Brothers Jonathan and Jason Baran own the popular Baran’s 2239 restaurant. During the pandemic, they shifted their onsite experience to a 100% to-go experience. They made breakfast burritos made from ingredients like housemade chorizo, and it was a way for the brothers to keep their doors open. They recently opened a Tigre’s Fuego in Redondo Beach.
I was disappointed when taqueria El Barrio moved out of the South Bay. They fulfilled my need for quality tacos without having to drive to East LA. That feeling went away when I learned that Tigre’s Fuego was about to open. Tigre’s Fuego focuses its menu around tacos and ceviche.
The Baran brothers are seasoned restaurant operators but could use some additional signage on their front window. Until recently, their front window lacked their hours of operation. At a minimum, they should have a neon “OPEN” sign hanging in their front window.
Each of the tacos we tried was quite tasty. While they are street size in nature, they are packed full of proteins such as Al Pastor, Turkey Carnitas, Carne Asada, and Beer Battered Swordfish. I was grateful that their handmade corn tortillas were sturdy enough not to fall apart while eating them.
I was surprised to discover four different ceviches available. While most restaurant prepares their ceviche using cod or halibut, Tigre’s Fuego uses barramundi, a 100% sustainable variety of seabass. Other ceviches include Agua Chile with albacore and cucumber and Coctel, a shrimp ceviche with cucumber, pico de gallo, and avocado.
The Peruvian Ceviche includes fresh albacore, Peruvian choclo corn, corn nuts, chopped sweet potatoes, and avocado. A generous amount of leches de tigre is added to the mixture to cure the raw fish. Everything worked in this dish. The albacore was fresh, the different types of corn added varying texture, and the leches de tigre was delicious enough to drink by itself.
Tigre’s Fuego is located two blocks away from the ocean and makes an ideal stop for a bite and a visit to the beach. Even if you don’t wander into the sand, you can enjoy the tacos from your car, admiring the view from the Esplanade. Just make sure you request plenty of napkins.
Hours: Wed-Sun 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Tigre’s Fuego, 1223 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
tigresfuego.com
IG: instagram.com/tigresfuego