, the restaurant was clean, and the food really did seem fresh and good quality.  And ... if you follow my blog, you know how much I love sauces.  They have some really awesome sauces (although surprisingly, some really mediocre salsas).

I kinda think I'll go back.  I'd like to try the other fish, like the salmon or ono.  It is nice to have found a quick, casual, cheap place so close to home that I like.  Turns out, there is some benefit to the restaurants for having these free meal things!

Original Fish Taco ($2.99), Salsa Verde Pan-Seared Shrimp Taco ($3.99), Mexican Rice ($0.75), No Fried Pinto Beans ($0.75). 

I ordered a single Salsa Verde Pan-Seared Shrimp Taco, and got a platter with an Original Fish Taco too!  The worker explained that since it was my first visit, I just had to try their signature taco too.  And, who doesn't love beans and rice with their meal?  Thanks!  I got to try even more stuff!

As he said, The Original Fish Taco is their signature taco.  It has been their thing since 1983.  The website describes it as: "Sustainable wild Alaska Pollock, caught in Alaska's ocean waters, hand-dipped in our signature seasoned beer batter and cooked to crispy perfection. Topped with Rubio's white sauce, mild salsa and fresh cabbage. Served on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime".

The corn tortilla had a really great corn flavor, and it was nice and warm, but it got soggy and strangely moist really quickly.  The cabbage added a nice crunch, but there was tons of it, as you can see in the photo.  The mild salsa was pretty flavorless, I wouldn't have even known it was there.  The white sauce added a creamy component, but again, not really any flavor.  The fish itself was a really generous portion, a single large piece. The fish was flaky, moist, and quite honestly, surprised me.  It wasn't fine dining quality or anything, but it wasn't bad at all.  The breading was really crispy and decent.

Overall, the taco just lacked flavor.  Nothing was bad, but the flavors didn't pop.  Once I added some of the roasted chipotle salsa from the salsa bar, I enjoyed it much more.  My least favorite of the tacos I tried.  A single taco is $2.99 normally, but $1.50 on Tuesdays.  This seems like a rather insane value for $1.50, and I'd even consider actually paying for one :)

The taco I picked, at the worker's recommendation for his favorite taco other than The Original Fish Taco, was the Salsa Verde Pan-Seared Shrimp Taco.  The website describes it as: "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 and garnished with a slice of lime."  Since I'm allergic to avocado, I had it left out.

This taco came in a flour tortilla instead of the corn tortilla.  While it didn't have the flavor of the corn tortilla, and was just a fairly standard flour tortilla, I liked it much more, as it didn't get soggy.  It was warm and soft.  This taco also had the cabbage in it, but there was much less of it, so it just provided a nice crunch and completed the taco, without overwhelming it like the other one.  I didn't really notice the cilantro and onion mix, nor the melted three-cheese blend, but there were a lot of great flavors going on, that I think these contributed to.  Speaking of the flavors, the creamy chipotle sauce was a winner.  It was their white sauce, but kicked up a notch with some chilis.  It was really creamy, really flavorful, with just enough heat to really make everything interesting.  There were 4 small sized seared shrimp, nicely cooked, not rubbery or anything.  I was surprised by how well executed they were, and certainly didn't expect that.  But even more unexpected was the flavor in them - they had a great smoky flavor, really complex, quite good.  I ate one on its own just to really enjoy the flavors, and would have gladly eaten just a skewer of them.

Everything came together really nicely in this taco, from the flavorful well cooked shrimp, to the amazing creamy sauce.  My favorite of the tacos.  Normally $3.79 each, and I'd definitely pay that for one!

As I mentioned, the worker also upped my order to be a platter, which includes the rice and beans.  These are also available separately as sides, or included when you can make a platter out of any two tacos.

The mexican rice was fairly generic, very mild flavor.  It was really moist and fluffy though, not at all dried out.  Again, a bit of a surprise.

The beans were the "no-fried" pinto beans, their version of a refried bean that isn't actually fried.  The website says "made fresh daily from scratch, seasoned with a dash of garlic and black pepper, and topped with cotija cheese."  They were creamy, but didn't have much flavor.  The cotija cheese on top was nice.

Everything was served hot and fresh.  There was steam coming off of the rice and the beans.  The fish was nice and hot.  The shrimp were hot.  This was food served at the proper temperature, better than what many restaurants do!

Sesame Soy Fish Taco, no avocado.  $3.49.

Since I didn't love The Original Fish Taco due to the lack of flavor in the salsa and white sauce, but I did like the fried fish, I decided to try a different fish taco on my second visit.  The menu has 4 different tacos all made with the same base fried pollock (also available as a burrito), but changes out the accompaniments and sauces.  I went for the Sesame Soy, since it sounded the most promising, flavor-wise.

The web site describes it as: "Lightly drizzled with a sweet sesame soy sauce and a mild, creamy wasabi sauce. Topped with a fresh spring mix and buttery Hass Avocado slices. Served on a warm flour tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime."

Since I'm allergic to avocado, I obviously had them leave that part out.  The staff member offered to add anything else I wanted in its place, like cheese or sour cream, but I choose to leave it unmodified.

The spring mix was exactly as advertised: fresh.  Crisp, not wilted, not brown.  There were a variety of types of lettuce included.  A pleasant surprise.

The flour tortilla was just like the one I had in the Salsa Verde Pan-Seared Shrimp Taco, warm, soft, decent.  And again, I liked it more than the corn tortilla.

The fish was the same as in The Original Fish Taco, except the breading job on this one wasn't very good.  There were big chunks of it that were just breading, and not fish, and those bites tasted just like fried oiliness.  I guess this is what you get from the hand-dipped battering?  The parts that included the fish however were good, the fish again moist and flaky, quite decent.

But what really made this taco shine was the sweet sesame soy sauce!  It added a really great sweetness and flavor.  I didn't really taste the creamy wasabi sauce, as there wasn't any heat, but there was a creaminess that mixed in really well, and I could see the sauce.

This taco certainly didn't win any presentation awards.  It looked sooo sloppy when it arrived, and I originally thought it had way too much sauce on it, but it was really tasty.  The only thing I'd change is the extra breading on the fish.  There were some great flavors in here, and I loved the freshness and lightness of it from the spring mix and the flour tortilla, even though it was fried fish.  Just really well balanced.

This was my second favorite overall, and if it wasn't for the breading issue, probably would have been my favorite.  And again, the $3.49 price was excellent.

Grilled Gourmet Garlic Herb Shrimp Taco, no avocado.  $4.29.

Since I was so impressed with the shrimp on my first visit, I decided to try another shrimp taco on my second visit.  It took a lot of restraint not to just order the same one I'd had before, but I did want to try new things!

There was a hand-battered shrimp taco, but since I was having the battered fish, I decided to go for the Grilled Gourmet Garlic Herb Shrimp Taco.  Plus, it was "gourmet"!

The web site describes it as: "Sustainable shrimp in a garlic herb marinade grilled over an open flame. Served on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla with toasted cheese and topped with crisp bacon pieces, buttery Hass Avocado slices, habanero citrus salsa, our chipotle picante sauce, a cilantro/onion mix and cotija cheese. Garnished with a slice of lime."

Again, since I'm allergic, I left out the avocado.  The taco did seem a little empty, and I think it really was missing the slices of avocado to fill that space, since it didn't have cabbage or spring mix like the others.

The corn tortilla was just like the one in The Original Fish Taco.  Again, a great flavor to it, but strangely moist and just not my thing.  I clearly prefer the flour tortillas.

The shrimp was again quite excellent.  This one included 3 pieces, each slightly larger than the ones I had in the first shrimp taco.  They were apparently marinated in garlic herb marinade and grilled, whereas the ones I had the first time were pan seared with salsa verde sauce ... but they really seemed the same to me.  I didn't have them side by side to compare, but I really felt like the flavors and cooking were identical.  And that was a good thing.  The shrimp had that same great smokey flavor, weren't rubbery, and were really just quite good.  I again ate one of them on its own just to really experience the shrimp, and thought it was great.

The entire tortilla was covered in cheese.  Tons of cheese, that was melted/toasted into it.  It overwhelmed the shrimp, but was really good with the bacon.  The bacon was little tiny chunks.  Mmm, cheese and bacon.  And corn tortilla.  They all went together really well, particularly with the sauces.

Again, the sauces were amazing.  I couldn't really pick out habanero, or citrus, or chipotle, but it was creamy, flavorful, and just went so well with the cheese and bacon.  It was insanely messy from the sauces however, kinda watery, and stuff was dripping out of it non-stop.  The cilantro and onion mix was kinda lost in the sauces, but I'm sure were providing some additional flavor.

And again, this was no beauty.  So sloppy looking, and seemingly swimming in sauce, but again, delicious.  My real issue with this is that it didn't quite come together.  The shrimp was flavorful and delicious.  The corn tortilla + bacon + cheese + sauces were great together.  But the shrimp was just too easily lost with all of the other components, which is sad, because it had so much flavor on its own.  But the other flavors were great too.  I wanted everything, just not together.  So ... that is what I did.  I ate the shrimp on its own, with just a little of the sauce on it.  And then I rolled up the cheesy, bacony, saucy, tortilla and ate it on its own.  Mmm!

This taco was also really quite heavy feeling, despite being a grilled shrimp choice, due to all of the cheese and bacon.  My third favorite, but there were really some great things going on here.  It was the most pricy taco by far, $4.29!

I'd love to create my own shrimp taco, basically combining the two shrimp ones I had.  I'd use the flour tortilla from the first one.  And I'd have the cabbage from it for crunch.  But then I'd take the sauces from the second one.  And maybe a little cheese, but not nearly as much.  Mmmm ... that would be tasty!

Condiments bar: Tomatillo salsa, picante salsa, mild salsa, roasted chipotle salsa, lime wedges, cilantro and onion, lemon wedges, peppers.

Rubios has a large self-serve condiments bar.  It includes a variety of salsas, lime and lemon wedges, and chopped onion and cilantro.  I enjoyed trying all of the salsas, but found that the tacos already included plenty of sauces, and further saucing wasn't necessary on most of them.  If I was getting chips however, I'd definitely love the salsa bar!  I tried the salsas on both visits, and they seemed almost exactly the same.

• Mild Salsa: "With a deep tomato flavor, white onions, cilantro and a hint of heat from serrano and jalapeño chiles".  Tasting notes: this really just tasted like tomato sauce.  It wasn't spicy or complex at all.  It was included in the Original Fish Taco, and really was quite uninteresting.  Least favorite of the salsas.
• Roasted Chipotle Salsa: "Our Roasted Chipotle Salsa creates complex flavors with fire-roasted tomatoes, smoky red chiles, jalapeño chiles and lime juice. "  Tasting notes: This was my favorite of the salsas.  It has a nice smokey flavor to it, and was fairly flavorful.  I used some inside the Original Fish Taco to actually give it some flavor. [ Again, great flavor.  My tacos the second time were some awesomely sauced that I couldn't come up with a use for it besides dipping the final pieces of my tortilla shells in it.  I wish I'd gotten chips, just to have more of this salsa. ]
• Tomatillo Salsa: "Our Tomatillo Salsa, made with tomatillos, has a mild heat from jalapeño chiles and a hint of cilantro and citrus."  Tasting notes: This was really watery, and didn't have much flavor.  But, better than the mild! [ Again, just watery and flavorless.  Really not very good. ]
• Picante Salsa: "Our Picante Salsa has a spicy heat with a rich, toasted chile flavor."  Tasting notes: This did have some heat!  It wasn't that well balanced however. [ Very spicy, but tasted burnt ]

Read More...