Señor Fish - Eagle Rock

Longtime fans of Burrito Life may already have picked up on Jimmy’s lack of personal enthusiasm for seafood, which I know he’s been vocal about on more than one occasion. These tendencies, naturally, have never prevented our overlord from fully appreciating a deftly seasoned Cajun-style lobster burrito, or more gravely assessing a disastrously runny (but still tasty) shrimp conglomeration.

Since my own tastes lean more sharply in the direction of slimy, bottom-dwelling sea creatures, however, I figured I’d jump in and volunteer for the privilege of reviewing Eagle Rock’s notorious mariscos staple, Senor Fish.

My fish preferences, in daily lived experienced, run more toward nigiri than fish tacos, but good scallops inspire both love and respect, regardless of context. Cooking a scallop without screwing it up is nearly damn impossible – overheating a scallop for even a few seconds causes its supple flesh to instantly transform into a phlegm-like, inedible mass of rubber. Even a correctly prepared scallop is so overpoweringly rich, it was difficult to imagine as a burrito filling – how could it possibly mesh viably with the other ingredients? A scallop burrito (especially a relatively cheap one, just shy of $7.50) sounded like a great gimmick for pulling in customers, but despite high hopes and promising Yelp reviews, I felt intensely skeptical.

To my pleasant surprise, Senor Fish’s scallop burrito was as gloriously well crafted as I had dared to fantasize. Whoever conceived of this burrito was smart enough to go light on the main ingredient, allowing the scallops to shine through distinctively without drowning out their supporting elements. The buttery flavor and texture melt seamlessly into the fresh medley of rice, beans, corn, fresh cilantro, and diced onion.

They also nailed the consistency – not only for the scallop burrito, which I had feared might be slimy, but for their vegetarian burrito, which I also got a chance to sample.This veggie burrito went far above and beyond the call of duty, with stewed tomatoes, fresh guacamole, and brilliantly verdant baby spinach providing most of the flavor. The grilled zucchini, though, was the ingredient that stood out most for me thanks to the springy, chewy texture it imparted.

Senor Fish was really a great eating experience overall. I couldn't believe how satisfied I felt as I was leaving. Aside from the food, I fell completely in love with their gorgeously kitschy outdoor patio with its rough-cut, varnished wood countertops, and the giant stone fireplace filling up the main dining room. Eagle Rock is a forty-five minute drive from my apartment, but ten minutes into my meal, I already knew I would be back.