Mariscos Jalisco is the Lunchtime Taco Champ

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Over the weekend LA Taco’s 3rd Annual Taco Madness came to a close, and in the closest vote of all time Mexicali Taco & Co (in Westlake) was crowned the champ of Los Angeles tacos.  Only one problem for this lunch hunter…  they’re only open at night!  In fact, sometimes it seems like most of the great taco trucks are only open late at night (Leo, I’m looking at you.)  So when I saw that the Taco Madness Runner Up, Mariscos Jalisco was *only* open for lunch I got pretty excited.  Add to that the fact that they’re pretty close to Downtown, and dispatched (the amazing) Ricky’s Fish Tacos (1400 Virgil, Hollywood) in the semi finals, and I couldn’t resist heading over Monday to check it out.

Taco Madness isn’t the first I’ve heard of Mariscos Jalisco. Mexican food encyclopedia Bill Esparza, from Street Gourmet L.A., put this truck on the map back in 2008 and has called their shrimp taco one of the best in the city. But even his write up didn’t really prepare me for the awesomeness of this taco.

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If you’re like me, here’s what is possibly going through your mind right now. “I like taquitos. I like flautas. Who wouldn’t like a fried taco!? I’m sure this thing is good…”

Well, let me assure you that “good” doesn’t really prepare you for how awesome this taco is. It is as it looks – a deep fried taco- but the filling is this deliciously tasty shrimp mush that is super crispy on the outside and silky smooth on the inside (like some kind of perfect seafood fritter). After being fired, the whole thing gets topped with fresh salsa and avocado slices, and at $1.75 it’s a bargain even though the price has gone up 25 cents since Street Gourmet L.A. originally wrote about it 2008. Best taco in Los Angeles? Well, I’ll reluctantly admit that its semi-final victory over Ricky’s was not a fluke. And, since Mexicali isn’t open for lunch it’s a moot issue as far as I’m concerned. The taco dorado de camaron from Mariscos Jalisco is my new favorite L.A. Taco (and possibly the best taco I’ve ever eaten.)

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Instead of getting multiple tacos (a decision I’ve regretted ever since) I decided to check out their popular ceviches. Available on a tostada for $3-5, I went with the mixta- a mix of whole shrimp, big tender chunks of octopus, and fish. It didn’t have a ton of flavor, but a squeeze of lime took care of that and the whole thing was surprisingly clean tasting through and through. Really excellent considering that it’s only $5 (although I’ve heard mixed things about their ceviches… so I’m guessing it can be hit or miss depending on the day you’re there.)

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If you want something with more punch, go with the spicy and smokey tostada de aguachile. A mix of shrimp, onions and what I think was celery, it’s more smokey than spicey (but still packs some serious heat.)

All in all I was super excited to have finally made it out to this truck, and recommend it to anybody who works in Downtown and can take their full hour for lunch. The food comes out super quick, so it’s completely do-able even with a 5-10 minute drive there and back. Hell, you’ll probably spend more time waiting for a table at Bottega Louie than you will driving to the Mariscos Jalisco truck. And, believe me, you’re not going to get anything as good (or as cheap) as this taco there.

Mariscos Jalisco Truck, 3040 E Olympic Blvd

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