Craving some delicious Florida seafood with a Mexican twist and a fresh coconut to wash it down?
If you're tired of fast-food versions of meals south of the border, skip the chain restaurants next time you want Mexican food. Head toward the St. Johns River and visit Mariscos El Pacifico Bar and Grill. A word of warning: be sure to wear your stretchy pants.
This unassuming Mexican eatery has everything from tangy ceviche in a stone molcajete to classic street tacos, seafood plates, soups, and more all served à la carte. The atmosphere is family-friendly and the servers won't mind if you practice your high school Spanish vocabulary when you order.
Mariscos El Pacifico Bar and Grill
- ADDRESS: 3911 University Boulevard NW | Jacksonville, FL
- PHONE: (904) 619-5663
- WEBSITE: Mariscos El Pacifico Bar and Grill
- PARKING: Free surface lot
The restaurant isn't fancy, but there is plenty of seating inside and an off-street parking lot out front. Inside, you'll find an extensive menu with reasonable prices that you can pore over as you enjoy the complimentary chips and salsa. My favorite dish was the cold seafood molcajete overflowing with ceviche, boiled shrimp, and fresh veggies. It was served with a heap of crackers and tostadas, along with an array of hot sauces.
Our other entrée was spectacular in its simplicity. Camarones à la Cucaracha featured tender grilled shrimp smothered in a salsa rosada, butterflied open to indeed resemble our six-legged friends. This is the kind of dish worth getting dirty for, as you pretty much have to stop yourself from licking the plate clean after shelling the shrimp with your hands. It's served with your choice of rice or potatoes to sop up the gorgeous sauce.
After your meal, stop by Bayon Exotic Fruits and Produce, just a few yards away at 3362 Powers Avenue. Don't get in the car, just walk there and work off all the chips you just ate.
This Asian market is a local gem that sells whole young coconuts, cut open fresh as you wait, and pressed sugarcane juice for just $5.00 a quart ($6.50 if you choose it without ice). Seasonal local fruit is available inside too, so be sure to spend some time wandering the aisles. Imported exotic snacks, drinks, and pantry staples are just the thing to buy on your way to the beach.
If you see plastic containers of beef jerky at the checkout counter, buy one! They have the perfect blend of the salty-sweet marinade and come in spicy or mild. When you're buying the coconuts to enjoy later, just let the owner know and he'll cut them back to be easily served but cut off the tops at home. Keep them in a cooler with ice and be sure to drink them the same day. It doesn't get much better than this!
**All photos by Sarina Petrocelly.
The next time you're craving some really good Mexican food or some locally sourced coconuts and sugarcane juice, head to these spots. You'll be glad you did!
Have you tried either of these local Jacksonville treasures? Let us know what dishes you loved in the comments!
