Here’s a familiar scenario: You’re looking for cheap eats and you end up at one of the ubiquitous hole-in-the-wall taquerias where, let’s face it, the floors are dirty and the food’s not that fresh. Back away from the greasy burrito! You have another option: Mexican grill Bahia Don Bravo steers clear of the strip-mall stereotype and offers exceptionally fresh, authentic-tasting dishes at taqueria prices.
For those on the tightest of budgets, Bahia’s value menu (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday) offers simple orders such as a bean and cheese burrito or nachos for a measly 99 cents. Drop in during happy hour (4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday) and for $3.50 you can add a tropical cocktail to your bargain bites. Don’t write off the rest of the menu; the generally low prices and dazzling variety will sway any penny pincher to spend a couple extra bucks.
Bahia Don Bravo specializes in seafood and makes a mean fish taco. At $1.50 apiece, you might think that you’re ordering a snack, but you’ll have a hard time fitting your mouth around the crispy, zesty, beer-battered Mahi wrapped in a warm corn tortilla and drizzled with sour cream. Focus on the salsa fresca and crunchy cabbage that top it off, or the idea that fish is healthy, and you won’t feel the need to log extra miles on the treadmill after eating it.
Another Bahia favorite, the Surfer Gigante burrito, puts a vegetarian spin on the conventional California burrito. You won’t miss Roberto’s chewy carne asada cubes one bit after you taste Bahia’s soft whole-wheat tortilla stuffed with tender potatoes, lettuce, salsa fresca, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, black beans, and rice.
Bahia looks more like a taqueria than a traditional Mexican restaurant, but come dinnertime you have the option of ordering from your table. This may seem a little strange in such a casual setting, and most people continue to order from the counter, but it’s a good choice if you want a high-quality and low-budget restaurant experience. You won’t see a dent in your pocketbook, even after the tip.
Bahia Don Bravo
5504 La Jolla Blvd.
La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 454-8940
