Mexico’s state of Michoacán, meaning “place of the fishermen” in the Nahuatl language, is blessed with rivers and lakes, and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Its town of Cotija is known for the crumbly cow’s milk cheese we often find atop Mexican entrées.
I headed down Portola Road to Taqueria Michoacan last week in search of seafood specialties. The little restaurant is easy to miss, located in what may have once been a home. On the attractively lettered menu board, fish find their way into tacos, burritos, and tostadas ($2.00 to $6.95). Shrimp is served breaded, in a spicy ranchero sauce, or grilled with bell pepper, tomato and onion ($10.50). Octopus or shrimp ceviche tops tostadas ($5.95).
I first ordered the Michoacan Special Dish ($11.95) with rice and beans. Six plump shrimp were bathed in a spicy hot red sauce, which I also enjoyed on the simple griddled piece of firm, flaky white fish. I put bits of the large thin slice of asada beef into steaming corn tortillas, with onions which had been sautéed until dark and sweetly caramelized, and tomato and cilantro guacamole. The hot sauce in the squirt bottle I found too salty for chips, but the perfect complement to this impromptu soft taco.
While enjoying the surf and turf, people came and went, leaving with one of the 13 versions of Super Burrito ($5.95). Weighing in at almost one and a half pounds, they’re stuffed with refried beans, rice, cabbage, avocado and sour cream. In one I had simmered shreds of chicken in a mildly sweet mole, in the other, chunks of tender pork chile verde.
Between two brown dotted flour tortillas, the Super Quesadilla ($5.95) held cabbage, cilantro, avocado, and sour cream with my selection of barbecued chicken; little pieces of spicy grilled meat.
Taqueria Michoacan, 21401 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, 465-8290.
