Mention fish tacos to most New Englanders and you’ll probably receive a suspicious look followed by a slightly wrinkled nose. Luckily for Boston that is all about to change thanks to a crop of restaurants bringing this west coast staple to Beantown.

For those who are not familiar with fish tacos, they normally include a variation of fried white fish (such as Atlantic Pollock), cabbage, picked vegetables, salsa, radishes, and a spicy chipotle crema. The resulting flavor is a fresh, bold, texture-pleasing take on the Old El Paso standard tacos that were a part of our childhood.

As a transplant to Boston, I was introduced to fish tacos in Denver, at a lovely little place called Wahoo’s Fish Tacos. After moving to Boston, I thought I would have to permanently say goodbye to my favorite quick meal until a recent foodie awakening of the joy of the Baja style taco.  One of my favorites is Dorados, a recent venture by Chef Douglas Organ who became famous for his tacos at the Jamaica Plain restaurant Café D. The tacos are small, but perfectly sized for picking and choosing from variations including fish, shrimp, beef, chicken, and even their own house-made chorizo. Also of note are delicious Mexican sandwiches called Cemitas, which include black beans, chipotles in adobo, avocado, Oaxacana cheese, cilantro, as well as your choice of meat or veggies.

 Another place to try, while not quite new, offers surprisingly delicious Mexican fare on a street where gourmet means ordering your street sausage “city side” (love you Sausage Guy). La Verdad is Chef Ken Oringer’s take on a taqueria for those hungry Red Sox fans who want to try something a little different. While a few menu items are a little pricier than a traditional taqueria, it’s worth the extra dollar for some fresh flavors and killer margaritas. And if you happen to be one of those people who sip your tequila instead of shooting it like the rest of us, you’ll enjoy their upscale selection.  

Also, I would like to pour a little tequila on the ground for a fallen fish taco gem, El Pelon, who perished in a fire that took a string of favorite restaurants on Peterborough Street in Fenway. The good news is they have opened a new spot in Brighton and plan on reopening their Fenway location once the building is restored.

www.doradotacos.com

http://www.laverdadtaqueria.com

http://www.elpelon.com/updates.html