Seafood Market progeny hooks desert dwellers with Baja-style seafood and fried fare.
When two-time James Beard Award nominee Silvana Salcido Esparza prophesizes, restaurateurs listen. After she dubbed gourmet tacos “the wave of the future” in a 2012 interview with PBS, a slew of new Valley eateries – including Craig DeMarco’s Joyride Taco House, Z’Tejas’ Taco Guild concept and SoCal Fish Taco Company in Gilbert – burst out of the boardroom with precisely that concept.
Conceived by California native Pablo Reynoso Jr., whose parents founded Mesa’s Seafood Market restaurant, SoCal is a breezy fish shack incongruously nestled in historic downtown Gilbert. Pale aqua walls sport black-and-white images of surfers hanging ten; outdoors, a faux grass conversation area hosts nighttime “beach” parties. Corrugated metal wainscoting inside the narrow dining space evokes the feel of a ramshackle coastal bar where fish is served on disposable plates and Coronas perspire on buckets of ice.
The adventure begins with creamy, onion-laced blue crab cakes (a bargain at $6) and Mexicali shrimp cocktail ($9) skillfully cloned from the zesty ceviche served in Loreto, Baja. Fish ceviche tostadas ($6) might’ve held the same allure if SoCal hadn’t salted them like jerky. A higher citrus-to-sodium ratio would help cut the fishiness without putting diners’ blood pressure in peril.
Creamy clam chowder ($3 cup/$6 bowl/$7 bread bowl) was briny, yet palatable thanks to starchy potato chunks and a flour-thickened base. Steamed clams ($9) are deliciously drowned in a bucket of butter, and no complaints were heard about crisp, non-greasy fried offerings like tangy beer-battered fish & chips ($6) and delicately textured calamari fries ($9).
The grub here may not be truly gourmet, but it’s fresh. Vegetables are crisp as a December morning. And you won’t need an after-dinner mint to chase SoCal’s ocean-clean fish, sourced from Pacific Seafood through Reynoso Sr. Of the seven seafood tacos, mahi, shrimp and cod lured me back for seconds. The subtle tartness of tequila-lime-glazed shrimp ($8) marries well with peppery aioli, while mahi ($7) retains its seaworthiness against an onslaught of spicy radish, onion and cabbage. Broiled salmon is more successful as a spicy chipotle wrap ($8), its pungent pink flesh coated with savory salsa ranch.
Traditional cod ($6) – the lone fry guy in the bunch – is firm and flaky with a thin panko breading that doesn’t bury its natural flavor. Only the “blackened” grouper ($7), with its afterthought of Cajun spices, and rubbery ahi ($8) rated a catch and release. For landlubbers, there’s carne asada and carnitas tacos ($7 a plate), the latter a feast of succulent, fork-tender shredded pork that soars when topped with the accompanying ranch beans and chicken-scented rice pilaf.
It’s easy to leave SoCal with a clean palate and a fresh view of downtown Gilbert, but if you appreciate sweets, don’t miss out on cinnamon-crusted churros ($3) with sinfully rich caramel dip. Besides boosting brain activity and improving digestion, cinnamon may help lower blood pressure – a side effect that could prove useful after consuming those ceviche tostadas.
DETAILS
SoCal Fish Taco Company
Cuisine: Mexican
Address: 219 N. Gilbert Rd., Gilbert
Phone: 480-807-6225
Website: socalfishtacos.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Highlights: Crab cakes ($6); Mexicali shrimp cocktail ($9); steamed clams ($9); fish & chips ($6); carnitas tacos ($7); mahi tacos ($7); shrimp tacos ($8); salmon wrap ($8); churros ($3)
