Good Eats: El Sabor

El Sabor. Photo by Sean Wheatley.

by Sean Wheatley

Taqueria El Sabor opened a few years ago at one of those classic old Taco Bell buildings. The location had gone through a few incarnations (I particularly recall the slightly odd U-Grill Vegetarian), until finally hitting a home run with El Sabor. 

Opening day featured a mariachi band, jumpy houses for the kids, and half-price food all day long. The place had been transformed into an oasis of mexicana, complete with palm trees in the front and Univision on the TV screens inside. The food was really good, and a great time was had for all.

We return every once in a while for burritos, tacos, tortas, chili verde, and many other classic mexican dishes. Usually, you'll find as many as ten meat choices offered, grilled in the standard authentic way (like you would find in San Diego or Los Angeles, and of course, the streets of Mexico).

The excellent salsa bar is stocked with lots of choices and the free refills on the sodas and horchata is an added bonus. 

Photo by Sean Wheatley.

Then I discovered Mojarra, the fried fish plate. This is the kind of meal that makes me happy. Served with made-on-site flour or corn tortillas, a choice of veggies or rice and beans, this Caribbean fish (apparently it could be a tilapia) is served up hot for the plucking. I usually eat most of it straight from the plate, although making little fish tacos or mini burritos, depending on the tortilla you get, is another great way to enjoy it. 

This little taste of baja along Aurora always brightens any day.

15221 Aurora Ave N, El Sabor, Mexican food

Sean Wheatley's entertainment services business Seattle Parties keeps him busy in the evenings. He and his wife Leslie and son Dylan eat out so much that he started writing restaurant reviews, which he now shares with us.