HOurS: Sun THrOuGH THurS 10:30 AM – 8:30 PM | frI AnD SAT 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM is also considering opening a second location, possibly somewhere in east Contra Costa County. Located in an end unit of a Hercules strip mall just off the Willow Avenue exit from Highway 80, Mazatlán Taqueria is easily accessible and offers plenty of parking. The restaurant’s interior has eight four-person tables, as well as several outdoor tables situated under the building eaves and out of the sun. The interior is clean and bright, and nicely decorated. upon entry, patrons queue up at a long counter to place and pay for their orders prior to being seated. Copies of their colorful and pictorial menu are posted along the counter for diners’ reference as they prepare to order. When food orders are ready, servers promptly deliver food to the tables and ensure customers have everything they need to enjoy their meals. Like so many other local eateries, Mazatlán Taqueria is a family business. In addition to non-family employees, owners Mauro and elvia, and three of their children, Lissette, Mauro, Jr., and JuanCarlos, and a few extended family members, frequently work at the restaurant. During our visit, we interviewed Lissette, who shared the history of the business with us, and helped to familiarize us with the extensive menu. We found the dining atmosphere to be casual and pleasant, with plenty of natural light from the large windows adjacent to the dining area. During our Saturday lunchtime visit, there was a constant ebb and flow of customers, and the tables always were occupied. Patrons of all ages, races and ethnicities were observed, many of whom were obviously repeat customers and knew just what to order, and a few others who, like us, were experiencing the menu for the first time. As mentioned earlier, Mazatlán Taqueria offers many shrimp and seafood selections, which are especially popular with their Hispanic clientele. Among the most popular of these are the Cocktel de Camarones (Shrimp Cocktail) and the Aguachile, and the Aguachile Campechano, the latter of which includes shrimp, octopus, and scallops, mixed with red onion and cucumber. On this Saturday afternoon, we observed order after order of Cocktel de Camarones delivered to nearby tables. The large chilled goblet glasses filled with colorful shrimp and cocktail sauce brimming with fresh ingredients made for beautiful presentation. Other seafood entrees also popular that day included the Shrimp Caesar Salad, Shrimp fajitas, and fish Tacos. Lissette told us that their fish entrees are prepared exclusively with salmon to enhance the taste and quality of their food. Also noteworthy is that Mazatlán Taqueria uses olive oil in their food preparation, which also enhances the overall flavor of their offerings. It took some time for us to narrow down the food items we wanted to try from the large menu, which DAnIeL LOPez-HeAD COOk, MArICeLLA CAzArez AnD LISeTTe CAzArez, ServerS COCkTeL De CAMArOneS CHILe reLLenO (A LA CArTe)
Contra Costa Marketplace - June_2015
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