Mariscos Ruben: Claw and Fin and Chiltepin
Categories: Tijuana Sí!
 |
| Bill Esparza / Street Gourmet LA |
See also:
- Mariscos el Cholo: Clamming It Up On 6th and Madero
- Viva Sinaloa y Pescado Zarandeado: Beach Grill Babylon in Tijuana
- Taquería Franc: Asada and Adobada and Suadero, Oh My
Mariscos Ruben, though, in a gritty-looking (but perfectly safe) part of downtown Tijuana between the Mercado Hidalgo and the clubs of 6th St., aims to change that. It's a huge operation for a mobile eatery, with a permanent building, a truck, and a huge awning connecting the two, allowing you to eat in the shade, and they are proudly Sonoran. All you have to do is ask about the provenance of the seafood, and they'll talk about the arid shores that teem with underwater life waiting for lucky people like you to stop by and eat.
Sonora is also the home of the chiltepin, a small, bomb-shaped chile that blasts your mouth with a few milliseconds of intense, explosive capsaicin burn before fading away to a sweet finish, and Ruben's truck has a beautiful salsa de chiltepin. While there's an array of homemade and bottled salsas on the table against the shed, the bright red chiltepin salsa has pride of place on the counter at the truck. Pair it with anything that contains shrimp; the blast of spice primes the tongue perfectly for the sweetness of Sea of Cortez shrimp.
 |
| Dave Lieberman |
 |
| Dave Lieberman |
Find Mariscos Ruben at the corner of Calle Octava (8th St.) and Quintana Roo, just a block toward downtown from Taquería Franc and two blocks from Mercado Hidalgo. Officially, they are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but many times the ladies are there taking orders as early as 8 a.m., particularly on weekends.
Follow Stick a Fork In It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook! And don't forget to download our free Best Of App here!
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
