*Article from the Miami Herald 11.13.09*
Surf’s up for tacos, burritos and nachos
Surf Road Taco brings the spirit of the Southern California coast to an industrial area in Hallandale Beach.
BY JEFF KLEINMANjkleinman@MiamiHerald.com
• EAT: On a gritty vein along the train tracks, between a muffler repair shop and an upholstery place, the hungry wouldn’t expect to find a Southern California taco shop. But here it is, an oasis amid the drab, with colorful surfing scenes bursting from the walls and the scent of salsa in the air.
You can feel the laid-back vibe at Hallandale Beach’s Surf Road Taco right down to the menu choices. The best of them is a simple fried mahi mahi taco, with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo and lime-flavored sour cream nestled in a soft flour tortilla.
The fish also can be ordered grilled, which comes blackened with a bite. Other filling choices: shrimp, pork, shredded beef and the croco taco (actually fried “local alligator” in spicy green “gator sauce.”)
For another change of pace from the usual Tex-Mex, the “Out There” quesadilla is filled with cheese, mushrooms, spinach, garlic and tomato.
The burritos look like bombs, bathed in ranchero sauce and chock full of beans and cheese along with chicken, home-fried potatoes, grilled veggies, pork, grilled fish or shrimp. (All burritos can be ordered fried, as chimichangas.)
Appetizers include a mild gazpacho and a mountain of nachos buried in cheese, black beans, sour cream and guacamole.
Packing oozing food to go isn’t an easy task, and Surf Road passed the test, sealing it all in foil platters locked with plastic tops, then securing it in brown paper bags.
• DRINK: Your favorite beer.
• WATCH: Beach Blanket Bingo, the 1965 classic with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.
FYI: While you’re waiting, check out the papier maché art of DiVitto Kelly on the walls and overhead. To cut the wait, call to order ahead. Beware the lure of the salsa bar: It’ll cost you extra to take some home.Check out this awesome new article from “Brickell Life” a blog by ChadC
Foster Healthy Eating Habits Throughout The Summer
*ARTICLE FROM THE HOLLYWOOD GAZETTE*
S
urf Road Taco
Mexi-Cali Grill101 NE 3rd Street
Hallandale Beach, Fl954 239- 0128M- F 11 am – 9 pm
Sat 12 pm – 9 pmOwned by a couple after my own heart — Caite O’Hara and Chris Rainwater, this California style eatery opened less than a year ago, and has already built up a following. There’s a reason. The Hermosa Beach- Oregon couple spent enough time in my former homeland to know how to cook up Mexican cuisine, and it isn’t Tex Mex. Just one look at these clean living surfers and you’ll trust them with your stomachs. And, since prices are as lean as the fare, there’s nothing not to like. From the freshly made Pico de Gallo and fresh cilantro-cream, tomatillo and salsa sauces (of which there are plenty) to the clean taste of chicken and beef, Floridians can get a healthy dose of what keeps surfers in business. Fish tacos have never been my thing, but I’ve got to hand it to the architect and writer turned restaurateur and chef, the ‘The South Bay ($3) is a keeper. Greaseless but tasty, the grilled Mahi-Mahi smothered in Pico de Gallo and signature sour cream (calorie counters can beg off the sour cream), chock full of cabbage, this dish delivers an inexpensive healthy boost. ‘Fearless- of-fat’ diners will also welcome South Bay’s beer battered deep fried twin ($3). Healthy to a fault is The Shorty ($3) Tangy grilled shrimp, shredded lettuce, and avocado topped with pico de gallo. When I was living in the land of Mexican cuisine, I dined almost every morning on machacha and eggs. Here, The Land Lover ($2.50) provides a look into what made me what I am today (whatever that is). Seasoned shredded beef, lettuce served with the pico de gallo & cilantro sour cream. Add some jalapenos and you’ll know why we love the west coast. And, since they offer beer and wine, it’s the perfect place to kick back, munch on fresh fried tortillas with limitless salsa, have a few tacos, and drink till you see the side wall’s painted wave mural start to sway.
-Laura Burdick-Sherman
Dining Finds
*ARTICLE FROM THE SUN SENTINEL*
Type of food: California Mexican
Dining facilities: Eat-in restaurant with takeout available. Order takeout at the counter.
Service: Pleasant and efficient
Delivery: Free for orders over $10 to Hallandale Beach and East Hollywood.
The Dish
We love the tiki salsa bar almost as much as the large array of fresh, flavorful foods. While waiting for our order we pack little plastic containers with pico de gallo, salsa verde, black bean salsa and hot salsa.
We try the baja taco ($3), which is beer-battered, fried mahi-mahi with house-made pico de gallo and cilantro-lime sour cream served over cabbage. The flavors are bright and tangy with the mild, firm fish.
The out-there quesadilla ($5.50) is a flavorful vegetarian option. Filled with sauteed spinach, mushrooms, garlic, scallions, tomatoes and cheese, it is accented with sour cream and guacamole. The garlic and onion flavors are just right.
Other options we enjoy include kids’ quesadillas ($3), which are stuffed with cheese and are nicely portioned for small appetites; the el gringo ($7), which is a huge, slightly spicy burrito filled with shredded chicken, rice, beans, cheese, guacamole and sour cream; and the shorty ($3), a taco made with tangy shrimp, lettuce, avocado and pico de gallo.
– Tracey Broussard
FISH-TACO FIND
*ARTICLE FROM THE MIAMI HERALD*
Surf’s up in Hallandale, where two young wave riders have opened a super-casual Mexi-Cali grill, Surf Road Taco. â€Our mission is to bring a little Baja to South Florida,†says co-owner Caite O’Hara, who runs the 24-seat spot on the site of an old Russian bakery with partner Chris Rainwater.
The menu, which tops out at $9, offers burritos, tortillas, ceviches, salads, chimichangas and quesadillas, but it’s the cabbage-flecked fish tacos — choose fried or grilled — that really got our attention. Homemade pico de gallo and fresh cilantro-cream sauce set this month-old eatery apart, too.
Diners get a basket of fresh fried tortillas and unlimited trips to the salsa bar. Sangria, beer and wine are available. So, grab a board, er, tray, and test the waters. Surf Road is open 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday at 101 NE Third St., Hallandale; 954-239-0128, surfroadtaco.com.
– VICTORIA PESCE ELLIOTT
