A guide to setting a beautiful, restrained fish taco night table where coastal California neutrals meet Mexican influences – plus a delicious San Diego-style fish taco recipe.
We just returned from 5 days in Santa Fe, New Mexico and I can honestly say I was blown away by the quality of the food. I thought San Diego cuisine was outstanding, but Santa Fe chefs take Mexican food to the next level!
We stayed at the Bishop’s Lodge Resort just outside of town and enjoyed the beautiful southwestern views from our casita. Although the staff misplaced two of our suitcases immediately upon our arrival (not a great way to start our stay) we did enjoy the views from our private hot tub. The onsite food was fine, but the resort felt understaffed overall, so not sure I’d want to stay there again.
The most enjoyable parts of our trip were the meals and tours we experienced in the town of Santa Fe. It was our first trip to the region, and it definitely won’t be our last. New Mexico has so much art, culture and history that it was impossible to take it all in in one visit. We look forward to spending more time there in the future.
Taco Tuesday, San Diego Style
Speaking of good food, I felt inspired by our meals in Santa Fe to make one of our favorites here at home this week – fish tacos.
San Diegans take their Mexican food very seriously. Home to the famous California burrito (stuffed with crispy french fries – yum!) San Diego is also known for their fish tacos. Prepared in countless variations, the humble fish taco is as woven into San Diego culture as surfing itself.
I love a good fish taco as much as the next person, so on Tuesdays you’ll often find us at the local Mexican restaurant by the beach enjoying $5 tacos and margaritas. Yum. But, sometimes we like to cook at home and so in this post I’m sharing a casual Cinco de Mayo “fish-taco-tablescape” along with a delicious local recipe for making your own fish tacos.
Setting The Table
In honor of Cinco de Mayo – which happens to fall on a Tuesday no less! – it’s worth the effort to set a festive table. However, taco Tuesday is more about the food than the tablescape. A good rule of thumb I like to follow is to keep about 80 percent of the table quietly coastal, using the same basic foundation I would use for almost any spring or summer table. Neutral table linens and plates are used as the base layer. But then I like to use a little color to punch things up and make it festive. Not piñata festive, but with a nod to Mexican-inspired colors and decor.
The Color Palette
For this table, I leaned on a foundation of soft, sun-washed neutrals like oyster and cream. These are the colors that quiet everything down and let the rest of the table breathe. From there, I brought in accents pulled straight from a San Diego summer, like cobalt blue, terracotta, lime green, and just a pop of orange to keep things lively. For metals, I chose gold flatware for an aged-brass look over silver. It’s warmer and it plays beautifully against linen, terracotta, and hand-painted ceramics.
I dressed up our glass dining table with a simple cotton runner. You can use unbleached linen or a simple woven jute runner as well.
For the placemats, I used ones made from natural woven seagrass. Rattan would also work well here. The organic-shaped dinner plates are made from a creamy white stoneware, and the napkins are made from simple unbleached cotton, which adds to the casual feel.
Bright cobalt blue-rimmed bubble glasses add a charming Mexican restaurant vibe. I used our clear acrylic margarita glasses for this tablescape, but blue-rimmed ones to match the water glasses would also look charming.
The Centerpiece
This centerpiece could not be simpler. A vibrantly painted pot holds a live marigold plant from a local nursery. I flanked it with two Mexican chili-shaped serving bowls in blue and terracotta colors.
The Food
Although I am not a food blogger by any stretch of the imagination, I do think our fish tacos turned out quite yummy-looking! Trust me, if I can make them, you can too.
Below you’ll find a downloadable PDF plus a video showing the steps for how to make San Diego Fish Tacos. Choose firm white cod (fresh if possible) that’s thick enough to slice into strips for frying. Work in batches if needed so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
Don’t skip making your own pickled onions! It’s super simple and they add a sweet and tangy flavor to the tacos. I also bought pre-shredded cabbage to save time.
Tip: Mexican oregano is not the same as regular oregano. I couldn’t find any so I omitted it from the recipe and it still tasted great.
We like to set up our taco bar on our long counter for easy serving. I love how colorful this meal is.
The Recipe
We like to enjoy a margarita with our tacos (who doesn’t?). Cutwater, a San Diego based brand, makes a good prepared margarita that isn’t too sweet. Perfect for a low-effort cocktail on a Tuesday night!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Are you celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year? How do you set your taco night table? Tell me in the comments, or tag me on Instagram. I’m always looking for new ideas!
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If you’re looking for some fun new pieces for your taco night tablescape, here are some of my favorites.
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