Welcome to Food Envy, where we’ll highlight different dishes from Time Out Market Miami that we think you’re going to love—partly because we do. This week, check out the coastal-inspired baja shrimp tacos from La Santa Taqueria.
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My favorite taco is any taco really—even the fast-food kind I won’t dare mention here. I love them big and overflowing with toppings, unlike anything you’d find in Mexico. I also like the traditional kind made with hand-rolled tortillas and a simple combo of meat and raw onions. You can start to see why it’s nearly impossible to choose just one thing off La Santa Taqueria’s menu. I crave every dish chef Omar Montero puts out, from the cheesy quesadillas and carnitas to the special villamelón you won’t find anywhere else in Miami.
Though the baja shrimp, a dish I accidentally discovered while sharing tacos with friends, rack up the votes this week. We ordered several to share, as one does when faced with a menu full of delicious options. There was the juicy al pastor, the aforementioned crispy villamelón, guac and, to cover the seafood category, the baja shrimp. I love fried shrimp as much as the next person but something about La Santa’s battered cuties huddled up inside a double corn tortilla immediately stood out to me.
Let’s start with the double tortilla sitch—it’s brilliant. Not only do they keep the shrimp from spilling out of the flimsy shells, but you can also pull them apart to build two extra tacos. If you’re the type of person who eats their bagels in two halves to stretch out your meal, you’ll appreciate Montero’s ingenuity. There’s little else in the taco besides the fried shrimp and a tangy, spicy slaw that cuts through the richness of the batter, and this dish proves that’s really all you need.
A little heat, a little crunch and the option to make a good thing last longer—La Santa’s baja shrimp is changing my mind on picking favorites.
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