Mariscos 4 Vientos - Review - Boyle Heights - Los Angeles - The Infatuation
"Mariscos 4 Vientos in Boyle Heights is a one-stop-shop for every mariscos craving we’ve ever had. Whether it’s cocteles, tacos dorados, or a dozen oysters with salsa verde to sweat out last night’s tequila, this place has it all. The truck’s tostadas also run the seafood gamut by offering toppings like shrimp, fish, octopus, and even imitation crab (if that’s your jam). But unlike other places that cut their fish into small chunks, Mariscos 4 Vientos finely minces its fish ceviche to create more of a seafood paste that gets slathered on the salty tostada. The tomato, onion, and cilantro really come through here, and the large slices of creamy avocado make for a rich final touch. The tostada mixta that comes with the same fish ceviche and large chunks of shrimp and octopus on top is also excellent. After adding generous amounts of salt and tapatío, we like to eat this one curbside for a brief moment of uninterrupted satisfaction. Or, in some cases, regret for wearing white pants to a ceviche truck (again). photo credit: Jessie Clapp Food Rundown photo credit: Jessie Clapp Tostada Mixta This tostada is full of fresh, citrus flavor, starting with its first layer of ceviche that’s finely minced with tomato and cilantro until it almost becomes a paste. That fishy mixture then gets topped with large pieces of octopus, cooked shrimp, and avocado that call for a generous dousing of Tapatío before biting in. Fish Tostada The ultra finely-chopped fish ceviche also fairs well on its own with just some avocado on top. It’s bright, fresh, and has just the right balance of textures, in case you’re looking for something a bit simpler. Tostada de Jaiva If you’re expecting crab, note that this tostada actually comes topped with a “krab” ceviche (aka surimi). We know this can be a controversial ingredient and is great in certain quantities, but this tostada is really just a whole lot of imitation crab with ceviche’s usual tomato, onion, and cilantro mix. The krab’s sweetness is fine at first, but it eventually becomes too overpowering and takes away from the rest of the tostada. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Shrimp Tacos Dorados When in doubt, go for these and don’t look back. The fried tortilla shells are stuffed with creamy mashed potatoes and shrimp for a hearty bite that hits the mark on texture, flavor, and price point (they’re $2.25 each). These crispy tacos are also topped with chunky tomato salsa that adds some nice freshness and moisture to this denser taco. Tostada Aguachile Verde Maybe this aguachile sits in a large batch throughout the day and gently cures over time because the shrimp comes out mostly cooked rather than raw, which isn’t what we’re looking for in an aguachile. Otherwise, the green marinade is on the spicier side with its chile serranos, which certainly had us working up a sweat mid-lunch." - Sylvio Martins
