Nestled in the vibrant heart of Downtown La Jolla, Puesto Mexican Street Food offers a fresh and exciting take on traditional Mexican cuisine. This innovative taco shop provides a unique, customizable experience, allowing diners to create their perfect tacos, guisado bowls, or salads from a diverse array of high-quality, healthy ingredients. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Puesto and exploring their menu, and I’m excited to share my experience.
Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Eric, one of the owners, who expertly guided us through the Puesto concept. The process begins with a user-friendly laminated card detailing the extensive selection of options. From various meat choices to a vibrant assortment of toppings and flavorful salsas, the possibilities are plentiful. Eric helped us navigate the menu, suggesting some enticing combinations. We then placed our customized cards against the glass counter, signaling the chefs to begin crafting our personalized dishes.
Tacos with grilled cheese being prepared at Puesto Mexican Street Food La Jolla
One standout topping that I highly recommend is the crispy grilled cheese. This isn’t just sprinkled cheese; it’s a generous layer of cheese grilled directly on the plancha, onto which your chosen fillings are placed. For one taco, I opted for a vegetarian combination featuring huitlacoche and zucchini flowers atop the grilled cheese. I also sampled a pork taco with the cheesy base and a shrimp taco without.
Fresh and colorful taco toppings and ingredients at Puesto La Jolla
The sheer variety of toppings and fixings available at Puesto is impressive. The colorful display invites you to experiment and tailor your meal to your exact preferences.
Custom salad creation at Puesto Mexican Street Food in La Jolla
Beyond tacos, Puesto also caters to salad lovers with an array of fresh salad toppings, including unexpected additions like nuts and cranberries. Finding these unique toppings at a taco shop was a pleasant surprise, adding a gourmet touch to the salad options.
Selection of signature salsas at Puesto Mexican Street Food La Jolla
Puesto’s salsas are another highlight, offering a range of flavors to complement your tacos. I requested samples of each salsa on the side to fully appreciate their individual profiles before committing to a favorite. The mango salsa, a refreshing salsa fresca, combined mango, habanero, tomato, and cilantro. The Jamaica salsa featured hibiscus flowers and chipotle, offering a smoky and floral note. My personal favorite was the Pistache salsa, a unique blend of pistachio and jalapeño, delivering a creamy, spicy kick.
Custom-made tacos with avocado at Puesto Mexican Street Food La Jolla
Behold my taco creations, each crowned with a slice of fresh avocado. The presentation is as appealing as the flavors.
Close-up of a vegetarian taco with huitlacoche and zucchini flowers from Puesto La Jolla
Venturing into the more unusual options, I tried the veggie taco with huitlacoche, a corn fungus, paired with zucchini flowers and the crispy grilled cheese. While adventurous, the huitlacoche’s texture and appearance weren’t entirely to my liking, proving that culinary exploration can be a mixed bag.
Close-up of a delicious shrimp taco from Puesto Mexican Street Food
In contrast, the shrimp taco was a definite winner. Generous portions of plump shrimp combined with fresh, vibrant flavors made this taco truly excellent.
Taco creations with various salsas at Puesto Mexican Street Food in La Jolla
My dining companion embraced the full Puesto experience, having all the salsas expertly incorporated into his taco selections, showcasing the customizable nature of the menu.
Guisado bowl with pork, chicken, and cactus at Puesto La Jolla
For those seeking an alternative to tacos, Puesto offers Guisado Bowls. These bowls feature many of the same fresh ingredients as the tacos, served without tortillas over black beans and your choice of white jasmine or brown rice.
Fresh salad bowl with Puesto Vinaigrette at Puesto Mexican Street Food
The salad bowl is another substantial option at Puesto, allowing you to customize your greens with a wide variety of toppings and dressings, including the flavorful Puesto Vinaigrette with cilantro and chile. The salads are generously sized, perfect for sharing.
Frozen Horchata sample at Puesto Mexican Street Food La Jolla
To complete the experience, we sampled the Frozen Horchata. This refreshing, frozen twist on the traditional rice milk drink retained the classic horchata flavor but with a delightful slushy texture. The sample size was ideal, making it a perfect sweet treat to share.
Puesto Mexican Street Food in La Jolla redefines Mexican street food with its emphasis on customization, fresh ingredients, and gourmet touches. While it may deviate from traditional street fare, its innovative approach and diverse menu make it a welcome addition to the La Jolla dining scene. If you’re looking for a vibrant and flavorful Mexican food experience in La Jolla, Puesto is a must-try.
