Mariscos Puerto Vallarta gives Pajaro fresh seafood at affordable prices

PAJARO, Calif. (KION-TV)- The small 595-acre community of Pajaro has made national headlines after the Pajaro River levee breached back in March leaving thousands without a place to call home. To this day people are trying to pick themselves up when seemingly nobody lent a hand in the first place.

You could drive through Pajaro and not even know you missed it on your way into Watsonville. For the people who call this area home signs of whole lives being lived fill every nook and cranny of the streets.

Bakeries, supermarkets, auto shops, a church, and even a middle school call Pajaro their home. Whole lives have been lived without anyone paying them any mind.

Arguably nothing is more important to a culture than its food. It has been called the sixth omnipotent love language. There are various restaurants and eating establishments in such a small area, but the one that caught my eye was the one that had no signs there was even a restaurant there.

Mariscos Puerto Vallarta is near the intersection before getting on the Pajaro River Bridge into Watsonville. There is a gas station on one side, a power washing station on the other... and then there is Mariscos Puerto Vallarta with a canopy, some chairs and tables, a literal hole in the wall and a large menu next to the hole.

I ordered the camarones a la cucaracha (shrimp with chipotle sauce), it was pretty reasonably priced so I got shrimp empanadas and some ceviche on tostadas. I was hungry, to say the least.

The shrimp plate had white rice, a side salad and fresh tortillas. The side salad and white rice were pretty typical, nothing special but edible. The chipotle sauce was pretty bland. It didn't coat the shrimp as well as it could have and left me with a "Well that was okay I guess."

Thankfully, I ordered more food because the empanadas and ceviche were much better.

The empanadas were hot, soft with a surprising crunch. The cheese inside was a nice surprise, but warning, juice leaks so be prepared to eat it over something.

The salsa verde given to you to pair was the star of the show. It had a great quick and had strong hints of line; I was a big fan.

The ceviche had a nice mix of veggies and shrimp, and on its own, was underwhelming with flavor. Once paired with some salt and lime... Oh boy! That's when it got good and I was eating it so fast I thought I was going to forget to swallow.

For the whole meal I paid around $25, and for the amount of food I got I was very satisfied with what I received.

While I was ordering I also peaked in and saw they had a dining area. I went inside and it's nicely painted with aquatic decorations lining the walls. Overall the inside is very spacious and comfortable.

Maybe I'm blind but I could not spot a single advertisement, or sign that indicated they were an eating establishment. They even have their own parking lot.

Overall, I'd say my experience was positive and I'd go back again and again. The food was fresh and I got a lot of it for a reasonable price. They are cash only! So remember to bring some.