What Does Baja-Style Actually Mean For Fish Tacos?

From Mountain Dew to fish tacos, "Baja style" refers to a cooking culture originating from (or inspired by) the Baja California Mexican peninsula. This spur off Western Mexico consists of two states: Baja California and Baja California Sur, both populated by descendants of indigenous people who have fished these warm Pacific waters for thousands of years. This particular area of Mexico is rife with international food influence, from Japanese fishermen to Italian chefs, creating one of the most diverse regional cuisines of Mexico.

This influence added many unique elements to this region's cooking to create something entirely new and unique. A Baja fish taco recipe contains deep-fried fish, a possible influence of Japan, crema, shredded cabbage, and pickled vegetables, all adaptations from Spanish culture, and a corn tortilla, an ancient Mexican staple.

On the peninsula, local seafood like grouper, snapper, and even shark are favorites, but American adaptations also include bass, trout, and catfish. This region's cuisine is not as bound by tradition as many other Mexican cooking cultures. As such, even something simple like a Baja fish nachos recipe can vary wildly depending on the chef.

Natives of Baja California have been eating seafood and tortillas for thousands of years. However, it wasn't until the 20th century that the modern Baja-style fish taco was born. The story behind the dish is truly representative of the internationally-influenced history of these two states and serves as a reminder of how incredibly popular its food is.

The popularization and modernization of the fish taco is often credited to Ralph Rubio, a chef from San Diego. In the '70s, Rubio went on spring break in San Felipe, Mexico, a small town off the Sea of Cortez, and ate a fried fish taco. As a San Diego native, Rubio had eaten Mexican food his entire life but had never had anything quite like this. On a subsequent trip, Rubio secured a recipe from a local taquero but wouldn't share it with Californians until 1983.

That year, Rubio opened his first restaurant, a Mexican food stand off the Mission Bay in San Diego. At the time, most Americans thought of tacos as a hard shell container filled with ground beef, cheese, and salsa. Californians, thanks to their proximity to Mexico, had exposure to variations like al pastor but were still hesitant to try a fish version. But the newness of the idea and the power of Baja cooking eventually won them over, evolving Rubio's walk-up stand into a national chain, Rubio's Coastal Grill, that once boasted over 100 locations.

While many of these locations have since shuttered, the impact of the restaurants on the popularity of the Baja-style fish taco is undeniable. What was once seen as a novel food product of a couple of Mexican states has evolved into one of the most in-demand representatives of the country's food.