With a menu designed to highlight the best seafood and the brightest Mexican flavors, La Corriente ‘Cocina del Pacífico’ is now open in La Jolla at 456 Pearl St.
La Corriente is “better Mexican seafood,” said Abiram Castro, manager of one of La Corriente’s eight other locations in Mexico, including three in Tijuana.
With a focus on “the Mexican taste, the spicy flavors,” La Corriente is driven to serve fresh food in a styled environment alluding to a day at sea, Castro said.
La Corriente’s first eatery opened in 2009; its next location, in Mexico City, will open this month.
The La Jolla location is La Corriente’s first in the United States, and aims to continue to culinarily transport diners and extend the restaurants’ popularity north of the border.
“When you eat [here], you’re in Mexico,” Castro said.
The La Jolla spot was born after one of La Corriente’s owners moved to San Diego from Tijuana and fell in love with the space, Castro said. “He always dreamed he could make a restaurant right here.”
The build out took a few months; in the week-plus since it opened its doors, the La Jolla shop already has wait times of about an hour some evenings.
The wait appears worth it, as La Corriente can put on quite a spread.
“I love all the dishes,” Castro said, but highlighted the red snapper tostada, made with thinly-sliced, fresh red snapper with lime and chipotle aioli. “It’s really good.”
Castro also recommended the soft shell crab taco, a tempura-fried whole crab with guajillo pepper, pickled onions, cheese and avocado; along with the “Kalifornia” taco, made with a whole Anaheim pepper stuffed with shrimp, melted cheese and a “special” sauce.
The rib-eye tacos, arriving smothered in cheese and a peanut sauce with avocado and lettuce, though, are “the star of the show,” he said.
La Corriente’s team of long-standing employees are “working so hard,” Castro said.
“We have a mission: make the customers happy with our service and our fresh foods.”
“We have … a lot of energy, a lot of patience,” he said.
“We love our work, we love the menu. … We love La Corriente.”
