Mexican Food on RCCL Ships (Specifically Tacos)

[Ret MP]

I'm a huge huge huge fan of Mexican Food, Americanized Mexican Food.  But, I only started eating Mexican Food in 1980 when I got stationed at Ft. Hood, TX., we used to go to a great Mexican Restaurant in Temple, TX., The Monterrey House.  I've traveled and lived all around the Southwest.  Including New Mexico.  That's the back story.

 

On my first cruise on a Royal ship was Oasis of the Seas in circa 2017.  On the menu was "Fish Tacos.  Never heard of a "Fish Taco" before that.  Have I lived a sheltered Mexican Food life and they have always existed in the U.S. Mexican Food Restaurant Market or is/was it an RCCL innovation?  Our local two or three Mexican Restaurants don't have 'em.  I haven't seen a "Fish Taco" in any Americanized Mexican Restaurant off of a RCCL ship.  Which is a good thing.  I don't think I'd like a "Fish Taco" unless it is a "Fish N Chips" type of fish.  

 

This is an important subject so please take it seriously.     

Edited January 22, 2023 by Ret MP

[superduper123]

I love Mexican food also. I don't eat fish or seafood (with the exception of salmon) but I've seen fish tacos on menus at restaurants, so not a Royal innovation.  🌮

[rockmom]

I grew up in California, and fish tacos were always a thing least for the last 40+ years.  Tons of articles if you google fish taco history, but Baja is where they started, no matter which source is providing the info.  My cousins were in San Diego, so very close to the border and fish tacos were always an option when we'd go out to eat. 

https://www.sunset.com/food-wine/flavors-of-the-west/in-search-real-fish-taco   

Edited January 22, 2023 by rockmom

[teddie]

Fish tacos are a long time “thing”. I rarely order them because I’ve yet to find any I’ve really liked. Still searching though.  
 

teddie

[Kellie in Texas]

@Ret MPif you didn't try the fish tacos on the ship, here's the difference: a crispy taco is what most people think about when you say tacos -- a crispy corn taco shell with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and salsa. Fish tacos are most often made with soft corn tortillas, so they are not crispy. They are often some kind of pan-seared or grilled fish -- not breaded fish sticks or fish and chips but fish filets that may be seasoned. Fish tacos (at least in central Texas) are usually served with chopped cabbage, maybe some red onion, sometimes even chopped mango. And then there's breakfast tacos, which are soft flour tortillas with scrambled eggs, cheese, sausage or bacon, maybe some shredded potatoes, and of course, more salsa. 🙂 

[WyKnott]

Fish tacos got their start in southern California as a breaded, deep fried fish in a soft corn tortilla with cabbage and a white crema sauce. 🥰 Lately, you can find fish tacos with grlled fish as a nod to being more healthy. I still prefer the fried fish.

[poocher]

OMG, I LOVE fish tacos!!  They are my go to order In Mexican restaurants here in CT.  I’ve also had really good ones at Chuy’s when I visit my daughter in Florida.

[MommaBear55]

Fish tacos are everywhere, we even have them in Maine. 

[Tatka]

You can have Taco with anything.

I ate one with Bison meat and another with Ostrich  in Arizona in very authentic restaurant.

 

And there were many other interesting choices.

Edited January 22, 2023 by Tatka

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, teddie said:

Fish tacos are a long time “thing”. I rarely order them because I’ve yet to find any I’ve really liked. Still searching though.  
 

teddie

I never heard of fish tacos.What part of NJ could I find one ?

[Tatka]

1 minute ago, lenquixote66 said:

I never heard of fish tacos.What part of NJ could I find one ?

 

Seems like a popular dish https://www.google.com/search?tbs=lf:1,lf_ui:9&tbm=lcl&sxsrf=AJOqlzWUl2DIEYjwVIkqj2BOmMPUvMZNrQ:1674415885578&q=fish+tacos+new+jersey&rflfq=1&num=10&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1qMOg9dv8AhWHF1kFHfrSC04QjGp6BAgREAE&biw=1355&bih=588&dpr=1#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[41.059916799999996,-73.97806969999999],[39.332320599999996,-75.1408252]];tbs:lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!1m4!1u1!2m2!1m1!1e1!1m4!1u1!2m2!1m1!1e2!1m4!1u22!2m2!21m1!1e1!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e1!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:9

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I never heard of fish tacos.What part of NJ could I find one ?

Lenny, I never heard of a Taco until I got drafted in 1970 and left Central NY. I don't like fish so a fish taco doesn't sound good to me, but my wife will disagree with me. But stuff just about any other kind of meat in a corn or flour tortilla, soft or hard and I'm a happy.   🌮

[lenquixote66]

8 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

Seems like a popular dish https://www.google.com/search?tbs=lf:1,lf_ui:9&tbm=lcl&sxsrf=AJOqlzWUl2DIEYjwVIkqj2BOmMPUvMZNrQ:1674415885578&q=fish+tacos+new+jersey&rflfq=1&num=10&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1qMOg9dv8AhWHF1kFHfrSC04QjGp6BAgREAE&biw=1355&bih=588&dpr=1#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[41.059916799999996,-73.97806969999999],[39.332320599999996,-75.1408252]];tbs:lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!1m4!1u1!2m2!1m1!1e1!1m4!1u1!2m2!1m1!1e2!1m4!1u22!2m2!21m1!1e1!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e1!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:9

Thanks for responding.

[lenquixote66]

4 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Lenny, I never heard of a Taco until I got drafted in 1970 and left Central NY. I don't like fish so a fish taco doesn't sound good to me, but my wife will disagree with me. But stuff just about any other kind of meat in a corn or flour tortilla, soft or hard and I'm a happy.   🌮

Dave,I cannot recall the first time I had a taco of any kind.Growing up in Brooklyn one can find almost any kind of food .

[teddie]

20 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I never heard of fish tacos.What part of NJ could I find one ?

I've seen them on plenty of menus in NY and NJ.  No specific restaurant comes to mind.  Sorry.

 

Teddie

[HicksRA]

Being a Texan, I never saw or ate fish tacos regionally until around 20 years or so ago, but fish tacos have been a west coast thing for ages. 
TexMex is the best food on earth!

Edited January 22, 2023 by HicksRA

[Saab4444]

Why do you all refer to the US when you talk about Mexican Food and not to original Mexican Food in Mexico?

[DustFSU]

Most places that do fish taco's are places that are more known for local fish, FL, California, Hawaii, you might get other east or west coast areas because fish taco's should be made with fresh fish.  Yea you can batter them like fish and chips, but it still comes fresh and cooked within that day or next.

[teddie]

2 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Why do you all refer to the US when you talk about Mexican Food and not to original Mexican Food in Mexico?

I guess because I live in the US.  I've had lots of amazing food in Mexico, but I'm not there at the  moment (and I wish I were!)

 

Teddie

[mjkacmom]

30 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I never heard of fish tacos.What part of NJ could I find one ?

I live in northeast NJ, there are fish tacos everywhere, Mexican restaurants plus plenty of pub style restaurants that serve tacos as an option (sometimes happy hour specials). Passaic NJ has great tacos (my kids work for a local garden center and the manager and a bunch of employees are from Mexico (live there in the winter) and shared the best spots. Definite not the Americanized hard shell/ground beef/lettuce kind.

[HicksRA]

7 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Why do you all refer to the US when you talk about Mexican Food and not to original Mexican Food in Mexico?

Mainly because 99.9% of the Mexican food I eat is in the U S….

I don’t fly to Florence to eat spaghetti either 

Edited January 22, 2023 by HicksRA

[vacationlover_mn]

2 hours ago, Ret MP said:

I'm a huge huge huge fan of Mexican Food, Americanized Mexican Food.  But, I only started eating Mexican Food in 1980 when I got stationed at Ft. Hood, TX., we used to go to a great Mexican Restaurant in Temple, TX., The Monterrey House.  I've traveled and lived all around the Southwest.  Including New Mexico.  That's the back story.

 

On my first cruise on a Royal ship was Oasis of the Seas in circa 2017.  On the menu was "Fish Tacos.  Never heard of a "Fish Taco" before that.  Have I lived a sheltered Mexican Food life and they have always existed in the U.S. Mexican Food Restaurant Market or is/was it an RCCL innovation?  Our local two or three Mexican Restaurants don't have 'em.  I haven't seen a "Fish Taco" in any Americanized Mexican Restaurant off of a RCCL ship.  Which is a good thing.  I don't think I'd like a "Fish Taco" unless it is a "Fish N Chips" type of fish.  

 

This is an important subject so please take it seriously.     

Yep- here in MN we’ve had fish tacos for years.  In some areas “up north”, the fish is sunfish or walleye.

[Seville2Cabo]

1 hour ago, WyKnott said:

Fish tacos got their start in southern California as a breaded, deep fried fish in a soft corn tortilla with cabbage and a white crema sauce. 🥰 Lately, you can find fish tacos with grlled fish as a nod to being more healthy. I still prefer the fried fish.

Correct, if you consider Baja California, Southern California

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

25 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

Correct, if you consider Baja California, Southern California

We do and I can see two excellent fish taco places from our balcony.  Most do several different types of fish depending on the catch of the day.  The one we like best even does octopus (pulpo).  

[vacationlover_mn]

2 hours ago, teddie said:

Fish tacos are a long time “thing”. I rarely order them because I’ve yet to find any I’ve really liked. Still searching though.  
 

teddie

If you’re ever in northern MN, try the sunfish tacos 🙂