I hate people who are not serious about their meals. -- Oscar Wilde

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Surf Taco: Seaside Park, NJ

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: “No shirt, no shoes, no problem” is only a suggestion or a guideline, some people need to wear a shirt

I have been to California a couple of times in my past life playing paintball. There were two unavoidable things that happened every time I went to California:

1.       In and Out would be immediately be located
2.       The consumption of horrible pizza
3.       Mexican/Latina influence cuisine making up 80% of my diet

There was something about going to California and all the paintballers that I travelled with that craved and wanted to constantly eat Mexican food, plus the cheapness factor was a plus and paintballers are notorious cheap when it comes to everything non-paintball related. I did not realize it then, but the huge burritos and addition of rice, beans, sour cream, avocado and all that is really more of the Mission style/Baja style of Mexican which is an off shoot of Mexican food, adapted to the California style of eating. Such thing as fish tacos is really more of a California surfer rendition, that here across the way Surf Taco in Seaside Park is doing. 

On my inaugural trip to the beach and pretty much everytime I come home from the beach, I like to pick up some food from Surf Taco because it’s a good driving snack (DISCLAIMER: I do not endorse eating and driving at the same time, but if I were too, tacos are a compact and a one handed food that makes it easy eating) and my parents like the tacos and almost insist on me picking them up. Surf Taco plays the surfer/beach club hard. It is like the designer of Hollister and Crapplebees got together to decorate the place. Slap on a couple of Roxy and Billabong stickers to fend off “poser” label and pretend legitimacy and that would describe the interior. Food After the Jump!

Mahi Mahi Taco- no i did not take this while driving

Their specialty here is the fish taco which is a deep fried piece of Cod that is dressed with cabbage, a creamy cilantro like sauce and pico de gallo. Given I ate my way from the boardwalk earlier that is a haven of fried food, I decided against the classic and when with the grilled Mahi Mahi instead, pretending that I was making a healthy choice. I also decided to venture off the usual and go with the garlic shrimp burrito to see how that fairs. All of it is made to order which ensures hot food and especially for their original fish tacos, crispy skin. The Mahi Mahi fish taco was served in the double corn tortilla style but can also be served Mission style with the flour tortillas upon request. The fish was cooked nicely and the cabbage gave it a textural contrast. 

Mahi Mahi under the Mountain of Cabbage
The garlic shrimp burrito was only alright. The shrimp was tender, but the garlic flavors was faint or just over powered by the copious amount of rice that was shoved into the burrito. I am pretty sure that they served me enough rice rations for 4 people at a refugee camp. The shrimp burrito was underwhelming and in the future, I will most likely stick with the tacos and maybe try a different burrito with the addition of their salsas but regardless of the salsa bar, the food should be able to stand on its own with the addition of condiments. Overall, after a day at the beach, especially Island Beach State Park, which is not Guido infested and is legitimately nice, Surf Taco satisfies all salty-air cravings. Or if you are like me and do not like the beach, because I hate the fact sand gets everywhere, good place to stop to get that last beach taste before heading on home. 

Garlic Shrimp Burrito..there is shrimp in there...somewhere

Surf Taco
212 SE Central Ave
Seaside Park, NJ
http://www.surftaco.com/

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