Mexico is a vast country that allows for an enormous variety of local and regional cuisines. To say Mexican food is all about tacos and burritos would be an understatement because the food is one of the most varied on earth.
With 9,330 km (5,800 miles) of shoreline facing the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean Sea, it’s easy to see why seafood is a big deal in Mexico, and it’s all delicious! Here are Mexico’s most popular seafood dishes, from sea-scented tacos to grilled fish. Find the one that sings to you and put together your own Mexican seafood-themed dinner!
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Puerto Nuevo Lobster
Sure, you’ll find a great lobster dish in any corner of the planet, but the ones made in the coastal town of Puerto Nuevo, in Baja, might just be the very best. This fishermen’s village has become a food travel destination, and the word is out, so don’t miss out on it.
What makes Puerto Nuevo’s lobster the tastiest in Mexico? For starters, it’s fresh. Then, of course, there’s the cooking method. Cut in half lengthwise, the prettiest lobsters are buttered and charcoal-grilled, right there on the beach.
The most colorful and flavorful sides, including fresh salads and spicy salsas, complete the experience for the most luxurious seafood feast in Mexico, one that you can enjoy barefooted.
Baja-style Tacos
Another fantastic Mexican seafood dish and one you can make at home is the Baja-style taco. From the country’s hundreds of different tacos, this is one of the tastiest, obviously because it’s stuffed with shrimp!
Start by breading large shrimp with panko breadcrumbs and deep-fry them. You can coat them in beer batter too. The only thing left to do is placing them over a warm, freshly made tortilla with shredded lettuce, a teaspoon of spicy salsa, a squirt of lime juice, and mayo.
Fresh, crispy, spicy, and immensely satisfying, if you’ve never tried shrimp tacos, add them to your bucket list, especially if they’re prepared Baja-style!
Ceviche
The most famous Mexican seafood dish, ceviche, is not uniquely Mexican; it has its origins in Peru. Still, ceviche is today amongst Mexico’s most renowned seafood specialties.
It all starts with fresh, diced whitefish, ‘cooked’ in a lime juice marinade and tossed with diced tomatoes, sliced onions and cilantro leaves. Every tangy bite is reminiscent of the sea, making ceviche a fabulous light lunch best enjoyed with your feet buried in the sand with a margarita in one hand and your spoon in the other.
It comes without saying you can make ceviche with any type of seafood, from lobster to octopus, and they’re all unique in their own way. What’s your favorite ceviche made of?
Aguachile
The aguachile, literally meaning spicy water, is a Mexican seafood specialty that could be described as a saucier type of ceviche. Here, raw shrimp is marinated in lime juice and a wide variety of chili peppers and tossed with sliced cucumbers and onions.
The resulting dish can be quite spicy, depending on the type of hot pepper used, making enjoying aguachile a thrilling experience. With a tortilla chip basket on the table, scooping these tangy and spicy shrimp is tons of fun — more than food, aguachile is always an experience to share with friends and family.
Aguachile can be more complex than you think. Some chefs will add an assortment of ingredients, from cantaloupe to a splash of tequila to add vibrancy to the raw seafood delicacy.
Talla-style Fish
Acapulco is one of the most prominent coastal cities in Mexico, and it’s more than a lively nightlife and beautiful beaches — here, food is seriously good. There’s a seafood specialty, though, that’s more popular than any other. The talla-style fish.
A whole fish is cut lengthwise butterfly-style and rubbed with a tomato-based, spicy sauce. The fish gains a lovely red color, but it’s not complete until it’s placed flesh-down on a grill. The burning embers cook the fish with direct heat, and the smoke infuses the fish while it cooks. Serve it with a side of tossed salad and enjoy this souvenir from Acapulco.
Spice Up Your Life, Mexican-style!
Mexican food is known for its spicy food for sure, but as you see, the country’s most popular seafood dishes are all about the purity of flavor, vibrant colors and contrasting textures. Daily Seafood takes pride in offering fresh seafood options catering to a variety of cuisines, with delivery directly to your door in Toronto.
The next time you’re craving Mexican food, think of the country’s fantastic seafood specialties. Uncomplicated, always fresh and intensely flavorful, these are excellent alternatives for a late lunch or early dinner. Spice up your life a little with Mexican seafood specialties!
