Los Angeles, CA
El 7 Mares is a tiny Mexican open-air restaurant in the Silverlake area of LA. I first saw it from across the road when I was having breakfast at FoodLab. I was surprised by how many people were visiting this shabby, gas-station looking eatery. I thought it looked so bad, it had to be good. Later that day I was reading an old TimeOut about cheap eats in LA, and this place was recommended for their fish tacos and ceviche. We headed down at sunset, and there was still a steady flow of people. We parked outside the little, neon-lit building which is placed in the middle of a parking lot, and had a seat in one of the plastic booths. The crowd was a mixture of hipsters and casually dressed Mexicans, creating a very LA vibe. Since we also had two taco food trucks on the list of places to eat that night, we didn't order much. From the illustrated menu above the counter we picked out shrimp tacos and fish tacos. The small portions were served with fresh lime to squeeze over, and a chilli sauce on the side that I didn't need much of due to its spiciness Both types of tacos were a perfect blend of tangy and salty, and although fried, it did not come off as greasy. Out of the two I preferred the shrimp tacos, but would still order a variety just to mix it up. Their shrimp cocktail is also renowned, so if I ever get to go again, that will be next on my list.
