RESTAURANT REVIEW:Taco Surf proves to be great with or without a date

First dates are always unnerving for me. I think it’s that old saying about not getting a second chance to make a first impression.

Any initial date for me usually follows the same format: dinner at a moderately priced restaurant.

It’s just picking that restaurant that befuddles me — probably not a good quality to have for someone who reviews them for a living.

Fortunately I have a standby, a rock-solid place that never lets me down and is almost perfect for a first date.

I want to mix it up a bit, try and figure out a different place to go to, but I always come back to Taco Surf.

Though dating has been sparse as of late, my trips to Taco Surf have not. Accompanied or solo, I have enjoyed the food at this Mexican restaurant that was started by a father and son in 1988 and has grown to six locations.

I go there just to listen to the music on the weekends and enjoy the chips and salsa. The salsa is spicy, but not terribly hot. It provides a sharp flavor to the multicolored chips.

The signature dish is their famous Baja fish taco. A small corn tortilla has tender, breaded white fish, pico sauce, white shredded cabbage, guacamole and a tangy Baja sauce with ingredients that are a restaurant secret.

Though the sauce is only listed for the Baja fish taco, you can ask for it on any of the other tacos.

The sauce doesn’t work with the ground beef, carnitas or chicken, but is great on the steak and the grilled fish.

The best deal on the menu is a three-taco special. You can mix any taco the restaurant makes for $6.25, though the shrimp is a dollar extra.

My second favorite dish at the restaurant is the burritos.

Large and filled with many items, they are a great bargain for the money, but can be intimidating for lunch. Chances are half of it will be going home with you.

The Alamo allows two meats to be stuffed in a large white flour tortilla along with Spanish rice, refried beans, jack and cheddar cheeses, lettuce, and pico sauce.

It, like all of the eight burritos, can be served wet, with a spicy red sauce poured on top.

A good choice is the pork chili verde burrito. There are generous portions of pork with a tomatillo salsa and avocado slices.

One area of the menu that should be sampled is the entrees, especially the fish. The red snapper is grilled and served with a sweet mango salsa and either flour or corn tortillas. Mini burritos can be made with the cabbage, rice and beans that accompany it.

Another great choice is the enchiladas. Rancheros. So sad to say my handful of first dates at Taco Surf have not gone as well as my meals, but the food has made my often-regrettable evenings more comfortable.