Taqueria Zarape

Seaside’s newest taqueria has a lot going for it.

Like the location, on busy Fremont Boulevard bordering Seaside and Monterey and, conveniently, next to the Weekly headquarters.

And the family – Carlos and Alma Ruiz, and Carlos’ brother Mario – behind it, who opened other taquerias in Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley.

And the friendly atmosphere, with family-friendly prices.

I started off with nice tall paper cups of horchata and jamaica (hibiscus), at $2 each. I poured the drinks myself and had to ask for ice, which felt weird, because the drinks are better cold and an ice machine seems more efficient. The drinks themselves were spot on.

On my editor’s orders I had to try the shrimp tacos ($3.50/each), served sizzling on double corn tortillas. I tossed one plump shrimp into my mouth. I could taste the zesty spiced mayo-butter it was seared in. Very worthy of being the signature dish, but beware, gluten-intolerant types: There is soy in the sauce.

I also had the enchilada platter ($9.25): one each of cheese, chicken and beef with a side of rice and beans and a heavy load of guacamole and sour cream. It was a big value and gorgeously plated, particularly for a walk-up-counter taqueria.

La campechana ($9.50), which can mean a lot of things in Spanish, here means seafood cocktail with diced onions, avocado, cilantro and jalapeños, with an additional sweetener. To amend the over-the-top sweetness, I enjoyed my leftovers at home after draining the liquid and adding a fierce amount of fresh lime juice and hot sauce to match.

I was ready to get heady on my next visit after I noticed a hand-written sign: “Tenemos tacos de cabeza” ($2.25). Cabeza, or “head,” is actually beef cheeks (and not brains, or cesos), and known to have some of the best flavor compared to other parts of the animal, an almost soft and creamy texture from being steamed, roasted or braised. Zarape’s version didn’t have much seasoning, but it didn’t need it – it was tasty.

The carnitas tacos were similar in style, showcasing pork with minimal flavor boosters. Both were reinforced magnificently with the made-fresh-daily, extensive salsa bar, with marinated peppers and carrots, spicy radishes, pico de gallo and three other salsas. Finely diced jalapeño swam in my favorite, the mildly hot red salsa, made with a secret family recipe.

Another note advertised tostadas de ceviche ($2.95), which I’d been craving. With this one, the jalapeño was potent: Each bite had some wicked heat and nice underlying citrus. Next time I’d ask for an avocado topper for a cooling effect, but these were still almost as good as the ones I’ve had in Sayulita, Mexico.

Finally, soup. I love hot soup like a caldo de res, so I asked what they offered. “Steak soup,” one of the brother owners replied – “with bacon.”

So I gave this carne en su jugo ($7.50) a whirl. This is not a typical soup with slow-cooked bone-in meat but more of a super-savory soup filled with meat – again, carne asada – plus pieces of bacon and whole pinto beans with a float of avocado and diced onions. The bold flavors had me enjoying it loudly at home, over a bowl of just-cooked short-grained rice.

Some other items to be enjoyed: breakfast, including burritos and plates like the chorizo, egg and potatoes for $5.75 (add beans and rice for $1.50). Other taco fillings on their menu: al pastor (slow-roasted and seasoned pork), pollo asado (grilled chicken), pollo (broiled), lengua (beef tongue), buche (pig stomach) and chile verde (stewed pork).

The simple nachos ($4.25) can be christened with meat ($7); their children’s menu stars burritos ($2.75-$4) and quesadillas ($3) served with rice and beans.

Vegetarians can rejoice over menu offerings like the taco salad ($5.85), worthy veggie burrito ($5.50), veggie tostada ($4) or veggie soft taco plate ($3.50). Whatever the order, the salsa bar and hot, fresh-fried chips are a highlight.

I am not positive Zarape offers the best tacos in town, but I know it has quickly made inroads on a Peninsula where there are plenty of great Mexican spots. Each time I visited, I noticed a menu addition – last time it was spinach and red-pepper tortillas. The Ruizes are not sitting on a formula that worked elsewhere, but constantly evolving their own Seaside rendition.

What the hardworking family has already figured out: How to do fast, how to do fresh and how to keep the register ringing. The clean flavors fit the setting, a tidy well-lit cafe with an enclosed patio.

Or at least, that patio was enclosed until Saturday, Aug. 23, when a woman crashed her car into it after hitting two parked cars and rear-ending another. Three Zarape diners were taken to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula for minor injuries. (Visit the food blog, www.mcweekly.com/edible, for more.) As of Aug. 25, the patio was taped off while crews repaired the damage.

The indoor dining area, however, remains intact, and the good people of Zarape are still slinging their sizzling goodness. Here’s to a crash-free future.

TAQUERIA ZARAPE 1107 Fremont Blvd., Seaside •9am-9pm daily • 899-1125, taqueriazarape.com