An Accomplished Kitchen

[Hound Dog]

We have been traveling about and finally, last night, had an opportunity to try Tabarka in West Ajijic, the branch of the successful Guadalajara seafood restaurant and fish vendor. This restaurant on the Ajijic-Jocotepec Carretera, is a Spanish seafood and paella house featuring primarily the cuisine of the Costa Blanca. There are many things we would like to try including the paella so we will definitely be back - perhaps again and again.

The menu is a chalkboard menu that might change daily - a good sign for a restaurant featuring seafood brought in, according to the staff, from the Sea of Cortez via the Mercado del Mar in Zapopan twice weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays. My wife ordered the tuna and I had the scallops. The tuna was served seasoned and charred on the outside and properly cool and blood rare on the inside. Moist and delicious. The scallops were charbroiled and served on a salad consisting of steamed small green asaragus, mixed lettuces, fresh leaf spinach, shaved carrots, pickled beets, red onions, tomatoes, sweet red chiles and shredded red cabbage. The salad and scallops came with an outstanding olive oil and vinegar dressing. A great dish.

When we arrived we were served a Spanish style bread with aioli (house made garlic mayonnaise in the style of Provence - not the bastardized "aioli" one might be served in the U.S. which could be just about any mayonnaise based concoction). In addition to the very good and garlicky aioli, they brought to the table a romesco sauce made with hazel nuts (as opposed to the usual almonds) sweet red peppers, garlic, olive oil and wine vinegar perhaps among other things, and what they called "ajillo" sauce typical of the famous Spanish tapa "Gambas al Ajillo" - a sauce made with olive oil, much garlic and, in this case, piquin chiles.

Both my wife´s tuna and my scallops were excellent and prepared with an originality and flair seldom seen around Lakeside. In our opinions, this is the type of fresh , light seafood one would expect to be served along the coasts of the province of Valencia in Spain or Provence in France. Complex flavors but simple ingredients - made by a kitchen that knows its stuff and an efficient and delightful wait staff.

Tabarka is open Wednesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. As stated eatlier, fresh seafood is received on Wednesdays and Fridays and the seafood is not frozen until the third day in inventory. In addition to the restaurant, the place is a seafood outlet so fresh fish and shellfish can be purchased for home cooking.

We are sort of on the wagon these days after over-indulging in France on food and wine - so had none of the Spanish wines they feature, settling instead for Peñafiel on the rocks. The total cost of our meal was $250 Pesos before the tip. Entirely reasonable for a superior meal.

[tomgates]

Good to know. Thank you. Tom

[bollox]

I visit Tabarka on La Paz in Guadalajara quite frequently, and is probably one of the better seafood restaurants in the area.

This is the first time I have heard about a branch Lakeside. I will most certainly make a visit next time I'm in the area.

Thanks for the information.

BTW. I recognise the'style d'ecriture'............Welcome back.

[newinajijic]

Hound Dog - Excellent report. My mouth is watering for the Scallops you had. I told you this restaurant was good, but everyone needs to try for themselves. Very happy you enjoyed it.

This restaurant has been here for about 6 months, so anyone who didn't know about it, either didn't see it on my List or Restaurants or didn't see my review on it.

[Hound Dog]

Hound Dog - Excellent report. My mouth is watering for the Scallops you had. I told you this restaurant was good, but everyone needs to try for themselves. Very happy you enjoyed it.

This restaurant has been here for about 6 months, so anyone who didn't know about it, either didn't see it on my List or Restaurants or didn't see my review on it.

John:

I was by Tabarka this afternoon and discussed the scallops with the chef on duty today. The scallops at Tabarka are an occasional special not always available prepared in a manner that may be unusual for U.S. diners. They prepare two types, both harvested in the Sea of Cortez and purchased by Tabarka from the Mercado del Mar in Zapopan. One scallop variety is called Callo de Acha and the other is known as Callo de Ameja. Both varieties are sea scallops but the acha is larger and darker while the ameja is smaller and white. Both are equally sweet. All scallops are purchased without the shell or the roe which is a bit disconcerting for one (The Dawg)who normally eats scallops in France where they are typically served on the half shell with the bright, succulent orange roe attached. Both types of scallops are not only served at the restaurant when available but are sold raw to go for home preparation.

The scallops I have eaten at Tabarka are normal fat sea scallops that have been sliced thin and grilled and served as a component of a salad of mixed bitter greens, beets, asparagus, tomatoes, shaved carrots, onions, sweet red peppers and fresh leaf spinach perhaps among other things. All of this is doused with a very good olive oil and vinegar dressing.

In addition to the scallops as part of a fresh salad, the scallops are served separate from the salad with a Spanish style potato dish I´m not crazy about. I recommend the scallops as part of the salad. The restaurant also serves what they call Scallops Carpaccio or thinly sliced raw scallops with lime. I haven´t tried that yet but will when I get a chance.

I´m telling you all this, John, because I know you once lived in Greater Boston and probably know your seafood. I was so effusive in my praise for scallops the way Tabarka prepares them, I felt I should qualify my remarks since I have personally never seen scallops prepared in the U.S. the way Tabarka prepares them.

Dawg grew up on the Alabama/Northwest Florida Gulf Coast and then married a French woman so I naturally have an abiding love for the seafood of France from both the Atlantic and Mediterranean and from the warm waters of the Gulf. If I were being compelled to pick the top U.S. big cities for seafood, however, I would pick Boston, New Orleans, Seattle and Baltimore as great seafood towns. There are lots of other great places for seafood, those just happen to be my favorites. Your experience may differ.

I once again salute Tabarka for its originality and commitment to serving the freshest seafood at all times.

[willieboy]

John:

I´m telling you all this, John, because I know you once lived in Greater Boston and probably know your seafood.

OHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[Hound Dog]

OHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Sorry Willie. 40 more lashes for me.

By the way, I got so carried away with my post, I headed back to Tabarka last night with my wife where we shared that fabulous fig salad and had freshly delivered tuna and sword fish both grilled with garlic sauce. This restaurant puts me in a good mood so perhaps I was suffering from an excess of collegiality.

[Mainecoons]

Exactly where is this restaurant?

Thanks!

[Hound Dog]

Exactly where is this restaurant?Thanks!

On the Ajijic-Jocotepec Carretera in West Ajijic at the corner of Rio Zula. On your right as you drive toward Jocotepec. Tabarka shares the small strip mall there with Señor Sushi. Left on Rio Zula is the direction you would take to get to the Hotel Danza Del Sol and the hotel sign is the most notable road sign at the Rio Zula intersection with the carretera. One block before the Ajijic Hacienda steak house on the left as you head toward Jocotepec.

[cosalamx]

Exactly where is this restaurant?

Thanks!

It is on the North side of the Carretara in West Ajijic, in a strip that includes Sr. Sushi. It is at the corner where you would turn to go to Villa d'Arte and Gerards Restaurants. It is one long block East of Hacienda Ajijic. There have been a succession of restaurants in that strip, most of which tend to last a short time before moving.

[Mainecoons]

Thank you!

[thevalerieleigh]

WOW! We are still savoring the delicious meal we just had at Tabarka. WOW! Have seen it many times but after reading the most recent reviews we finally gave it a try. David, the Chef, is just phenomenal!!!

We started with the grouper fillet nuggets and stuffed mussels. Scrumptious.

Then John had the Paella for 2 (brought half home for later) and I had the Monk Fish with garlic sauce and pimineta roja with olive oil and balamic vinegar. This was my first Monk Fish experience and it tasted like and had a similar texture to lobster. There were three different Paellas from which to choose: seafood, black ink squid and Monk Fish with spinach.

Also on the menu was Sting Ray Stew. He brought us a sample and it tasted like shredded crab meat. Just delightful!

There was fresh Swordfish and Tuna also available. Then, for dessert, we enjoyed a creme brule'. A delightful meal! I encourage all of you to give it a try. I think you'll be delighted.

Enjoy,

Valerie

[Mainecoons]

We also just finished eating there, finally a restaurant we can agree with Dawg and John about, at least for the food.

We had the grilled fish dinner for two, cod, swordfish and tuna, which came with a nice tapas (complimentary with the drinks), a very fresh salad, red pepers and diced potatos, and a very nice fresh bread.

All of it was excellent. The service, however, was just mediocre. The wait staff needs to be sent to Tango for training, one well trained person should be able to handle all the tables in this rather small restaurant; two couldn't seem to get it together.

And too much road noise. This is one place we'd love to see move to a decent village location as it served up the best seafood we've had since we moved here.

Stuff ear plugs in and eat here. The food will not disappoint.

[ajijicer]

It sounds like the real foodies appreciate this place. It is a must when I get back down there and from what I am reading I will be there often. When scallops are good, they are very, very good and when they are bad they are horrid. I have bought scallops from the seafood market mentioned and froze them. No matter how I prepared them, they were always wonderful. Here in NJ we can get tasty day boat scallops which are the same type of large scallop I believe. It's really important to continue to support the good restaurants so they can survive since they operate on a small profit margin. Bon apetit!

[budman123]

Six of us ate at Tabarka last nite and we all gave it Execelante for food.....fresh well prepared seafood....Service not so good...We will go back for sure

[newinajijic]

HD - Thanks for your very interesting and informative post!!! My neighbors are regulars at Tabarka and go once a week.

I hope all of you will continue to support this young man as the restaurant business in Ajijic is presently in the dumpster.