Seafood soup at Taqueria Rossy in Los Cabos
I was lazing by a hotel pool along The Corridor in Los Cabos when I overheard two Canadians mention that George Clooney had recently been sighted at a local taqueria. Before I finished slathering suntan lotion on the other side of my face, I found out the directions so we could go there that evening.
Taqueria Rossy is a small roadside restaurant with an unpaved parking lot in a shopping strip, alongside a trafficked through street. With perky blue-and-white checked tablecloths and menus (in both Spanish and English) on large whiteboards hung on the walls, the place is informal and welcoming. Most patrons are Mexican families or workmen with a few Canadian and American snowbirds.
The menu offers almost any type of fish or shellfish available from the nearby Sea of Cortes. My shrimp cocktail arrived in an oversized goblet, almost the size of a small goldfish tank, holding dozens of fresh cooked shrimp swimming in a delicious cold red broth. My husband ordered a huge warm bowl of seafood soup, a peppery stew of scallops, shrimp and other delicacies. A huge lobster claw hung over its side begging to be eaten or shared. Paired with Mexican beer, our dinner for two was less than $20.
Los Cabos has no shortage of fine restaurants. In fact, it’s a mecca for foodies, offering upscale traditional and contemporary Mexican fare, as well as a host of other ethnic cuisines. But take it from George (who wasn’t there when I was), tourists make a big mistake if they skip the authentic dishes served at small taquerias. In Spanish, taqueria means taco shop. More loosely translated, you might take it to mean large servings and low prices for Mexican cooking that’s fresh and local.
IF YOU GO
Three taquerias in San Jose del Cabo worth trying:
- Taqueria Rossy, (specializing in seafood) Transpeninsular Highway near Calle Pescador
- Guacamaya’s (specializing in meat), Calle Marinos off Calle Pescador
- Taqueria El Fogon (specializing in rotisserie pork with pineapple), Calle Manuel Doblado near Transpeninsular Highway
[This article was previously published in The Chicago Tribune on September 13, 2011.]