#25: Mojarra Dorada at Garduño's Mexican Food

There aren't many places in St. Louis to get a decent fish taco. My personal favorite fish taco isn't even listed as such on the menu. I build it myself at Garduño's Mexican Food on Cherokee Street.

The mojarra dorada is a whole fish, lightly battered and then fried. The exterior is lightly crisp, the flesh exceptionally moist. The flavor is very mild. (Think tilapia -- indeed, as I understand it, mojarra and tilapia are often used interchangeably, though there is a separate species called mojarra.) Which is why you want to use the fish as the base for a taco.

The fish is topped with onion, tomato and jalapeño, and there is also pico de gallo, sour cream and a lime wedge (as well as rice and beans) on the side. Fold these components however you like in corn tortillas (provided, though not pictured), and you have a fish taco so tasty that you can almost hear the dayboat chugging back out to sea.

Almost.

Garduño's Mexican Food
2737 Cherokee Street
314-776-2315
$11.99

I'm counting down -- in no particular order -- 100 of my favorite dishes in St. Louis. Some are well-known, others obscure. Some are expensive, others dirt cheap. All of them, I guarantee, are delicious. Please do not hesitate to share your own favorites via the comments thread.

Previously:

#26: "It" at Mammer Jammer
#27: Two eggs over-easy, bacon and hash browns at the Courtesy Diner
#28: Seafood at Farmhaus
#29: The "Edgar Allan Poe" at Dewey's Pizza
#30: The "Heart Stopping BLT" and a chocolate malt at Crown Candy Kitchen

#31: Smoked half-chicken at PM BBQ
#32: The smoked chicken pizza at Onesto Pizza & Trattoria
#33: The baby-back ribs (or the burger) at the Piccadilly at Manhattan
#34: Albóndigas caseras con patatas at the Guido's Pizzeria & Tapas
#35: The "Sweet Burger" at SweetArt
#36: Buffalo fries at Blueberry Hill
#37: Tom yum gai at Pearl Café
#38: Cassoulet (and Sweetbreads) at Franco
#39: The "Papasan Roll" at Miso on Meramec
#40: Lasagna at Mama Josephine's

#41: The "Bucktown" Pizza at Pi Pizzeria
#42: Pla song kruang at Basil Spice Thai Cuisine
#43: Chori pollo at Mi Ranchito
#44: Pizza at La Pizza
#45: Fried chicken at Young's Restaurant & Ice Creamery
#46: The Philly Cheesesteak at 9th Street Deli
#47: Smoked chicken wings at Flavors BBQ Sports Bar & Grill
#48: Coffee and a pastry at 222 Artisan Bakery
#49: The torta ahogada at Taqueria Durango
#50: The "Morganford Mediterranean" Sandwich at Local Harvest Café & Catering