This is our summer list of ceviche senseis in Ensenada. Brace yourselves.
By Erick Falcón | Todos Santos
Summer is here, and our neverending quest to find the freshest, most incredible ceviches in Ensenada has just produced a few results. Embrace our list and indulge your senses with this Peruvian-originated, Baja-adopted dish that will delight every and each one of your taste buds. Worth a weekend trip just to taste all of them, and tell ’em you saw it here (maybe they’ll even throw an extra on your tostada).
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One of our all-time favorites, chefs Miguel Bahena & Carolina Verdugo’s Ceviche Pacífico has a very herbal & spicy touch: chimichurri sauce paired well with ingredients like cherry tomatoes, Baja olive oil and the freshest fish available. The recipe was developed by accident when our editor first tasted it and asked for an order to go. Bahena didn’t have all the ingredients of the original recipe, so he improvised and added chimichurri for extra flavor, but people started to like and order this ceviche, and so Ceviche Pacífico has become one of the highlight dishes that Pacífico is known for. It’s also a generous portion for under $10 dollars, so you don’t have excuses to not taste it.
Chef Daniel Benítez Bremer’s Ceviche Península Rojo has been one of our overall favorite ceviches (and we’ve tasted dozens) since we first tasted it in 2014. Made with mackerel, persian cucumber, tomatoes, olive oil, chile morita sauce as some of the key ingredients, this is a foodie favorite in Ensenada, and is opening soon in Valle de Guadalupe. There is also a green sauce that features clam as the main ingredients and a vegetarian version that is equally delicious. Price is generally around $7 dollars for an abundant portion that will surely leave you more than satisfied.
3. Expectations are always high at Deckman’s at el Mogor, and chef Drew Deckman’s ceviche is consistently among the best you will try in Ensenada. Price and portions are fair, but you’ll be blown away by the intense freshness and flavors, that’s for sure. Just look at this centollo (spider crab) ceviche.
4. Doña Sabina Bandera’s ceviche tostadas are out of this world, especially when topped with her classic favorite like clam and sea urchin. There’s a lot more options to choose from, exactly more than 20, so it’s no wonder this is one of Anthony Bourdain’s favorites.
5. Casa Marcelo.
Marcelo’s mackerel or octopus and chicharrón tostadas are not for the faint of heart: oozing with intense flavors, olive oil, chili sauce and herbs, you’re definitely into a treat for just $3 dollars per tostada.
6. Muelle Tres.
Their house ceviche is full of good stuff: fresh fish, clam, shrimp and seafood delicacies for a little over $10 dollars. It’s worth the wait.
7. Mantou.
Fresh ingredients and eclectic cuisine in this downtown gastropub just a few blocks north of the tourist strip will land you a great culinary experience. Pair it up with Mantou’s signature cocktails and you’ll skyrocket into foodie heaven.
You can’t go wrong with La Cocedora’s classic street cart ceviches or with its flagship ceviche del Compadre, which features fresh fish, shrimp and geoduck clam.
9. Irene Food Truck.
Chef Christian Herrera’s ceviches are very flavorful and price-competitive. With fresh seafood and ingredients like avocado sauce, ash and morita chili sauce, this is a recent addition to our list of favorites in the city. Find it in Mercado Mediterráneo in El Sauzal.
10. Hacienda Guadalupe.
Chef Ernesto Rocha’s artsy ceviches at Hacienda Guadalupe are full of flavor and aesthetics. Don’t forget to pair them with a Liebre craft beer and you’re all set.
11. Oliver Seki.
Chef Oliver Seki’s Ceviche del Chef is full of flavor: olive oil, cilantro, chile guajillo, shrimp, fresh fish or even made with surmi, this is pure bliss. Generous, tasty and cost-concious, we are eager to see this chef’s new project capture the attention of local foodies.
12. Traslomita.
Chef Sheyla Alvarado’s ceviches are straight-to-the-point good. Fresh, local ingredients and a great view. Location, location, location, and fresh, fresh, fresh are the key in Traslomita.
Honorable mentions: Rupestre Food Truck, Mestizo, Encuentro Guadalupe, Costa Fresca, Mixtura, Barra Azul, La Carreta Street Seafood, Mariscos El Gordito, Mariscos El Guero,