Multi-hyphenate John Hamburg loves the mahi mahi fish tacos at James' Beach, the iconic Venice restaurant that has been a neighborhood landmark for 13 years. So it was no surprise to owners James Evans and Daniel Samakow that he would have a character in his new DreamWorks film, I Love You, Man claim that the fish tacos at James' Beach are "the best in the world."
All the focus on the fish tacos moved James' Beach owners to reveal the secret behind the delicious dish. "We have a history of using only the best ingredients in our dishes; so of course, we have the best tortillas and make our own black beans, salsa and guacamole," say Samakow and Evans when describing the much loved dish. "The real secret however, is the fish and how we get it.
Firstly, we use a premium Mahi Mahi, a really delicious fish, while many restaurants use whatever trimmings they have left over for tacos. Mahi Mahi is one of the fastest growing fish in the ocean, so the fact that it is not being depleted like other fish, was important to us. In keeping with our history of seeking the best ingredients, James' Beach contracts with a fish purveyor that is state of the art. When caught, the fish is immediately filleted and cleaned.
The fresh fish is then cut into the portions we serve for each individual order and vacuum sealed. This very special handling of each individual portion preserves the peak freshness and flavor of the fish, and has been the restaurant secret that makes such a difference. When ordered at James' Beach, the fish is simply seasoned and cooked to order.
Added to our house made accompaniments, it is a winning combination that is hard to beat." James' Beach has been serving its famous fish tacos along with shrimp and tofu tacos since it opened in 1996 at its Venice Beach location at 60 N. Venice Blvd. The owners of James' Beach also own the Canal Club, located across the street, which is famous for its Carne Asada tacos. James' Beach is open for dinner 7 nights a week with a late night menu serving their tacos and other dishes Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30pm to 1:00 am.
