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Taco Fish

7500 N. Mesa St.
El Paso, TX
(915) 833-9061

Taco Fish specializes in Mexican style tacos and seafood, and although the numerous El Paso seafood restaurants serve much the same style of food, there are some distinguishing features about some of them, including this restaurant. I definitely thought Taco Fish was better than many of the other fish taco places, but it was probably the side dishes that contributed most to that enjoyment.

Ceviche, soup, chips, garlic bread, and lemonade
The complimentary ceviche, soup, chips, garlic bread, and lemonade almost make a meal by themselves

One of the most notable features about Taco Fish is the Ceviche, a fermented fish appetizer served free before the meal. The ceviche was even better with the freshly made chips served with it. Although this appetizer is becoming more popular in El Paso, I think the one at Taco Fish is one of the better versions.

The Fish Soup served as a appetizer seemed to have vegetables that were overcooked, but this is my general impression with just about all Mexican food after my experiences at Chinese restaurants.

Although Taco Fish is inexpensive, daily specials can make it an even better deal (they are currently available at lunch Mon.-Fri.). This is how I ordered the Alejandra Fish Fillet, a fillet of tilapia covered with a cheese and mushroom sauce. The mushrooms tasted like they might have come from a can, but everything else was fresh and made the fish much more enjoyable. I liked the fish as well, but El Paso never seems to have the quality of fish that compares with either of the seacoasts. It was really the preparation of the fish and the side dishes I liked better than the fish itself. I am not sure if this particular dish has been placed on the menu, or was only available as a special.

Another daily special I tried was the Shrimp Enchiladas served with green chile. This was not the best shrimp I have ever had, and no shrimp served in El Paso can ever be quite as fresh as would be found on the Gulf coast. The dish was pretty good, though, and the green chile sauce on top of the enchiladas had a good flavor. For seafood enchiladas, though, I still like the crab enchiladas at Kiki's.

Fish tacos
The breaded fish tacos are some of the best in El Paso

The Breaded Fish Tacos sound as if they might be more generic than other dishes, but the way they are prepared at Taco Fish is unlike I have experienced them at other restaurants. Topped with avocado slices and served with pico de gallo on the side, the moist fish and non-greasy breading is high on the flavor scale. I am not a big fan of the tartar sauce used for flavoring, but the one at Taco Fish was better than others I have eaten.

The home made Lemonade contributed quite a bit to the enjoyment of the meal. This one was not too sweet, and seems to be one of the better ones in El Paso (and comes free with meal to boot).

Rompope
All meals are finished off with a complementary rompope (non-alcoholic)

A special treat at Taco Fish was the Rompope liqueur served in a shot glass at the end of the meal. This eggnog-like drink was sweet enough to serve as a dessert, and this is the only place in El Paso that has served this particular drink.

I am not a big fan of farmed fish such as tilapia, but the way it was prepared and the freshness here were not too bad, and my meals have been quite enjoyable. Taco Fish is small and the service is excellent.

RESTAURANT DETAILS

RATING: 21

Cuisine: Mexican Seafood
Cost: $
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No Smoking
Alcohol: Beer, Wine
Special Features: Weekday lunch specials

Chile Index:

Most Recent Visit
Nov. 29, 2006

Number of Visits: 3

Best Items
Fish, Lemonade, Ceviche

Special Ratings
Fish Fillet: tilapia
Enchiladas: green
Fish Soup:
Ceviche:
Lemonade: Fresh Squeezed



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