Ricky is a delightful retired florist who is bringing an authentic and delicious Baja style fish taco to the Hollywood area on a daily basis. He is followed on Twitter by 2500 people and he has one of the highest scores on Yelp with nearly a 90%+ approval rating.
My adventure to Ricky's Fish Taco Paradise was on one of the hottest November days of all time. Yet still, by 12:05 PM, there were at least a dozen people crowding around to buy a fish taco. Ricky makes his own special batter and don't misunderstand me when I say it's as complex, rich and flavorful as Kentucky Fried Chicken! Addictive even.
There is a lot going on in there. It has that extra savory burst of flavor that makes you smack your lips and want to order more. The only thing Ricky would tell me was that he uses oregano and no beer. As the batter is yellowish I thought maybe he had some achiote in there, but he said no. So maybe it was cumin or curry and a handful of other secretos.
Once they have been dunked in the thick, secret batter, Ricky fries up fish and shrimp to golden brown perfection. You can purchase a fish taco for $2.50, a shrimp taco for $3.00 or a combo 'Ricky's Special' taco with fish and shrimp.
He dresses the tacos with cabbage and pico de gallo, and you can do the rest with crema, salsa verde, salsa roja and a smokey dark salsa. There is plenty of shade to eat under and he always seems to have an agua fresca available (yesterday it was jamaica).
His parents live in Ensenada but his mother was born in San Jose del Cabo which is a charming place near Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja Peninsula. She visits a few times a year and has been known to tweak his batter recipe with her expertise.
Ricky's father is from Tijuana. He has a sticker on his deep fryer that says Hussong's, Ensenada. I did a little Googling and learned it is the oldest restaurant in Baja, started by Germans and dating back to 1892. You can at least check it out virtually at http://www.cantinahussongs.com/
Thank you Ricky, for your warm spirit and cooking expertise! Viva el taco de pescado!
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As of 2021 Ricky is still on Riverside Drive in Silverlake.
I am enjoying your taco adventures! Nice video.
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