The Baja fish taco didn't come from a San Diego beach. It was born in the late 1950s at a black market in Ensenada, and the first ones were grilled shark. This week we trace it from that fish stall across the border to the college kid who turned it into a SoCal staple, then build the deep-fried version everyone pictures.
Along the way we make the case that the corn tortilla matters as much as the fish, get into the 3,500-year-old process that makes a real one, and argue out the non-negotiables that separate a Baja taco from just fried fish in a shell. Beer in the batter is a given, so we push the booze into a few places you wouldn't expect. Then we settle the fish question, the batter question, and how you build the thing in four bites.
Two drinks this week, head to head. Tim's Baja Old Fashioned, a split of añejo Tequila and Mezcal with maple and a few drops of bourbon-barrel-aged fish sauce. And Sother's Panic at Hibisco, añejo Tequila with hibiscus, pepita orgeat, and a four-citrus blend.
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