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Best Fish Tacos North of the Mexican Border?

I admit that Calvin Trillin has been a major influence in my fascination with food. Thirty years ago his annunciation that Arthur Bryant Barbeque of Kansas City was one of the best restaurants in the world steered me off the interstate and into some really great food. I can say, with only one exception, that he hasn't steered me wrong.

Now Calvin is eating fish tacos, a treat worthy of devotion. He writes about fish tacos in his new book Feeding a Yen, and in an article in the June 2003 issue of Gourmet.

Trillin associates fish tacos with San Diego but is surprised to find that the association is not real, only one that was promoted by a fish taco entrepreneur that got his start there. Eventually Trillin discovers that the center of fish tacodom is Ensenada in Baja California and that nothing served in San Diego could match those that he'd eaten in Ensenada. He goes on to proclaim that the best fish tacos he'd eaten north of the Mexican border were from East LA, specifically from Tacos Baja Ensenada on Whittier Boulevard.

Now I've been there, and you can see that I list it on my page of memorable restaurants. Jonathan Gold, the former LA Times restaurant guy and now Gourmet's New York Restaurant reviewer, has said nice things about Tacos Baja Ensenada calling their fish tacos "LA's finest."

Now that may be true in a strict geographical sense, but the fact is that both of these New York writers don't seem to know that one place that makes even better fish tacos: El Taco Nazo of Baldwin Park. These are the fish tacos that Calvin Trillin missed. I can say that because if he'd have eaten them, he would have declared them the best.

I first heard of El Taco Nazo from a photographer while eating carnitas tacos in San Clemente. He told me that his favorite tacos in SoCal were from a place where a client of his would take when he was visiting. It was somewhere out near El Monte, on Ramona Boulevard, he thought. All he knew was that he'd always load up his plate with a dozen fish tacos at this place and they were great.

After some time I found El Taco Nazo, it met the description on the corner of Maine Avenue and Ramona Boulevard. The tacos are fabulous,while I couldn't possibly eat a dozen in one sitting, I have often wished that I could.

So Calvin, the next time you're headed to SoCal for a few fish tacos, I'd be happy to take you there. And for the rest of you, you now know the place that Trillin missed.

Note: I believe that when looking for good fish tacos look for a restaurant that has a display of tourist information on the Ensenada tourist magnet known as "La Bufadora." There is a direct correlation here, it has never failed me.