My culinary horizons have certainly expanded since I moved to San Diego in 1998.  Before the late 90’s you couldn’t have paid me to eat sushi, I wouldn’t touch an avocado and the very idea of anything served at breakfast inside a tortilla was sheer lunacy in my head.  All of these things have changed since I moved to Southern California, among other things like I constantly say “No worries” and call every human regardless of gender “dude”.  I still don’t own a pair of sandals because I gotta keep something to represent the East coast, y’know?  One of my other delicacy hold outs was the fish taco.  I fell in love with them a few years ago and have had many a fish taco in San Diego, Los Angeles and everywhere in between, to varying degrees of enjoyment.  I was told by my friend Chris a while back that the best fish taco I would get is in the parking lot of a liquor store.  With a description like that, how could I NOT try that shit?!

He was, of course, talking about a food truck.  Although I admit, for a good enough taco, I would happily be served by a dumpster diving creeper out back a la David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive.  I love that food trucks are such a big thing in San Diego.  I’ve had some amazing food from them.  Kiko’s Place is a far more back-to-basics approach with their truck.  Less flash and dash, hipster-mingling, kitschy gimmick stuff and more old fashioned roach coach-style.  My friends and I were excited to try it out but brought a few more experienced fans of Kiko’s just to be sure.  Joining me were:

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Sarah-Rocky Horror performer, marathon runner, Burning Man enthusiast

Joe-Theatre and beer enthusiast, podcast co-host, Co-Creator of World’s Cutest Baby

Lily-World’s Cutest Baby (a Joe & Nicole production)

Jackie-Awesome Soprano, fellow East Coast transplant, Has a Vegas story or two

Craig-Jackie’s lucky and mysterious other half, picture unavailable

Beautiful sunny afternoon outdoor dining in February. This is why we get super dick-ish about San Diego when comparing it to other places. But seriously, your snow looks nice too…

We had some guidance on this maiden voyage as Jackie and Craig were no strangers to Kiko’s but the day did not start so well for Jackie, as her request for Octopus had been denied.  “Octopus? On a Taco Truck?”, you say?  Indeed, Kiko’s is no ordinary taco truck.  They specialize in seafood: clams, scallops, shrimp, octopus and oysters and they do it right.  “Fresh” was the word most uttered in our group as we ate our food.

There was a line (always a good sign with a food truck) and the folks inside the truck were only too happy to offer us a complimentary cup of spicy tomato soup while we waited, which was lovely.  I wasted no time in ordering the tacos.  Being used to modestly portioned fare, I got 2 fish tacos and 2 garlic shrimp tacos.  This was an error on my part.  The tacos are BIG.  Two of these things are easily a meal in itself.

“Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task”-William James

As if I didn’t need more proof of how damn fresh this food was, the fish from the tacos had JUST come out of the fryer.  The reason I know this is because they nearly scalded my fingers just trying to pick up the taco.  As my usual M.O. is to pile drive face-first into my food like a hungry dog in a Puppy Chow commercial, this presented a challenge.  In the meantime, I focused on what everyone else was eating.

Sarah had just completed a half marathon earlier in the day and was treating herself to a protein filled lunch.  She started with the Oysters.  I don’t like oysters and you are not at all surprised to learn this.

Well, if that’s what you’re into… Takes all kinds, I suppose.

Jackie and Craig also had the oysters and they got high marks across the board.  They turned out to be Sarah’s favorite part of her whole meal.  Jackie loved the freshness of the dish which was accented nicely by the touch of spice and citrus.  This is why I bring other people: to eat & report on the stuff that I’m too much of a fussy pre-schooler to touch.

Jackie spoke highly of the fish ceviche, which she ordered and loved.  Sarah’s lunch also consisted of a Mussels Cocktel, which Joe hilariously described as a “Mussel Parfait”.

I like my lunch the same way I like my men: Cold, Spicy, full of muscles and available on a street corner for $3.

As for the guys, we were all about the tacos!  Craig, Joe and I each got the classic fish tacos.  Freshness makes all the difference and you are reminded of that with every bite of these.  Great corn tortillas (yeah, it requires two), shredded cabbage, tomato , fresh light sauce and a batter fried golden brown piece of quality volcanic-temperature fish .  I waited as long as I could!  Starchy, rich, crispy and delicious awesomeness for a $1.15.  Did I mention this place is mad cheap?

Joe ordered the grilled fish tacos, which he said were also really good.  Lily had a pancake and avocado because she is a baby and has already been refused service at Kiko’s twice for showing up drunk and belligerent.  Harry and I also had the garlic shrimp tacos.  The only downside to these was the 3+ bites that were interrupted by pieces of shell but I totally opened up the tacos and picked out the remaining shrimp by hand because they were that good.  Sarah mentioned that she would’ve preferred somewhat smaller portions and I gotta say, she’s right but when it comes to delicious food, “Too much” is the very definition of a first world problem.

While I am not the biggest seafood fan in the world, the fish tacos were pretty great.  A no-nonsense approach to doing it up right.  This alone was reason enough to come back (a close second would be a dish they advertise called “VIAGRA”, which I didn’t try this go-round because there were ladies present…).  The food is big, it’s cheap and it’s fresh as hell.  Thumbs up.

Further reading: http://kikosplaceseafood.com/index.html