There’s something magical that happens in the midst of the Fresno heat when fish tacos are placed in front of me. All of a sudden, instead of complaining about walking into a furnace every time I go outside, I imagine the cool breeze of the Ensenada coastline and the festive sounds and savory smells surrounding the taco stands lining the beach.
The crispy fish, the fresh pico de gallo and light crema on warmed tortillas get me every time.
This past week I ate at El Pescador, arguably the best fish taco spot in town.
Is it, though? I’m not sure, but paired with an ice cold michelada and good friends, those fried fish tacos simply make me fall in love with summer. Pictured below are some of my dinner dates from the evening, Mathr and Natalia.
If you’ve never been to El Pescador (“the fisherman”), you can expect a packed house with mariachis on Sundays and other live Mexican music throughout the week. When I went this last time, I was anxious to test out these tips from a few of my super foodie friends:
1. GENEROUSLY squeeze lime on everything you order. The lime brightens up all the flavors.
2. Try the swordfish tacos. C’mon, live a little! These definitely didn’t look or taste the way I expected them to; they have a pink hue to them (the meat is smoked) with a texture similar to ham and hints of bacon with a seafood flavor. Recommended for the advanced foodie.
3. Don’t eat your tacos right away. They come out piping out, so sit back, have a few sips of your Negro Modelo, chat with friends, and let them cool off for a few minutes before diving in.
4. Ask for light butter on your tacos. Contrary to what you may expect to be oil, the secret ingredient to the comforting taste of the tacos here is butter. It’s good, of course, but you’ll be using napkins for days if you don’t have them lighten it up a bit.
5. Other items to try: Caldo de pescado, shrimp tacos, scallop tacos, tostada mixta, the beans. We didn’t get the beans or the caldo (“soup”) this time around but make sure to add them to your list when you go. Delicious.
The fish tacos at El Pescador are truly a Fresno experience you don’t want to miss out on. With 100-degree days almost every day, you can have a taste of the ocean right on Blackstone Avenue (humor me).
If you have another spot you frequent for fish tacos, please let me know in the comments. I’d love to give them a try.
El Pescador
4610 N Blackstone Ave
Fresno, CA 93726
In midst of all this, a girl has gotta eat, right? Alisa is loves chatting with chefs behind the scenes and exploring the rich food culture of the Central Valley.
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Try the fish tacos at El Tacolicious http://eltacolicious.com/. They’re on Belmont across from Roeding Park. The fish tacos are San Diego style (and fantastic).
Ooh, good call! I’ve had the carne asada tacos there, but not the fish tacos. I’ll give them a try next time!
Don Pepe’s (Blackstone and Gettysburg or Herndon and Ingram) are my favorite fish tacos