On a sunny Los Angeles day, there aren’t many places I’d rather eat than the patio of Senor Fish in Eagle Rock. An icy cup of horchata in one hand, a heaping plate of grilled seafood before me, I’m left with no doubt that moving to Los Angeles in 1999 was a good idea.

Owner Alicia Ramirez grew up in nearby Cypress Park and Highland Park. She learned to cook from her mother, and through trial and error. She opened the first Senor Fish on Figueroa in Highland Park in 1988. The Eagle Rock flagship opened in 1995, and the Highland Park original closed in 1996. She later added a branches downtown, in South Pasadena and Alhambra.

The food is consistent at each location, due to Alicia’s quality control and a group of chefs that have been with her almost since the beginning, but each Senor Fish has its own personality. The Eagle Rock branch is geared toward outdoor dining, with an airy patio and several tables made from slabs of lacquered tree cross-sections. The downtown branch is bright, arty and bohemian. The South Pasadena locale (the biggest money earner) is spare, set in a mini-mall. And the Alhambra site is modern, all metallic and blue, in the heart of Main Street’s business district. Other than a brief stretch where the Eagle Rock location changed to Senor Fresh due to a “family issue,” Senor Fish has thrived.

When I think of Senor Fish, sure I think of the mouth-watering seafood, but I also think of the restaurant’s logo: a fish with a sombrero and Rollie Fingers mustache, grabbing a hook with one fin, the other fin holding a dish towel. Architect Tony Cortez, a childhood friend of Alicia’s, designed the logo. According to Alicia, “I wanted a fish with a hat. The hat signifies the Mexican part of Senor Fish. Tony added the hook and dish towel.”

On what makes Senor Fish superior to other Mexican seafood restaurants, Alicia said, “I really care about the food, make sure all the salsas and guacamole are homemade.” She also buys fresh seafood every day but Sunday from the downtown fish market and various purveyors. On any given day, the “fresh fish fillet” list can run 10-deep. Yellowtail, tuna, salmon, mahi-mahi, sea bass, swordfish, tilapia, cod, and shark make regular appearances. A recent addition is escolar.

All this fresh seafood contributes to some special dishes at Senor Fish. Alicia is most proud of her seafood quesadilla ($9.95). “I don’t know if I invented it, but I feel like I did.” Shrimp, scallops, cod, imitation-crab, melted, gooey white cheese and smoky salsa are piled inside a flour tortilla and grilled until the outside is crispy. It’s then topped with a scoop of fresh-churned guacamole and drizzled with spicy red salsa. This is a dish I could eat daily.

Also tantalizing is a combination plate of shrimp, scallops and fish sautéed in garlic butter ($12.50). Unless you state a preference, expect cod. I prefer salmon (pictured). The plate comes with refried pinto beans and fluffy red rice, both as good as they get. The rice soaks up the garlic butter to great effect. Also on the plate is a vinaigrette-doused salad topped with thin slices of avocado, tasty. You’re even given a choice of tortillas. Go with flour; the corn are good, but the flour are amazing.

Senor Fish is locally, and justifiably, famous for their scallop burrito ($5.95 fried, $6.95 grilled). Stuffed with pinto beans, scallops, red rice, cabbage and “pico de gallo” (“beak of the rooster:” chopped, marinated onions and tomatoes). Huge sea scallops are the best taco option. Alicia never heard of putting scallops in a taco before listing them on her menu. The scallops caramelize on the grill, yet remain velvety.

Other good taco fillings include juicy sea bass (left) and shark (right). The ferocious predators have a meaty taste all their own. It costs an extra $.50 a taco to grill the seafood. Pay it without hesitation, then squeeze on the lime.

For veg-heads, Alicia offers potato tacos. “The potato taco is more special than I ever imagined. My mom used to make them for me as a kid.”

Not surprisingly, the salsa bar is also exemplary. You’ll find at least four types of salsa, ranging in spice level: mild green tomatillo, red, orange, and a deep rust-colored salsa of true complexity (pictured). According to Alicia, “The salsas are made in Eagle Rock for all the locations, for consistent flavor.” There are also tubs of fresh cut limes, marinated jalapenos and carrots, used for garnishing.

While the Eagle Rock flagship of Senor Fish provides an idyllic Southern California dining experience, thanks to Alicia Ramirez’s guidance, the other three branches still beat other Mexican seafood spots in the area. So head to Senor Fish and enjoy the best of what the ocean has to offer.

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3. The Best Fish Taco in Ensenada – Los Angeles, CA – February 22, 2008
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5. Sky’s Gourmet Tacos – Los Angeles, CA – August 14, 2005

This entry is filed under California, Eastside, Los Angeles, Mexican, Seafood, Southern California.