A dozen years ago, when we wrote a story in a national magazine about Ralph Rubio, the man who introduced fish tacos to the United States, we had to explain to readers what a fish taco was. “Popular as it is in San Diego,” we wrote, “the fish taco is still virtually unknown elsewhere in the United States.”
Few San Diegans had heard of it back in 1978, when Ralph Rubio, then a sophomore at San Diego State, traveled down to Baja with his pals on spring break. He was looking only for sun and surf, but was smitten by the fish taco stands he found all along the water in the village of San Felipe. There was one Baja vendor Ralph Rubio especially liked, a man named Carlos, who ran a hole-in-the-wall taco stand with a ten-foot counter and a few stools. “Mexican food in San Diego was so bland in those days,” Rubio remembers. One day, Carlos agreed to share his recipe, which Ralph Rubio jotted down on a scrap of paper pulled from his wallet. Ultimately, he took the recipe he had acquired and opened his own place with a sign that said Rubio’s—Home of the Fish Taco.
There now are hundreds of Rubio’s Baja Grills, specializing in fish tacos, throughout the West, and the dish Ralph Rubio imported has become as common as fajitas in Mexican restaurants throughout the country. Variations are plentiful, including those made with upscale grilled fish, but the classic configuration is chunks of deep-fried white fish in a spicy batter, bedded on a yogurt-mayonnaise sauce in a soft tortilla along with rough-cut shreds of cool white cabbage and a wedge of lime.
Fish tacos at The Cottage in La Jolla.
Rubio’s Fish Tacos
2 cups flour, plus more for dredging
2 cups water
2 tablespoons beer
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Oil for frying
2 pounds pollock or cod, cut into 1½ ounce strips (no bones)
1 dozen corn tortillas, the thicker the better
⅔ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup plain yogurt
½ head white cabbage, shredded
Salsa fresca: tomatoes, yellow onion, cilantro, jalapeños, chopped to taste
Wedges of lime
Guacamole, shredded Jack and/or cheddar cheese, for garnish (optional)
1. Mix 2 cups flour, water, beer, garlic powder, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper thoroughly to form a batter. Put some additional flour in a shallow dish.
2. Heat two inches of oil in a skillet to 370°F (or use a deep fryer). Dredge fish in flour and shake off excess. Dip fish in batter. Slip into hot oil. Fry until golden brown (about 4 minutes).
3. Warm tortillas on a very hot skillet. Place hot fish on the tortilla. Combine mayonnaise and yogurt to make white sauce. Top fish with sauce, cabbage, and salsa fresca. Squeeze on lime and add optional garnishes.
12 FISH TACOS: 4 SERVINGS