La Fisheria

La Fisheria has thankfully moved out of the two-story house on Inker Street and into a more visible, albeit smaller, place downtown. What hasn’t changed, though, since the Houston Press review of the original location in 2012, is that La Fisheria still specializes in Mexican-style seafood preparations — and they are still outstanding. In fact, the restaurant seems more focused on the food than ever before and that may be in part thanks to the fact that celebrity chef Aquiles Chavez is no longer a distraction. He’s not often on site, as he’s usually in Mexico these days. His face isn’t on the menu, and if his branded merchandise is around, it’s sure not apparent. That leaves diners to focus on wonderful drinks and food, such as the margaritas accented with straws turned into tamarind lollipops and the bewitching vuelve a la vida (or “come back to life” soup). There was no seafood dish we tried that wasn’t outstanding, from the trio of ceviches (each compelling in its own right) to the crunchy tostada de atún. Even beef dishes are good, and diners who try the thick, tender slices of lengua de res may believe in cow tongue for life. Perhaps there are some good desserts here, but the lackluster and overly garnished flan sure isn’t one.