Society Life Magazine

ans of Baja’s Grill have demanded its review on “Where Locals Go”—and at long last it gets its due.  This deservedly popular spot serves dependable margaritas and crowd-pleasing Tex-Mex, but if you’re looking for a few surprises they’re not hard to find.
 
Baja’s Southlake location was once occupied by Michael’s, which attempted suburban fine dining. Though Michael’s is long gone, some of its steak and champagne finishes still remain and seem to have rubbed off on everything from the service to the plating.  It’s as if this location takes itself a little more seriously than the others. And while we’re not talking “precious” serious, enough unexpected flavor profiles pop up to give this location a bit more gravitas. 

Not that they need it, nor do the diners seem to have it on their minds. On a random Wednesday night the dining room was lively. On a random Friday afternoon—buzzing. On Father’s Day for weekend brunch—slammed. 
 
Of course it’s easy to let down your guard when you’re plied with crunchy, complimentary carbs, especially when the salsa’s exceptional and the guacamole comes with a show (prepared tableside in a molcajete). 

I made certain I had room enough for fish tacos, the quintessential Baja peninsula street food.  When done right, you can practically hear the pounding of Pacific surf. At Baja’s you can order it with batter-fried or grilled mahi-mahi. I ordered mine grilled to carry on the virtuosity of a fresh and fruity salsa and crunchy shredded cabbage.  It’s a dish with acidic and textural complexity—and relatively good for you.

 

Barely touched entrées are no reflection on the cooks.  The tortilla chips take effect just before orders arrive.  I don’t know why I order fajitas because I never finish them (even as the warm tortillas seem to mysteriously disappear), but a day later the marinated meat takes on a bit more complexity and the caramelized vegetables intensify in sweetness. I rarely (possibly never) discuss leftovers. Too much can happen from the time it leaves their kitchen and gets reheated in mine, but on several occasions my leftovers from Baja stole the show. I gave the fajita meat a good chop, piled it into a halved and buttered Kaiser roll, topped it with the sweet veggies and a semi-fistful of shredded pepperjack.  With a good press on a hot grill pan it was repurposed into a tasty, homemade torta.
 
Clearly I view gluttony as a mere obstacle, not a vice, because I also walked away with another dish I barely touched— the exotically titled salmon Tikin-Xic – a salmon fillet coated with achiote, bitter orange and presented on a banana leaf. 

Despite the appearance of aggressive seasoning, it’s a subtle dish. I reheat the fish wrapped in the banana leaf and only for a few seconds in the microwave.  Somehow it stays very moist. Wrapped in corn tortillas and garnished with the pickled onions it came with—it becomes a very different take on the fish taco. ¡Viva la leftovers!
 
These homespun concoctions only turned out as good as they did because of Baja’s primary efforts, and in a way it’s why the restaurant enjoys the locals’ friendly vibes. Simply said—it leaves a good taste in people’s mouths, sometimes days after the bill is paid.