Tacos Gobernador - San Diego Gobernador Taco Throwdown

From Sinaloa to Sonora to San Diego every time I order a Taco Gobernador (Governor) I can almost guarantee I will be getting something different at each establishment. The Taco Gobernador is said to have originated in Sinaloa Mexico and named after an ex governor of Sinaloa. The first version I tried was in Sinaloa and had a combination of shrimp, marlin, and cheese. Over the years I have had countless renditions with only one common denominator “Shrimp”.



With my travels to Mexico limited for a few months I decided to put some Gobernadors in San Diego head to head so I grabbed my brother, jumped in the car, and let the games begin. It should be no surprise my favorite gobernadors come from mobile trucks and not restaurants.

First stop Mariscos German 35th and University San Diego. I have tried almost all of Mariscos German locations and they are pretty consistent across the board. Mariscos Germans Gobernadors consist of Red Onion, Cilantro, Celery, Shrimp, Cheese, and Tomato.



Overall I find no faults in this taco and it has been a long time favorite of mine. The Shrimp was cooked to perfection with just the right amount of seasoning and the veggies and cheese grilled just right. This still stands as my number one choice for this style of taco.

Second stop Mariscos El Pescador Chula Vista. Mariscos El Pescador in Chula Vista is my usual Fish Taco stop but I decided to see how their gobernador stacked up to Mariscos German side by side. The Gobernadors at El Pescador are very similar to Mariscos German. El Pescadors Gobernador consist of Shrimp, Bell Pepper, Celery, Onion, Cilantro, Tomato, and Red Onion.



If you’re taking notes Bell Pepper is the only difference from Germans version. Another difference on Pescadors gobernador is they butterfly the shrimp. My only faults with this version is I feel it needs less seasoning and vegetables. Defiantly a top contender in the Gobernador throwdown, and on this day and a close second.

Third stop Mariscos El Paisa San Ysidro. We worked our way south to San Ysidro and decide to check out Mariscos El Paisa. With Mariscos German representing San Felipe and El Pescador representing Ensenada I knew the representation from El Paisa (Culiacan Sinaloa) would be different. This version had no grilled vegetables and consisted of just shrimp, tomato, lettuce, cilantro, and crema.



The shrimp was succulent and the taco was double wrapped in some quality tortillas however their was way too much crema for my taste. Although the crema was very tasty it just totally took over. Next time I order one from here I will be sure to ask them to go easy on the crema. A minimum of two tacos come in one order which is actually a bargain at $5.00. I believe Mariscos German and Mariscos El Pescador are in the $3.75 each range.

All and all a good day for a shrimp lover like me. I’m sure there are many more great Gobernador tacos out their, if you have any favorites I didn’t mention I would love to hear about them. Its gets very interesting when you judge tacos side by side. It was also great to get another perspective, my brother also agreed at MG 1, Pescador 2, and Paisa 3.

1. Mariscos German
3504 University Ave
between 35th St & Wilson Ave)
San Diego, CA 92104
619) 392-2351

2.Mariscos El Pescador
Toys-r-us Parking Lot
1008A Industrial Blvd
Chula Vista, CA 91911

3.Mariscos El Paisa
3170 Iris Ave San Diego 92154
(Cross Street 30th)Near Trolley

Mariscos El Paisa San Diego - Estilo Culiacan Sinaloa Mexico

A taco truck that has two waitresses??? What??? Well technically according to the Webster Merriam Dictionary the definition of a waitress is “a woman who waits tables (as in a restaurant)”. Well this is not a restaurant, and no tables are in site, but it gets so busy here they have a team of two outside the truck that take your order and serve you.



I’ve been to an abundance of taco trucks and I have not seen an arrangement quite like this. If it gets that crowded “it must be good”, right? Especially when Mariscos German on Beyer Ave is a stone’s throw away. In San Diego Mariscos German has long been my bench mark for Seafood Tacos, followed by Mariscos El Pescador for Fish Tacos. So how does Mariscos El Paisa stack up????

I’ve had everything on the Menu at Mariscos German and 90% of El Pescadors so it would not be a fair comparison at this point, however I will tell you the Fish and Shrimp Tacos are definitely worth a try at this point. With one stop already under my belt I ordered only two tacos, I’m glad I did because the tacos were huge.

Shrimp Taco



Fish Taco




Now “taco purist” may scoff at the use of lettuce rather than cabbage on Fish or Shrimp Tacos but I must say in this case it worked well. The fish and shrimp were both fresh and plump. The crema was tasty and unique and the lettuce and tomatoes were fresh. Other then the tortilla falling apart it’s defiantly worth your buck.

I typically order beyond the basic Fish and Shrimp so I’m eager to get back this week and sample the rest of the goods on the menu. The menu is not very extensive however a few things on the board captured my attention.



I’m eager to check out their Gobernador Taco which is usually grilled shrimp with melted cheese but has varied at every Restaurant or Taco Truck I have tried it at. I’m not a huge Burrito fan but the Alazan sounds interesting. At first look I thought the “Super Ranas” was going to be frog leg tacos however the Super Ranas is a taco with melted cheese Marlin, Octopus, Shrimp, and Fish with a minimum order of two. I also look forward to sampling their Caldos (Soups); I just hope I have room for it all.

I will update this report as soon as I try more of the fine offerings representing Culiacan Sinaloa Mexico. This may be too far south for some but if you’re in the area check it out, it’s been here years and is here to stay. Spanish helps.

Mariscos El Paisa Truck
3170 Iris Ave San Diego 92154 (Cross Street 30TH)Near Trolley

Tacos El Poblano Chula Vista and some Ensenada News

Back in July I reported on Tacos El Poblano, arguably one of the best spots for Carne Asada Tacos in Tijuana. When I was talking with the owner he had mentioned he wanted to open a new place in Chula Vista/San Diego area, well he was true to his word and Tacos El Poblano is now open for Business in Chula Vista. I can’t wait to see how they stack up to their Tijuana counterpart. If you want to check it out yourself the address is on the ad below. You can read about the history of the original in Tijuana here…… . You can also check out a report on the Chula Vista location at my friend Kirks (mmm-yoso) awesome blog here....




UltraMarino by Barra Azul Now Open
I had a chance to stop by Ensenada’s newest bar UltraMarino Bar a few weeks ago. I’m a big fan of their sister restaurant Barra Azul and was curious what menu options they would bring to their new Bar. Ultra Marino is a Bar first and foremost but I was pleased to see I could get my tempura battered oyster fix here. The presentation differs from the picture below(Taken at Barra Azul) but the taste is identical. They serve a wide variety of drinks including some interesting martini offerings that include oyster flavor.



UltraMarino is Located at First and Ruiz.





Last month Jay (The Linkery Restaurant in San Diego) informed me about a new a restaurant on the coast of El Sauzal Ensenada called Gazuza. Gazuza is located at the same location the Oaxacan Restaurant at Viento was previously located. They actually moved it closer to the coast the scene is breathtaking. I hope to get back their soon and provided a full report. Thanks Jay.

Churros El Tigre - San Diego Street Food Frenzy

********Closed*********************

In December of last year I posted some commentary and a YouTube video on some sites about a little churro cart on University Ave in San Diego. Each Time I rolled up to the churro cart I would notice more and more crowds. I soon noticed cars lined up in the alley and people using sign language like some junkies looking for a crack fix.



I knew this would be too good to last, and soon the little churro cart was forced to move. Well, by the time Churros El Tigre was forced to move they achieved a cult following of sorts. I couldn’t believe the flow of emails I started receiving from people including local media trying to get INTEL on the churro man. After many helpful reconnaissance missions by local churro lovers, the crack dealer errrrrr I mean churro specialist has been found sporting a fresh new cart at the corner of Imperial Ave and 25Th.



The churros here rival any I've had south of the border. These are the thin knotted type often times referred to as churritos and sold in a bag of 7. What makes these churros so special? They are soft on the inside, crispy golden brown on the outside and most importantly fried to order. No churros hardening under a heat lamp here. This cake like delicacy of dough and sugary goodness will set you back $2.00.



The process of churro making is quite simple. Fresh Churro dough is squeezed out of the churrera and cut into 6-inch strips before landing in fresh hot oil.



After the dough is fried to golden perfection the excess oil is strained.



Lastly, a sweet cinnamon sugar mix is added.



It's hard to beat hot fried dough right out of the fryer.I recommend you also save room for the Platanos machos fritos. Deep fried large "cooking bananas" (Plantains) cut into ovals, about 1/3-inch thick. Once drained out of the fryer the bananas are topped with Lechera (Sweetened condensed milk) and sugar if you choose.

Churros El Tigre just happens to be walking distance from one of my favorite San Diego spots the "La Fachada Truck". You can sit down outside at La Fachada and enjoy your churros with some some thick, hot, chocolatey champurrado.

Hours of Operation are from 6:30 to 9:00 pm 7 days a week. The exact loaction is 2483 Imperial Ave at 25th St, its directly across from San Diego Police Departments Central Division.

San Diego street food vendors are few and far between dont miss these, and dont blame me if you get addicted.


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