Tracking the superior burrito of the sea.

The squid tastes like surrender. After around an hour and a half of prospecting, our hollow hunger forced us to give up on finding a fish burrito in Salinas. (Oldtown’s King Burrito has one but was closed. Mi Tierra doesn’t offer one in its original locale and its walk-up shop a door down was dark. El Kora comes recommended but said no on the fish burrito front.)

So it was octopus tostadas and ceviche from La Costa on North Main. (At least the ceviche offered consolation.)

In a hotbed for Mexican food – in the capital of a county with more coastline than any other in the state – it shouldn’t have to be like this. But such is the Tito Jackson-style storyline for fish burritos: They have the same genes as more popular members of the family, just not as much play.

Maybe fish burrito needs a new manager – a Salinas source could only recommend Maui Taco in Salinas, which didn’t qualify for the showdown (details below). “Why are you so obsessed with a fish burrito?” she asked. “Why not a fish taco?”

Well, fish burritos travel better, involve bigger tortillas (and payloads), and could be easily produced by all the same joints that do tacos, but this obsession originally evolved from an old-fashioned showdown between Taqueria del Mar’s fish burrito wrap star and a delicious Cajun-style mahi mahi work from Carmel Crossroads newcomer Island Taco. The expanded search unfolded from there, but the rules remained simple. Shops had to have a walk-up counter, be independent – no chains (sorry Maui) – and the use of sustainable stock was key (thank you Seafood Watch).

The two original competitors showed well. TDM’s rock cod wrap is a study in the success of a simple recipe done well – fresh and tender cod with crunchy cabbage and a heroic white sauce. But it’s spendy, and folks there and at their supplier were unable to tell me whether the rock cod is fished sustainably (line caught), making this contender suspect.

The mahi mahi would win here, then, because it is just as delicious and significantly bigger, with a generous amount of dorado (another word for mahi mahi, which is sustainably fished in Hawaii, but not internationally). Island Taco, however, got their latest batch from Ecuador (to their credit, ownership pledged to consult SW to learn more). But their tasty off-menu fried fish burrito, thanks to its sustainable fishery roots, leapt to claim the number-two slot.

Now cue the charbroiled tilapia. This Turtle Bay creation is as fresh and flavorful as any fish burrito out there, sustainably fished and checking in at a lot cheeper than the other top nominees. It hits the spot in a way no fish taco ever could. Someone tell Tito there’s hope.

Here, the power rankings (to suggest a worthy fish burrito, e-mail edible@montereycountyweekly.com):

1. Turtle Bay Taquería Charbroiled Tilapia Burrito ($6.50) • 1301 Fremont Blvd., Seaside, 899-1010 • 431 Tyler St., Monterey, 333-1500 2. Island Taco Fried Fish Burrito ($7.85) • 173 Crossroads Blvd., Carmel, 624-8454 3. Taqueria Del Mar Fish Burrito ($7.79) • 530 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey, 372-7887 4. Baldimero’s Fish Burrito ($4) • 2008 Fremont Blvd., Seaside, 899-2231 Good value for those unconcerned with where their fish came from. 5. Isidro’s Fish Burrito ($4.49) • 3046 Del Monte Blvd., Marina, 883-1818 The snapper’s from far away; the flavor is fishy, the texture chewy. Run for the relleno. 6. Tortuga Fish Burrito ($6.42) • 1257 Fremont Blvd., Seaside, 394-8320 Almost inedible. Go for tortas, other burritos. (unranked) Burrito King ($8.99) • 8 Mid-Town Lane, Salinas • 424-0159 From its pedestrian-only alley, the place looks chain-like, but is locally owned.