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Fish Tacos: An Amazing Epicurean Delight
I love fish tacos, and I am perpetually looking for restaurants that have these tasty morsels from the sea. My Florida travels have taken me to some of the best fish and seafood tacos that the Sunshine State has to offer. Whether I order gourmet tuna tacos for an appetizer in a fine-dining restaurant or more traditional-style fish tacos as an entree in a dingy diner, rarely am I disappointed.
Unquestionably, fish tacos have been growing in popularity in recent years. Perhaps you have been hearing all about them, but never actually tried fish tacos for yourself. You may even be wondering what all the hype is about. Well, today I’d like to show you some of the most incredibly awesome fish and seafood tacos that I have found in Florida, and challenge you to step outside the box of traditional Mexican meat tacos and into the wonderful world of fish tacos.
Life is short. Get out of your boring-food comfort zone and treat your palate to these amazing epicurean delights.
Ahi Tuna Tacos from Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar in Orlando
Ahi Tuna Tacos at Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar
I know, I know… Tommy Bahama is best known for boat shoes and nautical-themed weekend wear, not tacos! Hubby has been sporting their casually elegant off-the-boat island attire since its inception in 1993. I have a few sundresses from their comfy women’s resort wear collection as well.
But did you know Tommy Bahama has restaurants too? Yes, 18 of their 160+ company-owned retail stores have a restaurant & bar that will immediately transport your senses to an “islandy” state of mind. We are fortunate here in Florida to have a bunch of them. I’ve eaten at their locations in Orlando, Sarasota, West Palm Beach (now closed), and Naples (my favorite one!). Just like the Tommy Bahama apparel, the restaurants have an elegant but relaxed tropical flair. And, the island-themed restaurants from this iconic fashion brand make some of the best fish and tuna tacos I have ever eaten. Here, you can choose between ahi tuna tacos as an appetizer or blackened fish tacos as an entree.
I almost always have the ahi tuna tacos appetizer. They are truly outstanding, with melt-in-your-mouth sushi-grade tuna. The tuna tacos are served in a wonton shell with island slaw and wasabi-avocado creme. So yummy! Even if you’re not a seafood aficionado, you absolutely must try these. With an explosion of flavors and texture in your mouth, the tacos are nothing short of mind-blowing!
If you’re interested in making these tacos at home, here’s the Tommy Bahama Ahi Tuna Tacos Recipe straight from their website. I have never tried the cajun blackened fish tacos, but those who have, consistently give them 5-star reviews. Here’s the link for the Tommy Bahama Blackened Fish Tacos Recipe. In these tacos the cajun blackened fish is served in white corn tortillas and topped with tomato relish, chipotle aioli, island slaw, and lime sour cream. Hungry yet?
Tuna Tartar Tacos at Mango’s Dockside Bistro in Marco Island
Yellow Fin Tuna Tacos at Mango’s Dockside Bistro
Speaking of succulent tuna tacos, another favorite Florida restaurant is Mango’s Dockside Bistro. Mango’s is located waterfront at the Esplanade Shoppes & Marina on Smokehouse Bay, on marvelous Marco Island. This lazy little island on Florida’s Southwest Coast, along the Gulf of Mexico has some of the freshest seafood you’ll find in Florida.
Hubby and I discovered Mango’s Dockside while strolling this gorgeous coastal Italian-style village that houses upscale retailers, small specialty stores, and fine dining restaurants. If ever you’re in the Southwest Florida neighborhood, you must stop by the Esplanade. The old-world architectural detail along with lush floral landscaping and fountains exudes a relaxing coastal Italian atmosphere. While enjoying the promenade along the waterfront, we visited Mango’s Dockside for a late-afternoon reprieve.
Although Mango’s has outdoor patio dining overlooking the marina, we chose to cool down inside. We loved the tropical atmosphere, waterfall, and home decor & gift shoppe at this popular Marco Island family friendly restaurant. We happened to be there during their happy hour (Monday through Saturday from 3 – 7). I must tell you, happy hours in Florida are not just for libations. In addition to liquid refreshments, many restaurants in the Sunshine State offer incredible deals on appetizers or small plate menus. And that’s what gets me happy during happy hour — getting to try so many unique “foodie” items at awesome prices!
Hubby had the ceviche from the sushi menu, made with citrus lime marinated yellowtail, conch, tuna, salmon, octopus, cucumber, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, onion, and jalapeno. The presentation was unique and the flavors sensational. I had the yellow fin tuna tartar tacos. The tacos were served in three crispy wontons with avocado, mango, kimchee, sesame oil, and avocado-citrus-ginger aioli. Yep, you guessed it… to die for! In fact, we liked the happy hour food at Mango’s Dockside so much we went back the next night for dinner!
Shrimp Tacos from Bahama Breeze in Lake Buena Vista Florida
Shrimp Tacos at Bahama Breeze
I love Bahama Breeze, a Darden-owned Caribbean-themed restaurant that specializes in fresh seafood. The food is consistently reliable and service is always good. This is one of my favorite happy hour restaurants for food. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4 – 6, and the appetizers are half-price. It’s not unusual for hubby and I to each have 2 or 3 appetizers, which actually becomes our dinner! I don’t know about you, but oftentimes I think my appetizer is better than my entree in many restaurants.
Bahama Breeze has many locations in Florida, so whether you’re a local or visitor you must check out their happy hour food offerings. It goes without saying that the tacos were amongst my favorite — the shrimp tacos, that is. You can check out the full Bahama Breeze Happy Hour Menu right here.
Crunchy Fish Tacos from Grillsmith in Lakeland Florida
Fish Tacos at Grillsmith
Grillsmith is a local chain-restaurant in the Tampa Florida area with 5 locations. Whenever I go to Lakeland shopping, we have lunch at Grillsmith at the Lakeside Village Town Center. The food is always excellent and the service top-notch. And, the crunchy fish tacos are the bomb!
The tacos are served in a flour tortilla with panko breaded hand-battered cod, mango ginger salsa, red bell peppers, cilantro, Sriracha aïoli, and pad Thai slaw. Can someone say d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s? The mild flakey white fish contrasted with the aïoli that has just the right amount of “heat” then infused with the fruity flavor of tropical mango and the zip of ginger root… my goodness, your mouth may not even know what to do with all that awesomeness! Add a side of kicked-up fries or healthy smashed cauliflower like we do, and you’re good to go. But you won’t stay gone for long…
Fish Tacos at Jerry’s Foods Sanibel
This is one of the most unlikely places to find fish tacos — at a grocery store? But then again, Jerry’s Foods in Sanibel Island Florida is not your typical grocery store. I mean how many grocery stores do you access through a tropical rainforest? Okay, so it’s not exactly a rainforest… but it is tropical, complete with tropical talking birds!
Jerry’s Foods is always our first stop, right after arriving at our Sanibel Island villa. When the unpacking is complete, we head on over to Jerry’s. This is where I buy my mouthwatering delectable pastries, cinnamon ice cream locally made in Fort Myers, and homemade soups from the salad bar.
Jerry’s also has a cafe, and it’s always loaded with locals. Why? Because the locals know where to get the best food on the island, at the best price! When we travel, we like to eat where the locals eat. We usually do lunch here, or take advantage of the nightly dinner specials. We have never had a bad meal at Jerry’s Foods. I love the fresh Florida grouper fingers, and hubby loves the fish tacos. The tacos are made with mahi mahi, either grilled blackened or fried, and served in a flour tortilla with shredded cabbage, cilantro, and pico de gallo. So delish!
Nothing Beats a Florida Fish Taco!
There’s a lot of debate about the birthplace of fish tacos (although most people believe they originated in Baja). But regardless of where or how the fish taco crossed the border, I’m so glad it did. The cool thing about fish tacos is that they can be modified to suit everyone’s tastes. Restaurants are becoming more and more creative with their fish tacos recipes, and households from California to Florida are experimenting at home with these culinary gems.
One of the [many] things I love about living in Florida is all the fresh seafood available year round, and nothing beats a Florida fish taco!
QUESTION: I’ve shared a few of my favorite tacos and would love to know about your’s. Where’s the BEST place in Florida for fish (or seafood) tacos? Please share in the comment box below, our reader’s would love to know.