tickle me [fish] taco: Tickle On the Road: Seattle

Every now and again, getting away from the hustle and bustle of NYC is a must for Tickle. Back in March, Tickle made his way to Seattle, the land known for rain clouds (and rain), coffee, Kill Rock Stars and Singles. Unlike NYC, Seattle is a chill and mellow hotbed of cheery caffeinated all-around good people with a top-notch seafood scene - you must try the Seattle Salmon at Shiro's!! Fortunately, Tickle is lucky to have a few beloved friends and family in Seattle that have introduced him to an array of eateries. One of those joints introduced to Tickle stands out for not only its fish tacos, but for its story - Rancho Bravo Tacos!!

Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Rancho Bravo is housed in a former KFC (yup, Kentucky Friend Chicken, baby!). You may ask, "Tickle, does that mean they have a drive-thru?" Well, yes, of course they do, and no, no they don't. See, they have a drive-thru window, but they do not have an operating drive-thru, which I would think is a good thing. Anyhow, the owners of Rancho Bravo didn't bother tweaking the cosmetic feel of the strucutre all too much, which normally would have turned me off, but, in keeping with the fast food chain vibe, Rancho Bravo directly or indirectly comes off as awfully endearing. I mean, they're all about the food, right?

Right. The fish tacos were tasty! They were made with pan-friend tilapia and topped with fried onions and pickled cabbage. Rancho's fish tacos were by no means groundbreaking, but they were exactly what I expected and more from a joint housed in a former KFC. The fish was fresh, moist, and wrapped around two lightly fried corn tortillas. The side salsas were also fresh and spicey, but not too spicy so as to overpower the fish. The downfall, however, was the lack of a proper sauce to not only accompany the fish, but to amplify it - side salsas merely act as makeshift remedies.

Fish tacos ala Seattle

Overhead shot...Who's getting hungry?

Rancho Bravo also has fish

tortas, a cousin of the fish taco!

After downing my two fish tacos, I chatted up the the cool dude behind the counter (the owner, I suspect) who told me to keep his identity anonymous, as he is wanted by the authorities in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. For a split second, I believed him and demonstrated concern, but his smile and subsequent laughter followed by the laughter of the other workers indicated that they were messing with me. Tickle got got! Nevertheless, I kept my cool, channeled my inner Seattle, and took it in stride laughing along with them.