When it comes to food, I probably have two true loves. For my money, it’s tough to beat fresh seafood and savory Mexican food. When you can find both at the same place, you’ve found a rare dining jewel.

La Cocina de Ricardo #2 (I’m not sure if there is a #1 or a #3) in San Clemente is as good as it gets for fresh and fast Mexican seafood. While it is not the cheapest in town (try Pedro’s Tacos for cheap and delicious Mexican food), most entrees are still very reasonable at $6-10.

In fact, La Cocina de Ricardo has turned me on to a shrimp dish I’d never tried before. It’s called “campechana” and it’s similar to a giant shrimp cocktail with a bunch of diced octopus thrown in. It’s fresh, light, and so delicious! Even though it’s $13.50, it’s a deal considering the amount of seafood you get.

If shrimp and octopus aren’t your style, you should give their soups a try. In fact, that is all I ate for the first six months I visited. Their soups are large, stocked full of fresh vegetables, and come with a side of chips, salsa, and tortillas for $6-8.

La Cocina de Ricardo, located at 401 S. El Camino Real in San Clemente, takes all major credit cards and can package any of their items to go. It’s also located right across the street from both Starbuck’s and the Coffee Bean, so you can grab an iced coffee drink to cool your mouth off after you stuff yourself.

La Cocina de Ricardo
[where: 401 South El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672]
949-498-7808