Mariscos in Austin BEJUCO’S LA CATEDRAL Mexican Seafood Restaurants Are a Gustatory Vacation DE MARISCOS RESTAURANT by MICK VANN PHOTOS by JOHN ANDERSON
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FOOD Mariscos in Austin BEJUCO’S LA CATEDRAL Mexican seafood restaurants are a gustatory vacation DE MARISCOS RESTAURANT BY MICK VANN PHOTOS BY JOHN ANDERSON Over the last several years, it has seemed like more and more Mexican mariscos restaurants were creeping into town, and when I did a count recently, it occurred to me that there were enough to warrant a critic’s tour. “Mariscos” in Spanish simply means “seafood.” In Mexican- restaurant-speak, it usually implies a restaurant where an assortment of fish and shellfish can be found, cooked in a number of different ways: as various cocktails, in soups, with rice, sauced, in enchiladas, or as tacos or tostadas. Many will have a “regular” Mexican food side of the menu, but the seafood portion of the menu is where the emphasis lies. Each spot has its own spe- cialty, and the seafood is dependably fresh and often served in huge portions. If you don’t see a bottle of Valentina chile sauce on the table, leave immediately. There have been a few losses to the local mariscos scene recently. Sadly, La Mojarra Feliz on North Lamar closed down. El Pescador across from Hill’s on South Congress is being remod- eled; no word yet on whether or not it is being updated or slated to be something new. The mariscos restaurant that was in the flea market on the northwest corner of West Gate Boulevard and Wil liam Cannon went under, as did Sabores on Cameron Road. The mariscos spots remain- ing live on in all of their seafood glory, with happy seafood-loving crowds and a little help from Opochtli, the Aztec god of fishing; St. Peter, the famous fishing apostle; and St. Andrew, the 2711 E. Cesar Chavez, 476-7878 griddled octopus with scallions and pep- Catholic patron saint of all fishermen. Daily, 7am-10pm per; we absolutely loved it. Every now and then you stumble onto a The sopa de siete mares ($10.99) was a jaw-dropper, and for us, Bejuco’s is one mouthwatering broth of seafood stock and MARISCOS TAMPICO BAR & GRILL indeed. Located just west of Pleasant mild chile loaded with roasted peppers, 10601 N. Lamar, 795-4147 Valley with a big parking lot in back, potato, carrot, shrimp, fish, mussels, chunks Monday-Thursday, 10am-8pm; Bejuco’s has about 20 tables covered with of crab, octopus, squid, and cilantro. We Saturday-Sunday, 10am-10pm oilcloth, friendly service, a menu with pic- split it between three people, and it was www.mariscostampicorestaurant.com tures (important if you don’t speak plenty for all, not to mention delicious. The Tampico is on the north end of the Mexican Spanish), and very talented kitchen staff. camarones de mojo de ajo ($10.99) was the flea market across from Chuy’s on Lamar. The menu is half seafood and half grilled- crowning dish: moist shrimp sautéed with Warning: If you go on a Saturday or Sunday, be meat-centric norteño. We started with a garlic butter and a mix of peppers, onion, ready to deal with the crazed flea market parking shrimp cocktail ($5.99, medium) that was and crispy garlic. The rice is rich and lus- lot traffic; it’s much more civil during the week. the best of the lot: packed with shrimp in cious, the beans just right. We were trans- There’s a full bar and a raised dance floor where an orange-kissed sauce that also included fixed by a platter of huge, glistening raw bands, dancing, and karaoke take over weekend diced jicama. A tostada de ceviche ($4.75, oysters on an adjacent table. We loved all of MARISCOS LOS JAROCHOS nonketchup version) was delightful: a tart 9200 N. Lamar #100, 339-3022 nights. The menu here offers the standard meat- it and have already been back for more. mound of seafood that perfectly balanced Sunday-Thursday, 9am-12mid; centric items as well as the specialty seafood and Bejuco’s truly is the cathedral of seafood, Friday-Saturday, 9am-1am cocktail menu. the previous cocktail. The tostada de pulpo and I have big plans for some serious menu A Jarocho is a resident of Veracruz, so this We split a shrimp cocktail ($8.50, small) ($4.75) was a pile of meltingly tender exploration here. 2-year-old restaurant in the strip center on the that was a treat: perfectly cooked shrimp with northwest corner of Rundberg and Lamar lots of diced vegetables and avocado in a tangy leans toward Veracruz specialties. You enter to sauce. The octopus tostada ($4.25) was good, in a chile-accented mayonnaise. Excellent and a large full bar, with blaring Mexican music but the chunks of poached and then griddled almost a meal in itself. Thankfully we got our and soccer on the big screen. In the basket of octopus were a little on the chewy side. The wires crossed, and the fish we ordered never chips is a wonderful tuna empanada for each ceviche tostada ($3.75) was excellent, done came. We were stuffed, and it would have been guest, and these should really be a menu item! without tomato or ketchup, with a large mound a waste. Very friendly service, Mexican soaps The shrimp cocktail ($7.50, small) is ample of fresh ceviche on the crispy shell. A fish taco on the big screens – we loved it all and will enough for two diners, packed with tender ($3.25) was packed with grilled tilapia, bathed definitely go back often. shrimp. The caldo mixto ($8.50, small) was loaded with fish and shrimp in a tomatoey seafood stock. The ceviche ($7.99, small) of shrimp, octopus, fish, and crab is the ketchup- included version, and we found the seafood MARISCO GRILL minced a little too small for our tastes. 211 E. Sixth, 474-7372 Snapper Veracruzano ($14.30) was fine, 6444 Burnet Rd., 458-9440 although not at its freshest. Fried whole and Daily, 10am-10pm We went to the one on Burnet Road, which then sauced, it was loaded with all the requi- is directly across the street from the Poodle site sauce ingredients but light on the tomato. Dog Lounge, an Austin landmark. It has a Crab-stuffed shrimp ($13.75) is a generic item pleasant blue marine motif, and the service is that didn’t seem house-made; don’t bother. friendly and very attentive. We were happy Arroz a la tumbada ($9.90) is a Veracruz ver- with our starter of a shrimp cocktail ($5.95, sion of seafood paella, loaded with fish, small): This version was a little less sweet than shrimp, octopus, and squid. Portions are the others, with less spice but more chunky huge, and everything can be shared. The vegetables and pristinely fresh shrimp. The menu here is all seafood, so avoid it if you fish taco ($3.95) was loaded with pieces of crave meat or are a vegan. A buffet ($7.99) grilled mahi, tossed with tomato, onion, lime runs between 11am and 4pm during the mayonnaise, and cilantro – nice flavor. week, and happy hour is 4-8pm. 42 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E APRIL 30, 2010 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m.