• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mamá Maggie's Kitchen
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beef
    • Breakfast
    • Chicken
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Vegetarian
    • Healthy
    • Mexican
    • Holiday Recipes
    • Learn
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • Courses
    • Tamales
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Courses
  • Shop
×

Home » Travel » Mexico » My Culinary Adventures in Ensenada

My Culinary Adventures in Ensenada

Last Updated February 27, 2021. Originally Posted August 17, 2013 By Maggie Unzueta

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My friend and fellow blogger, Sugar Jones, moved to Ensenada for a year with her kids and husband. Her home is an amazing 3-level beach house steps away from the water. I mean, how awesome is that? Have you ever driven Highway 1 in California? Ensenada and its pristine coastline is just like that: truly breathtaking! Can’t blame me for heading south of the border and doing some taste testing in such a remarkable place.


A hand holding a coctel de mariscos in a plastic cup.



Mariscos El Guero
This seafood stand has their own set up to prepare and order food. If you want a tostada, you have to stand behind a certain man. If you want a seafood cocktail, you stand behind another man. This seafood cocktail was made of shrimp, octopus, fish, clams, oysters, cucumbers, tomato sauce, onions, cilantro, lime juice. Add a few splashes of chili and YUM!





The building for the fish market in Ensenada with a sign that reads "Mercado de Mariscos."
Seafood Market
If you get squeeeeemish seeing fish eyes, don’t go to this seafood market! The fish were still wiggling, caught just that morning, floor slippery, and the air was pungent and wonderfully fishy. Fresh fish tastes saltier and 3000 times better than frozen fish.



Maggie Unzueta on the beach in Ensenada, Mexico.
Ensenada Beach
Sugar and I walked along this beach for a few miles, stopping only to enjoy the view or to grab a snack. Palapas for beach picnics and palm trees swaying in the ocean breeze. Sand dollars and mini shells on a long expansive, untampered beach. I’m really quite simple to please. Stick me on a beach and feed me, and I’m happy. 🙂



Almejas gratinadas (Clams with melted cheese) opened and served next to saltine crackers.
Almejas Gratinadas
They open the clam and remove the meat. The clam meat is then chopped. Add shrimp, minced onions, lime juice, chili, cilantro and topped with cheese. They close the clam back up and wrap it in foil. It is placed in an old school wood oven. This was the BEST thing I had in Ensenada. I am salivating as I write, remembering this salty and cheese goodness.



Two glass cups filled with ceviche next to tostadas.
Shrimp Ceviche
Shrimp, tomato sauce, chili, onions, cucumbers, cilantro, and lime juice. I don’t think I will ever be able to eat frozen seafood again. What a difference! The young boy who waited on us was incredibly delightful. He had no idea that I am a food writer and restaurant critic. He didn’t know who Sugar was, and he treated us and everyone with the same hospitality. That’s something I noticed everywhere we went: genuine kindness and warmth.





A stack of jalapenos on display at a grocery store.
Walmart
Now you’re thinking: Walmart, really? That’s exactly my point! This Walmart has a Mexican bakery, Mexican products. Mexican fruits and veggies are more vibrant in Mexico than they are in the US because they are fresher.

A collage of food pictures of restaurants and markets in Ensenada, Mexico.


iGracias a la familia Jones! Espero verlos pronto.
Thank you to the Jones family. I can’t wait to visit again!

Filed Under: Mexico

About Maggie Unzueta

Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. bloggoneit

    August 20, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    Mariscos el Guero sounds like everything I love to eat all mixed up together. I am literally drooling right now. Perhaps I should take a moment and eat? Nah, that would be too easy.

    I’m so glad that you got to see Sugar. I’m missing her genuine self up here in California. Perhaps a trip down South is in my future!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

A picture of Maggie Unzueta in her kitchen holding a coffee cup.

iBienvenidos! I'm Maggie. Welcome to my blog! My passion is authentic Mexican food and traveling throughout Mexico to bring you the very BEST in culture and cuisine.

More about me →

Popular

  • Slow Cooker: Birria de Res, or Mexican Beef Stew + VIDEO
  • Camarones a la Diabla [VIDEO]
  • Menudo (or Pancita) + VIDEO
  • Instant Pot Pork Tamales [VIDEO]
  • Caldo de Camarón – Mexican Shrimp Soup + VIDEO
  • Carne En Su Jugo + VIDEO

Featured On

A list of places Mama Maggie's Kitchen has been featured in.

Follow Maggie!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on PinterestFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on Google+Follow Us on YouTube

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Maggie
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • PR/ Advertise
  • Email maggie @ mamamaggieskitchen.com